• Alibaba revealed his comedy career began unexpectedly while calming a crowd during a chaotic striptease event at Ambrose Alli University in the late 1980s.
• He was asked to pacify the audience after a dancer fled the stage, prompting him to crack jokes and emcee the show — a performance that resonated strongly with the crowd.
• Describing the moment as life-changing, Alibaba said, “As soon as I got on stage, I was home. I knew this was what I wanted to do.”

Nigerian comedy pioneer Alibaba has recounted the surprising moment that set him on the path to becoming one of the country’s most celebrated entertainers.

In an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise, the veteran comedian revealed that his journey into comedy began unexpectedly during his university years at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, in the late 1980s.

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Alibaba narrated how a Congo music event featuring a striptease performance was disrupted when the performer fled the stage out of fear, causing confusion among the crowd.

“Now, one of those striptease ladies came to our school in Ekpoma, and when she was, in fact, this hall was full, and when it was time for her to then undress totally, she ran off the stage because, you know, some local people like us had not seen anybody like that in nude form. And so some of them ran on stage, and so the girl was afraid and ran off,” he recounted.

With the atmosphere growing tense, the organisers sought someone to calm the agitated audience. That’s when Alibaba was asked to step in.

“They said they needed somebody to come just pacify the people and get them to calm down so the show can continue. And somebody came to me, so Pesio Koje came and said, ‘Ali, can you help us just pacify the audience and let them get back?’ And so that was how I started emceeing and cracking jokes. So to pacify the people, I had to start doing jokes, yapping everyone,” he explained.

His impromptu performance not only restored calm but also revealed a hidden gift.

“That day was the turning point. I needed to say that that was the turning point because as soon as I got on stage, I was home. I felt at home. I knew this was what I wanted to do. I started entertaining,” Alibaba said.

He also reflected on how the popularity of Congo music influenced campus entertainment at the time, noting that dancers from the genre had become widely embraced across Nigeria.

“Some lady from, and bear in mind that between 1986 and 1987, there was a new lease of life for Congo music in Nigeria. People embraced Congo music, and so they brought all their dancers as well. And so those dancers were all coming to, they were infiltrating, in fact, they even went into the churches,” he added.

Motorcyclist Shot Dead by Armed Men in Abia

A young motorcyclist, identified simply as Osinachi, has been shot dead by a group of armed men riding on a motorcycle in Uturu, located in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State.

According to eyewitnesses, the assailants struck as the victim emerged from a corner of the road on his own motorcycle. He was shot at close range before the gunmen fled the scene at high speed.