Edo State government under Governor Godwin Obaseki, apart from its huge investments in the creative sector over the years, continues to throw the weight of its support behind indigenous entertainers. Edo State-born MC Casino, in an exclusive interview with a team of The Nigerian Observer in Benin City, attests to the impact the Obaseki administration’s creative sector investments and support are making on the growth of indigenous talent. The stand-up comedian, content creator, social entrepreneur, social crusader, and master of ceremony also speaks on his humble beginning, inspiration, growth, lessons from COVID-19, and the Nigerian comedy industry. Excerpts:
Who is MC Casino? And, out of curiosity, how did you come about the name Casino?
My name is Lawrence Osarenkhoe. I am a Bini man. I am married with two children. I studied Agric at the University of Benin with a degree in Fisheries.
The name Casino, there is really nothing unique about it. I used to be a strong fan of the popular Nollywood star Jim Iyke. I think I first heard that name Casino in one of his movies. He just used the word Casino and I loved the word and tried to know the meaning. I found out it’s a house for gambling, some also wrote a house for entertainment, so I said, okay, I will leave the gambling part and stick with the entertainment part. It has been working for me.
You studied Fisheries in the university, so how did you migrate from Fisheries to entertainment?
I did not migrate. I am an entertainer. I have this primordial organic talent as a comedian; I came with it. God gave me that talent but University of Benin gave me Agric. So, I did not migrate, it is the talent I left to study.
How long have you been doing comedy?
The first time I was paid to anchor an event was in 2008. I am counting from when my talent became monetised, otherwise I think I have been doing this job for almost 20 years.
So, what changed from when you were not paid to do comedy to the point when you were paid to do it?
Changing the status quo, migrating from fun zone to business zone. Initially, I was just having fun; someone is celebrating a birthday and they just call me: ‘We heard you can talk, come and talk at our birthday’. They didn’t even know what it was called. So, I was just doing all that, but when I got admission into UNIBEN, I anchored my own freshers’ welcome. A freshers’ welcome they organised to welcome freshers like me, I was the MC. I told them I wanted to anchor it, but they said I could not. I said, ‘Give me the microphone’, and that was it. From that point it has been growth all the way.
From that point up to now, can you track your progression? What has it been like?
It has been fantastic. No regrets. No hurdles. I don’t see anything as hurdles. If you have a particular dream you are chasing, there are some things you don’t refer to as obstacles, they are normal things that come with life. There has not been any slowdown. I left school in 2012, went for my NYSC in 2013 and came back, the next year I was already doing gigs internationally. I did my first international show with Wizkid, Basketmouth, Olamide, Patoranking, Buchi. That was in 2015. From there it has been from one step to the other. I started doing my own comedy show because it was no longer fashionable to depend on people’s platforms to express yourself to the world. Everybody had to create their own platform for themselves to excel. So, I started doing my own gigs. Casino Game of Jokes was birthed four years ago. I have done two cities in Nigeria, I have done seven countries in Europe, next year we are doing America. I came back from my Europe tour in August and I am doing the Nigeria edition, Benin January 1, Asaba June 12.
When you started, did you have reservations or opposition from members of your family?
Of course, there was opposition from some members of my family. Every father wants his child to be a medical doctor, an engineer or a lawyer. I happened to be a brilliant student when I was much younger. They were already calling me Dr. Lawrence. I was good at Chemistry, Mathematics and some other subjects.
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I thank God I did not toe that line. It was later I realised I would have lost my job or lived in depression had I pursued a career in Medicine. I just found out that I hate seeing blood. I cannot see people die. These are things that doctors see on a daily basis. Imagine someone telling a medical doctor, ‘He’s dead’, the next thing the doctor will say is, ‘Wrap him’. Then the doctor will go home and eat as if nothing happened. I cannot withstand it.
Back then when I wanted to obtain JAMB form, I prayed to God that if Medicine would be my path to success in life, let University of Benin admit me. If not, the institution should give me another course that I could combine with entertainment.
How do they feel now looking at how far you have come?
Now they are fulfilled. I am the pride of the family. You will see many people saying, ‘Look at MC Casino, we grew up together, we are family members, and we are this and that’. These are things you cannot enjoy if you are a normal career person. If you are medical doctor, before you become famous in your field, maybe you would have discovered cures for HIV and sickle cell. Otherwise, only people in your compound will know you. As an entertainer, if you manage your fame well, it will bring wealth to your next ten generations.
You mentioned Jim Iyke as some sort of inspiration at some point, but he is not a comedian. So, who are the guys in the comedy industry that you were looking at when you were coming up? And what was it about them that inspired you?
Basketmouth, I-Go-Die, I-Go-Save, Gandoki. Each has his individual uniqueness and peculiarity. Basketmouth is business-minded and tells story jokes. I-Go-Die will always remind you of where you are coming from. I-Go-Die and I-Go-Save were doing more of reality comedy, they were cracking jokes about themselves, about their surroundings. Basketmouth will take you to the imagination type of comedy. Gandoki was also in-between Basketmouth and I-Go-Die and I-Go-Save. I was just picking from their characters. While you try to do abstract comedy, you also have to fuse in some reality form of comedy. The reality form of comedy is the area I have pitched tent with because it is quite easy for people to understand. You don’t have to pass through stress to create humour, because it is something that everybody is familiar with. For instance, in this room there is a camera, there is a microphone. If I am doing a joke on microphone, the assimilation is faster because everyone here sees the microphone.
Looking at the comedy industry in Nigeria, which of these types of comedy you have mentioned would you say has the upper hand?
It depends. There is no yardstick. What works in Abuja might not work in Benin. There are some types of comedy that work in Europe but cannot work here. There are some comedians that can never perform in Europe. If it is Nigerian audience you are looking for, they cannot. That’s where people like us, God has blessed us with unusual capacity because if you take me to America, I am a graduate, I know that 80 percent of the blacks in America went there for schooling, so you need to give them jokes that are properly constructed. 80 percent of the blacks in Europe went for hustling. My statistics might be wrong, but you have people that they went to hustle, to search for greener pasture, and some persons who went to search for education abroad. Like one of the cities where I did my comedy show, Brescia in Italy, the hall was jam-packed. They stood up because there was no seat anymore. In fact, I didn’t even see a stage to perform; they collapsed the stage and I stood close to the DJ to perform. They were told the hall was filled up, but they said they wanted to see Casino and would enter like that. So, we already knew that these persons, this is their uniqueness. If that show was to be held in America and the organisers say, ‘Sorry, it’s filled up’, those ones would just say, ‘Oh nice’, and they would go home. But in Italy it was different. So, entering that hall I already knew that I had an audience that was stubborn. With them you don’t mess yourself up, just flow with their pattern, don’t give storyline jokes, leave imagination, just go there, give it to them hot hot, massage their ego, drive in your humour. But if you go to America, people are well seated and well arranged, you cannot use that same pattern. They want to listen to you, they want you to make them laugh, so they will listen to your comedy. Imagination comedy appeals to more educated audience, people that are ready to expand their knowledge with your comedy, so such comedy works, but reality comedy, to me, is more universal.
There are some comedians that cannot perform in Benin. I don’t want to mention names. Even if you pay them N4 million, they would decline it. There are some comedians that cannot perform in an outdoor event. It depends on their training, their background, where they are coming from, how they learnt the business, how they were taught. They will say, ‘Ah, this is not my audience’. The advantage that most Edo comedians have, and Warri comedians as well, is that we are the audience people are scared to entertain. So, we are more of universal comedians, no audience can make us sheathe our sword, no audience can intimidate us. We are born with that courage.
How do you transition from one character to another to suit your different audiences?
That is it. That is why the business is not for everybody. That’s the creative part of the business. That is why you see a comedian will go for a presidential inauguration, he won’t do well. Take him to a different event, he will wow the audience. Then take that comedian to Edo State government dinner and he will not do well. That’s how it works. But if you are educated, that’s where education comes in. If I am doing an event for lawyers, and the event is next week, on my own I should be able to chat with my friends that are lawyers to get some legal terminologies. When you are coming with terms they are familiar with, that’s acceptance. Unconsciously, they see you as one of them. After that, you then see how you can create humour from the job itself. So, it’s just preparation. Before any event, you have to be prepared.
In 2020, COVID struck the world and it affected everything, including the entertainment industry. What lessons did you learn from that experience?
What I learnt was, always be prepared, live your life as if you are living it for the last minute, like the next minute you might not be around anymore. Have a savings mentality. Save, save, save. Rainy day is real. Most persons were stranded because in our type of work, there is a lot of temptation to live a luxury life. I will just anchor a wedding for two hours and you give me N1.5 million and you say I should not be excited? It is very tempting. People then create standards. They say: ‘I have tried in this industry, I’m not supposed to stay in a house where there is no 24-hour power supply. I need a gateman, I need an orderly, I need good food, I think I cannot be wearing normal glasses. If I cannot afford Gucci, at least let me go for Zara’. All these things, the money is going back, and at a point you just find out you’re living a recurrent life, nothing to save. Next Friday they are calling you again for that same N1.5 million, the next Saturday there is another call. In fact, your schedule is booked for the year. Then COVID came and there was nothing left. Some people that were living large were different from those that had the mentality of saving. I think that’s what I learnt. COVID also gave me the opportunity to invest more in online comedy, content creation.
COVID-19 forced entertainers, from movies makers to musicians, to begin to stream their music and films online. Did Nigerian comedians do the same thing?
Yes. All these comedians that you see using big cars, they are not into fraud. We started like stand-up comedians. I have been into this business for about 20 years; it was not until I started making skits that I was known outside Edo State. Everyone is hustling in that direction.
In the last few years the current government in Edo State has invested in the creative sector. To what extent are those investments enhancing your job and that of other stand-up comedians?
First, I will appreciate the State Governor, the likes of the SA on Media, and the Chief of Staff of this present administration. The governor came with a digital mindset; he is more like a digital performer. Benin City is highly organic and ancient, we are slow to change. So when the governor came, he brought smart minds, young and highly intelligent people. We have the Edo Creative Hub; the event centre for entertainment is free of charge, the government will even support you. The last show we did, Porkupine Live, the hall was given to us free, the government connected light through the Azura Power. The government is now aware that entertainment is the next oil money, so they support us a lot. The show I am doing on January 1st, they already have their ticket reservations. Of course, the state government will not give you the normal price for tickets. If they give you an amount of money that will cover up for, say, four tables, and at the end of the day it is only one table that is occupied, you are still going to sell the balance three tables, that has also boosted your morale. And they now attend shows, that again has its ripple effect. If I am showing a potential sponsor pictures of my previous events and that sponsor sees the Governor, the Deputy Governor, the Chief of Staff, the SA on Media, that brand will already see you as a responsible brand for you to have such persons around you, so that will go a long way to expand your brand beyond your linguistic bracket, beyond your state. So, the government has invested a lot. So many big productions are being done in Benin. Iroko TV was here for almost two years, in partnership with Edo State government, and they employed more that 2,000 persons. I have at least seven friends that benefitted directly. Jobs were created, hotels were sold out, even one of my cousin’s house was used to accommodate people. More than 3,000 persons were on set. You know what it means to have 3,000 persons working in a small place, you know the economic impact that will have, and everybody smiled. They did ‘Blood of Enogie’, they did so many movies, they brought people from abroad, people made money. I know some of my friends that made up to N5 million, actors and actresses that would usually be paid N20,000 for roles. The project was big, the state government was involved, so they didn’t come here to slave my people, let the creative artists also enjoy. I know those who made N4 million that ordinarily have not made N1 million in 10 years. So, the state government has really done a lot, but we are still asking them to do more, in terms of partnerships, in terms of following up so that the funds and their investments should not be diverted.
The state government should interact more with entertainment stakeholders and engage less of consultants. I know consultants are good, but who is a better consultant than I in my field? I do not know the school you went to, and I do not care to know. This is the business I have been doing since 2007. My achievements are here for anyone to see. I will show you all my wins and gains. There is no way someone who got his ideas by reading books will know more than people that are directly involved in the practice.
They should engage the practitioners more instead of the consultants. That is the reason I was very happy when the state government opened the creative hub. The Chief of Staff sent for me and Edo Pikin. I saw the invite as a paradigm shift. That is why I will forever be grateful to this administration. It has never happened before that the state government will send for an indigenous comedian. We came and made our inputs, the industry has changed for the better since then.
The state government is doing well, not just to promote the entertainment industry, but also to promote their indigenous creative minds, to see how Edo can make an impact in the creative industry. The truth is that, in the last four years, Edo entertainers and comedians have given everyone a run for their money. Everyone is now serious in the industry because they do not know where Edo comedians are coming from.
You know, when we do something, people will exclaim, saying our posters are like Lagos posters while some wonder if such comedy shows could happen in Edo State. So, we have started enjoying such remarks from stakeholders in the country’s entertainment industry. In addition, Benin City is now safer compared to how it used to be. There is no way comedy shows can take place in an atmosphere that is not secure. The state government should continue to make Edo State secure.
You have talked about people in the industry who inspired you when you were coming up, are there also people out there who draw inspiration from you, people you are mentoring?
Many. I mentor people across board – business, comedy. I cannot mention names. But by the grace of God, comedians that have gone through me are up to 15, from Edo State and outside the state, including providing shelter, food and clothing. I am talking about people who have gone through my house. If you are extending it to my shows, they are more than 200, from my school days and all the rest.
Are there things the older generation of comedians have put in place to help the up and coming ones?
The up and coming comedians are pitching their tents with the online guys. Facebook has created the space for everyone to fly. If you are good both online and offline, that is when we can talk. Stand-up comedy is different from a content creator. But some guys in the industry are good at combining both. That is the edge someone like me has. We are offline soldiers; we delved into online segment for fame. For four years, I have not had up to seven weekends without anchoring a programme. Of course, you need to tap into the online opportunities to boost your mileage.
In music, we see older artistes doing collabos with the younger generation, like the case of Victor Uwaifo and Tuface. Do you have something like that in the comedy industry
Yes, even though the collabo among comedians is not that organised. We play a lot in the comedy industry, which is why we are not taken too seriously. In music, the management of musician A will meet the management of musician B and contractual agreement will be signed. Each party will know how much of the revenue will go to him or her. But in the comedy industry, it is not so. Comedians are freer with content collaboration.
Even music producers don’t collect money again. It is now based on sharing formula. The music producer will produce the song for the musician and an agreement will be reached on what percentage of the future income stream (when the album is released) that the producer will get – maybe 10, 15 or 20 percent. Producers don’t collect money to produce music albums nowadays. Revenue comes from online, and it involves a lot of money now. Musicians and producers have taken collaboration to another level. When you see entertainers using expensive cars, you now believe they are into drugs. Which drugs? Some of their albums made about seven years ago are still being streamed online and their money is accumulating.
How is the comedy industry regulated in Nigeria?
The industry is not being regulated. The hazard of this work is plagiarism. It is even worse as social media has polarised the business. There is no seniority anymore. Now, you can become a star from your bedroom. In those days, for you to become a star comedian, there were stages. First, you must be good; second, you must attach yourself to a senior colleague; third, you must be in ‘A Night of a Thousand Laughs’ by Opa Williams, and you must perform very well there so that when they are producing the CD after the programme, your part would not be cut off. Those were the stages back then. It was more organised as there was mentorship. Right now, with social media, nobody cares.
Where would you like to see the industry in the next five years?
Only God can answer that question accurately. Notwithstanding, if things continue the way they are going now, entertainers, especially content creators, will become highly influential. If any government is wise enough, federal, state or local government officials, they should start identifying themselves with influencers. I am not supposed to tell government this. They should start romancing entertainers.
I have almost one million followers on Facebook. Do you know what it means for these fans to follow us? I read a comment where someone said entertainers should start paying tax, you do not do that. This is an industry that is just booming. Instead, government should become a critical stakeholder. Create an agency or ministry to liaise with the industry stakeholders, and bring them closer to the government.
We did PVC concerts with WhatsApp broadcast, and we had more than 7,000 individuals at Ring Road in Benin. Government could have spent millions to attract that number of individuals. We shut down the whole of Benin City for hours, that is how powerful influencers are. A time will come when public officials will lose elections because of messages that emanate from influencers.
The ENDSARS protest is a case in point. In almost all the 36 states of the federation, there were protests that took place simultaneously. That is the power of social media.
So, any government that understands the principles of times and seasons should jump into the entertainment industry, invest in it and become a stakeholder in the sector. Romance them, be closer to them. Otherwise, ordinary WhatsApp message will be enough to change a governor.
Entertainment appears to be Nigeria’s biggest export at the moment…
It is the only thing we export currently. Where are the other exports? The only reason Nigeria still exists in the minds of foreigners is because of Afrobeat. It is because of Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, etc. Burna Boy won a Grammy, yet his big image is not in our international airports. If you have a government that understands times and seasons, ‘Welcome to Nigeria, the home of Burna Boy and Wizkid’ should be the first greeting to foreigners who come into Nigeria. Those are the only things we have. Whenever I am in Europe and I stop a cab man, immediately the man starts playing Burna Boy. Even French people, once they see you as a black person, the first impression they have is that you are from the home of Burna Boy.
For someone aspiring to be a comedian, what essential ingredients should the person have?
If you are funny, between the ages of seven and 18 you should know. Even when I had not started comedy, I knew I could talk. What I am saying is that for someone who is funny and can talk, you already have an ingredient that if you go into the business of talking, you will excel effortlessly. When I was involved in student unionism, I would talk, and people would record it. I don’t like writing. I knew back then that I could not go into any business that involves writing things down. My advice is that people should discover themselves very early. Ask yourself, are you entering this business because you see people making money or because you have the qualities that can make you excel? If you want to go into comedy business, be very sure that you have what it takes to succeed in the sector.
I was at a wedding function a month ago when a guy approached me and, after exchanging pleasantries, said he was one of the contestants in the Edo Up Coming Comedian Competition which I won. The guy has since stopped practising comedy. I am not in the entertainment industry because I won, because so many individuals won before me and after me, but some are no longer in the business. I am in the business because I knew this is my calling, so I had to pursue it. If you do not have it, just leave the industry. There are many other ways to make money.
What are you parting words to your fans?
I thank my fans for always supporting us. But I want to advise my fans not to put entertainers under undue pressure. The backlash we are getting from social media these days is too much. Everyone wants entertainers to bring good governance to this country. They want us to comment on everything that happens in the country. They should know that we are entertainers, not activists. They should not leave this job of making Nigeria better to entertainers. If we want this country to move forward, medical doctors should speak, lawyers should speak; engineers, nurses, police, market women, soldiers, Christians, Muslims, traditionalists, everyone should speak, that is the only way to move Nigeria forward. But leaving everything to only entertainers, they should know that we too are human, we want to live too. We don’t have two lives.
Also, let me remind my fans that they should not forget my show on January 1st. This year, my fans will be super excited. Many heavyweights will be there such as Helen Paul, Seyi Law, Edo Pikin, and a lot of other funny comedians. It will take place at Crown Height Pavilion, Benin City
