Legendary Nigerian comedian Alibaba has voiced his frustration over the alarming lack of professionalism among some new-age comedians. Sharing a jaw-dropping experience at a high-profile corporate event, Alibaba revealed that a comedian shamelessly cracked a disrespectful joke about the plus-size wife of a company chairman — leaving the room stunned and embarrassed.
Attempting to guide the young comic after the event, Alibaba was shocked when his constructive feedback was brushed off. The comedian accused him of being “jealous” of his rising fame — a response that deeply disappointed the comedy icon.
Alibaba emphasized that comedy should be intelligent, respectful, and context-appropriate, especially in formal environments. He made it clear he wasn’t trying to tear anyone down, but rather urge comedians to know their audience, respect boundaries, and elevate the art form.
He said: “There are about three Nigerian comedians who I can’t stand. They have no decorum. They insult sensibilities. You try to correct them, they won’t listen to you. You send them to a cooperate event and they do dirty jokes. And when you received report of their unruly behavior and you confront them, they would downplay it.
“Somebody called me one time to complain about one of them that he made a joke about his plus-size wife. He said, ‘If a race happens now and everyone has to carry their wives and run, you can’t carry this woman and run.’ I was like, that’s below the belt. When I confronted him, he downplayed it. He even told somebody that I was only confronting him because he was shining.”
