Popular Instagram comedian, The Real Femi – real name Femi Owolabi – is known for his special type of comedy and parody skits which has made him a fave for over 200,000 people. Although based in Namibia, Femi has the bulk of his fans in Nigeria yet does not limit his inspiration to topics only Nigerians might be able to relate with.
In a chat with Punch, the comedian talks of how comedy started for him, his source of inspiration, how he manages his fan base, his view of the prospects in the ‘social media’ comedy sphere, among other things.
Read excerpt here:
On how comedy started for him, he says: “I was in my room one day, with my laptop and decided to use the webcam to record a random video. I didn’t plan to do any funny video. I recorded the video, speaking with a British accent; I was telling people how I got the accent. I just created an Instagram account for the purpose of posting pictures in 2014. I posted the video on my page and the reaction I got was overwhelming. I decided to do a follow-up to the video; and I still got interesting reactions. I just continued but I didn’t even know the direction that these videos were going. As time went on, one of the major blogs on Instagram reposted my video and I saw a lot of nice comments and likes. I was encouraged. Along the line, I started fine-tuning my videos by giving them more direction. I became very intentional about my contents. I started building my brand. Towards the end of 2015, I became consistent with my videos.”
On his childhood and its influence on his style, he says: “My childhood doesn’t influence my contents. I grew up in Canada and Nigeria. I used to be a very reserved and shy child. I like to observe a lot but I don’t talk much. I still like to play a lot but I do a lot of research and reading.”
On the prospects of social media as a viable means of making money, he responds: “Yes, it is a great platform to showcase what you have to the world. It shouldn’t be rushed. It is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It requires a lot of patience. If anybody wants to do Instagram skits just to make money; that may be a miscalculation. It is a good platform, but it is advisable to have a backup plan just in case.”
Read full interview on Punch
