I Dare You

I DARE YOU!

Is that a threat or something? Nah, just calm down I’m not threatening you neither am I calling you up for a fight I just want to challenge you positively. Let me start with the story of a man we all know very well some people call him “the godfather of comedy” others call him “the ancestral spirit of standup comedy in Nigeria” take it or leave he was the first man to start standup in Nigeria he’s no other than the man called “ALIBABA”

He is Atunyota Alleluya Akporobome with the stage name Alibaba born in Warri, Delta state to a royal family studied Religious Studies and Philosophy at Ambrose Ali university Ekpoma after acquiring a degree in 1990 he relocated to Lagos having discovered his comic talent and funny bone in his third year in the university, he initially had a passion to be  a lawyer and he had planned to go back to Ekpoma to study law but he changed his mind when he discovered he could make money from making people laugh than defending them!

He started his professional career with corporate events appearing on television shows with the likes of Patrick Doyle, Charly Boy and Danladi Bako but he made up his mind that he was going to do everything possible to enhance himself, improve his skill and the service he offered in other words be professional but at that time there was hardly any precedent to follow because the funny men then were not into standup comedy.

Through guts, sacrifices and creative dynamism, Ali Baba carved a niche for himself as a comedian for both corporate and non-corporate events. In less than 4 years, he had become the preferred Master of ceremony at some events. Alibaba made the rules, broke them and sometimes even discarded them depending on how effective they were. These days no event is complete without a comedian to MC that event. The comedy industry in Nigeria today is growing fast and strong to the credit of the God father of comedy. He has been a professional standup comedian for the past 22 years and has in the last 13 years received several awards.  Today, Ali Baba is nothing but a success story! (Culled from Wikipedia).

I don’t know what your dream is, it might be to start up something nobody has ever done, don’t be scared about it, there might be a lot of opposition around you because your dream sounds crazy but I bet you when your dreams become reality the same people who told you it was impossible will celebrate you. The same people who gave you no chance will tell tales of how they knew you. But you have to bring your dreams to reality before you can sing the triumphant songs.

So I dare you…
I dare you to start something,
to take that great risk
to take that giant step

I dare you today…
to visit your dreams and even make them bigger
to bring to life those ideas that have been giving you sleepless nights
to go out there and be yourself

I challenge you…
to stand up and try again and again and again
to keep going till your dreams become reality.

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it; Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!” (Goethe) Don’t just dream be bold enough to take a step of faith and courage to make that dream a reality. So, I dare you to write that letter, to make that phone call, to visit that office, to take that great risk. Remember, life itself a risk don’t be too scared to live your dreams! I dare you to pursue your dreams!

Omodara Oluwabunmi Onome