Comedian Ali Baba has shared a personal story about his journey into the entertainment industry. In a recent revelation, he disclosed that his father, a bookworm who obtained his PhD at 36, wanted him to study law, but he chose to pursue a career in comedy instead.
Ali Baba recounted how he broke the news to his father, saying, “My dad and I didn’t talk from 1988 to 1998 because he wanted me to study law, but I did comedy.” He narrated how his father asked him if he had been rusticated from school when he came to inform him of his decision not to study law.
The comedian said, “I told him, I said, Daddy, I came from school to tell you something. He said, OK, have you been rusticated? I said, no. So what I said, I’ve decided that I don’t want to read law.” His father responded by asking, “You don’t want to read law? OK.”
Ali Baba then revealed that he wanted to become a comedian, saying, “And I said, because I want to do comedy. He said, ah, yes, comedy, like what? I said, crack jokes, OK?” However, his father’s reaction was not positive, and he even called his uncle to intervene.
The uncle’s reaction was also unfavourable, with Ali Baba saying, “My uncle just got up. He said, eh, now you call me. You know, read law. Eh, that means he has found another father.” The situation escalated, and Ali Baba’s uncle left, saying, “I don’t want to have anything to say to this one. Oh, he’s wasted. All the money, all the English that he speaks, wasted.”
As a result of the disagreement, Ali Baba and his father did not speak for 10 years, from 1988 to 1998. When asked if he tried to reach out during that period, Ali Baba said, “I tried. Went one time to call, because I was in Benin. So I went to one guy that I was getting worried about. So I went to talk to him and said, “You know, You know what I’m saying?”
Ali Baba revealed that his motivation for becoming a great comedian was to prove his father wrong, saying, “So people ask, where did you get the inspiration to become a great comedian? I was committed. I was like, I want to prove him wrong.”
The comedian’s story is a testament to his determination and perseverance in pursuing his dreams, despite facing opposition from his family. Today, Ali Baba is a renowned comedian, and his story serves as an inspiration to many.
