Sleeping Wherever He Could Before Comedy Fame

Okey Bakassi is one of Nigeria's pioneering stand-up comedians and a film and television figure. Speaking on the Honest Brunch podcast, reported by GhanaWeb in January 2025, he looked back on how his career began in Lagos.

He said he came to Lagos with nothing but his dreams and determination. At first he was homeless, sleeping wherever he could while working every day to get by. The report does not say what year this was, or how long he went without a place of his own.

His way into the film industry was practical. He asked costume vendors to lend him clothes for productions, promising to return them in perfect condition, and he says that trust opened doors for him. Producing his first film was a turning point, and he said it gave him confidence. Later, as his profile rose, some colleagues pulled back, which reduced the acting work coming his way. Rather than wait, he chose to reinvent himself.

He moved into stand-up comedy, drawing on the live skits he had performed at university. He said comedy was his saving grace, and he credits the creative community at Jazzville with helping him grow. He puts his success down to resilience and adaptability, and his advice to others is not to let setbacks define them.