Why I’m taking comedy show to Delta State — MC Short Family

Popular comedian, Emeakpore Ofajemue, aka MC Short Family, has said that he is staging his forthcoming show, ‘Life is Too Short with Short Family Live in Ozoro’ in Delta State, because he wants to position the location as a brand.

In an interview with Saturday Beats, he said, “My forthcoming show will be different from any show or event that has been held in the Isoko region of Delta State because of the amount of media attention I am planning to bring there, from print media to television, radio and blogs. I am selling Isoko not just as a location or a culture, but as a brand to the rest of the world. I will be doing that by showcasing more of our home-based artistes and comedians to the nation and the world at large. As the ‘comedy millionaire’, an integral part of my homecoming show will focus on discovering two young comedians from the Isoko region who would be selected online and be given N500,000 each during the show, with one year mentorship and one year house rent in Lagos.”

Speaking on the challenges he has been facing in a bid to organise the show, which is slated for December 19, 2024, stated, “Organising an event in Nigeria as an artiste or comedian is not that easy, we just do our best. In other climes, even before a comedian announces dates for their tour, there is already a streaming platform ready to buy the content of the show. So, his focus wouldn’t be on ticket sales. His focus would be more on the production aspect. Since we don’t have that here in Nigeria, we have to hire and rent everything, hoping to recoup one’s investment through ticket sales.”

Recalling how he got his stage name, Short Family, said, “The story behind the name is long but I will try to summarise it. During one of the social variety nights at the NYSC orientation camp in Karaye, Kano State where I was posted, something told me I could do comedy. Also, my platoon mates were always telling me that I was funny and I should go and perform before everyone. So, I went to the backstage and there was a crowd of different talents waiting to perform. I needed a name that would get the attention of the MC to leave everybody and call me up on stage. I just wrote on a piece of paper, ‘Please call Short Family up for comedy’. Immediately the MC saw the name, he called me up and that was my first time on stage. I still don’t know how that name came to my mind.”