Basketmouth Confirms He’s Speaking At 8th Edition of NECLive

One of Africa’s most celebrated stand-up comedians Bright ‘Basketmouth’ Okpocha, has been confirmed to speak at this year’s edition of NECLive, holding this Sunday, April 25, 2021.

The comedian will join an exclusive list of his peers who have spoken in recent editions of the conference. Born Bright Okpocha on September 14, 1978, Basketmouth grew up in Ajegunle, Lagos, Nigeria. He had his secondary education in 1995 before proceeding to Edo State, where he obtained a sociology degree from the University of Benin.

Basketmouth discovered his skills at drumming when he was 13. His dexterity got him hired as an instrumentalist at the Christ Pentecostal Mission (CPM). During this period, his newfound love for hip hop compelled him to venture into rapping, forming a 7-member music group called Da Psychopath.

Basketmouth becoming a stand-up comedian was by happenstance on the fateful day he and his bandmates were heckled on stage. In retaliation, he retorted wittily and made the crowd laugh. He was later approached by his future manager, Bayo Adekeye, who convinced him to pursue comedy.

Climbing through the rungs, he made a name for himself as one of Africa’s finest comedians, going ahead to launch his stand-up comedy show Basketmouth Uncensored. The comedian currently hosts his own show on MTV Base, ‘The Big Friday Show’. He released the hit comedy web series, Papa Benji, through his company — Zing Network production company in 2020. He is also a regular on the daily sitcom ‘My Flatmates”, for which he also acts as writer and producer. “As a creative, Basketmouth has attained legendary status in Africa through his work in comedy, TV and music. His ability to entertain diverse audiences with a mix of creative skills is truly remarkable. We are honoured to have him join us again for NECLive,” commented CEO ID Africa, Femi Falodun.

Basketmouth explains why the conference is essential to the Nigerian entertainment ecosystem: “Performing at this year’s NECLive means much more than standing on a stage and making people laugh. The conference’s impact for the past eight years is undeniable. We like to think, as artistes, that we achieve success with our wits and talent. While this is partly true, policies such as those brought up at NECLive play a pivotal role in career advancement for creatives like myself. I can’t wait to witness the ideas the conference will birth.”

So far, CEO, Temple Management Company, Idris Olorunnimbe; Nigerian comedian, Bovi; and co-founder Andela; Flutterwave, Iyin Aboyeji, Nollywood superstar Dakore Egbuson-Akande; have also been confirmed to speak at the event. They were handpicked based on their wealth of experience and boundary-defying innovations across various industries. Media personality and producer Bolanle Olukanni will host the conference.

Hinged on the theme: Building the Future, the conference will address current industry shortcomings following the pandemic, with a mind frame of reassessment for better positioning in the future.

Due to COVID-19 health guidelines that prevented the event from holding last year, the programme will assume a hybrid form that entails speakers’ studio set up at one end and a global live audience across cable television, other electronic channels and streaming via NECLive’s digital channels.

NECLive has attracted more than 12,000 physical participants and 20 million viewers and audiences on television and digital for over seven years. Nigerian Entertainment Conference (often stylized as NECLive), with the hashtag #NECLive, is an umbrella conference for the entertainment industry in Nigeria, which continually discusses the trajectory of the sector and shapes the discourse and practices surrounding it.

#NECLive is the marketplace for innovative ideas, products, the unveiling of dynamic solutions that will connect, engage and encourage industry collaborations for sustainable socio-economic development while offering a brighter future in the continent.