November 14, (THEWILL) – Skit maker, Sunday Chukwueze, talks about his work, the inspiration behind the Instagram character, Mama Ukamaka, and the challenges he has encountered in life, in this interview withIVORY UKONU. Excerpts:
How did you come about creating content on Instagram?
I started making Instagram skits when I got admission into the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu in 2016. I was inspired by a fellow comedian, Nosa Afolabi, otherwise known as Lasisi Elenu. Before then, I had a music studio as a producer and singer. When I got admitted to the institution, I was far away from my studio and I decided to do something else because I loved entertainment. That was how I started making skits, creating content.
Why did you choose to project the average illiterate/semi-illiterate Nigerian mother in your skits?
I was raised by my mum, who is a very funny person. The kind of things she does always elicits laughter. So most of the things I portray, I learnt from her.
Even the name you go by, Ukamaka, is feminine. Is there a story behind this particular name?
My name, Sunday in Igbo language means Uka. I also portray the character, Sister Uka alongside Brother Sunday and Mama Uka.
What inspires the kind of content you put out?
Sometimes, I may want to pass a message the way elderly people or village women understand it enough to interpret it. My mum inspires me.
How easy or difficult is it for you to create these contents?
It’s not difficult for me because most of my contents come naturally. These are things that happen every day. I don’t create contents by forming a new story, I pick my contents from things that happen around me. So it is not that difficult. It is not so easy, too.
Did you ever think that your contents would be well received when you started out?
Actually, I never thought so. When I started, I thought I would just do a selfie video, the type that Lasisi Elenu shoots, where I would just complain about things, but people didn’t like it until I started doing the Sister Uka character. The first skit I did with the character was where she was giving testimony in church. People loved and received it well. I was surprised because I never knew I would come this far with comedy. I had hoped to make it through music.
How did your family react to your decision to become a skit maker?
Actually they didn’t like it initially, especially when I started doing the feminine aspect of it like the Mama Uka and Sister Uka characters. I also didn’t tell my dad. The day my state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, picked me after performing before him during the 2019 general election, somebody went to tell my dad about it. He thought I was picked for committing a crime and said he had been warning me not to go to political rallies and all of those things. But when he found out it was for good and my craft was bringing glory to the family and the community, they started to love it. Now anytime I travel to the village, I get a very warm reception.
What do you make of people who think skit makers that project feminine mannerisms and costumes aren’t funny without the act they project?
Actually most people don’t understand that it is not just about the costume or the character, but about the creator and the idea behind it. Anybody can dress like a woman and act something, but if you don’t have that talent or creativity, it won’t be funny. I don’t do only Mama Uka or Sister Uka characters; I also switch to male characters. However, Mama Uka is a unique character and that is why I do more of her. I think when I started the mama concept in Nigeria, other content creators were just doing the normal feminine skits. I started the real mama character and most people couldn’t tell if I was a man or woman. So it’s not all about the clothes and costumes but about the content and the creator.
Beyond the feedback you get in the comment section of your Instagram page, what kind of feedback spurs you on?
I don’t usually go through comments now unlike before when I had fewer followers and would be checking comments. When I see encouraging comments from viewers it usually motivates me a lot. Sometimes when I am off line, some of them will send me direct messages to say that they are waiting for my skits. These types of messages encourage me a lot and they are special to me.
How about feedback from some of your older colleagues or entertainment celebrities?
We share one spirit. Everybody wants to be ahead, so we encourage and love one another. That is why you see me collaborating with other skit makers. People who are above me are always encouraging me and I in turn encourage people who I am above and advise them. I take advice from people. That is why I am so plain and free with everybody. There is no bad blood between me and my colleagues. It has always been love among us.
Who are some of the people you look up to in the game and why?
Like I said earlier, I was motivated by Lasisi Elenu. I still look up to him because I learnt a lot from him. I like Isaac Aloma as well and we have done some work together. I like his type of content. Internationally, I look up to comic actor and producer, Tyler Perry. He does the same thing I am doing. So I look up to him and I have learnt a lot from him. I still want to learn more and do better.
Have you thought of trying out your skills in the movie industry?
Yes, I have done two Nollywood movies, but I am not sure they are out yet, but I will still do more. It is just that skit making doesn’t give one enough time to do other things. But I am going to do more movies in 2022. I love and enjoy acting a lot.
Have you ever experienced a conflict of interest, in terms of your contents being similar to that of other skit makers?
No, many people are doing Mama and Sister characters, but mine is unique because I portray the full lifestyle of a mother. Many of my colleagues have beards, but I don’t. If you watch my skit and you haven’t heard of me or you don’t know about me, you will never believe that I am not a woman. So, mine is very unique and I have never been compared to anybody. The only comparison I get is that I am like Tyler Perry.
Have you ever had to deal with negative comments or online stalkers?
I do receive negative comments. You can’t avoid it, but I don’t pay attention to naysayers because I know that no matter what you do, some people will never like you. So I don’t usually give them attention. When you come to my page and you see 15,000 comments and maybe 10 are good and five fall on the negative side, the good comments are enough for me. I don’t attack people on my page because I love and appreciate all my fans.
What was growing up like?
Growing up was tough. I grew up in a very poor home. My dad was a farmer and he lived in Ondo State farming, while my mother was in the village. Life was very tough. I experienced the kind of things that children of my age shouldn’t be exposed to. I became a professional palm wine tapper when I was about 12 years- old. When I entered secondary school, I would go to the market with baskets to help people carry their goods or use a wheelbarrow to carry goods for people and they would pay me between N5 or N10 at the time. I started paying school fees for myself from primary six, although sometimes my teachers helped out when they could. I went through secondary school on a scholarship. It wasn’t easy for me growing up and I went through a lot, but I thank God for where I am today
What would you say has significantly shaped you to become who you are today?
The challenges of life. My initial ambition was to become a medical doctor. I got admission into Imo State University in 2012 to study Medicine. My brother, who was supposed to sponsor me in school got married that same year. So he couldn’t sponsor me. I had to wait till the following year. In 2013 things became really hard for us, to the extent that my brother told me to learn a trade. That was when I decided to learn music production. Then in 2014, I got my own studio. I was working till 2016 when I decided to go back to school, but I couldn’t attend university again because I didn’t have enough money to study Medicine. I had to go to a polytechnic to study computer science. When I eventually got admission, I couldn’t go to my studio again because I didn’t have much time to shuttle between school and the studio. Finally, since I loved entertainment a lot and I wanted to be seen on the lighted screen, I started making skits. It is the challenges of life that brought me to where I am today. Honestly, I didn’t choose to be a comedian from the beginning. I never thought I would be one. It has always been music for me, but things didn’t work out that way and God made me channel my creativity this way. I still believe in my music dream and I hope to start singing again, but I just want to take it gradually.
What are the challenges of skit making?
Skit making is an expensive and time demanding venture. Most of the time you may not have the resources to make a skit, especially when you’re just starting. You need a director and an editor, someone to subtitle it if you are communicating in your native language. So many things are involved, but the most important thing is the financial aspect. Also, these days, you must post content every day and give it your best. There are times when you may run out of ideas or inspiration. It is not something you can just force because you want to do a skit. It comes on its own because it’s a natural phenomenon. And it is stressful.
Have you ever thought of quitting what you do?
Yes, it happens to everyone because of the circumstances around you. But you can’t just quit. When I started, I faced a lot of challenges. I would post a skit and I will just get two comments and those two comments will come from my siblings. I wasn’t getting any positive feedback and they were just commenting because I am their brother not because they liked the content. So yes, I have thought about quitting, but then gradually, I started getting positive comments and that was what motivated me to do more. Since I got to this level I haven’t thought of quitting because this is my source of income.
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