Veteran Nigerian entertainer Okechukwu Onyegbule, better known as Okey Bakassi, has made clear that ascending to the throne as Okwe II of Umuihuocha Obohia in Imo State is a new chapter, not a closing one. In a candid interview with Punch, the comedian, actor, and public speaker pushed back against the idea that traditional rulership and an active entertainment career cannot coexist.
“Comedy is just one aspect of what I do,” he said, describing his work as a blend of acting, stand-up, and public speaking. “Becoming a king does not mean retiring from meaningful work.”
Bakassi traced his roots in entertainment back to his university days, when performing was little more than a hobby. That changed during his National Youth Service in Lagos, where he faced a fork in the road and chose passion over a conventional career path. “I was driven purely by passion,” he recalled. “It gave me happiness and felt effortless. I told myself that if I could also make a living from it, then this was what I was meant to do.”
On his emergence as monarch, he rejected the notion that traditional leadership is a destination for those winding down. “We’ve wrongly framed traditional leadership as something for people who are tired,” he said. “While you’re still strong and connected, you can leverage those connections to uplift vulnerable people and put your community on the map.” He noted that when he first searched for Umuihuocha online, the community had virtually no digital presence. That, he says, is already changing.
As for critics who question his decision to continue hosting events as a sitting royal, Bakassi had little patience for the skepticism. He pointed to what he sees as a broader Nigerian tendency to rank professions unnecessarily, arguing that honest, legitimate work deserves respect regardless of one’s title. “Kings are public speakers,” he said simply, “and that’s what I do professionally. So I’m well within my lane.”
Bakassi rose to national prominence as part of Nigeria’s stand-up comedy wave in the 1990s and has since built a substantial Nollywood resume, winning Best Actor in a Leading Role at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2014 for his performance in Confusion Na Wa. His coronation as Okwe II now adds a royal title to a career that has never stayed in one lane for long.
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