Julius OkorieSkit, defined as a short performance, in which the actor or actors make fun of people, events or issues, or better put, making light of otherwise serious issues, has become the in-thing in Nigeria today.
It is a regular on social media, and comes in torrents. It is aimed most times at making people laugh, but most importantly aimed at winning followers for the creator, who may end up smiling to the bank, as followers click, laugh and react to the skit.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelMost skit addicts say they derive interest in it because it makes them laugh. They are quick to tell you “there is too much stress in Nigeria, you need something to reduce the tension.” Others will claim that it helps to prevent cardiac arrest and hypertension, occasioned by too much thinking and challenges of meeting up with family and societal demands.
Skit making has become an industry and those in it have no doubt created jobs for themselves and even for others. Skits have also touched lives positively in a way using it to educate and inform and also create and revive content. One that readily comes to mind is the revival of Gentleman Mike Ejeagha’s Ngwo, released in 1983 but returning to make waves in 2024, following a re-touch by Skitmaker, Brain Jotter.
The trend of the said music has brought benefit to the 93-year-old master story teller, 41 years after he delivered that work of his hands. This no doubt is positive and commendable.
However, with all the plusses of skits, the desire to venture into skit making, with intent to cash in on the benefits, especially getting lots of followership on social media has forced many to now make skit on everything.
There is time for everything under the sun, time to joke and time to reframe from joking. Besides joking with serious matters cannot only be annoying but sometimes depict irresponsibility.
That brings one to the latest trending controversy in which a Nigerian woman, identified as Favour Igiebor, on arrival with her family at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos tore into shreds her husband’s travelling passport in the full glare of the public.
Mrs Igiebor said she tore the passport because of what she has allegedly suffered in the hands of the husband. “I tore it,” she was heard admitting. The Nigeria Immigration has arrested her and has flagged off investigation into the incident.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has launched formal investigation, following the circulation of a video on social media, showing a female traveller [sic] destroying a Nigerian Standard Passport at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
“The individual involved has been identified as Mrs. Favour Igiebor,” a statement from NIS Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Udo read.
It noted that destroying the country’s passport was a criminal offence, which could be punished by up to a year in prison.
After the video went viral, eliciting numerous comments, Mrs Igiebor released her own video. She did not go into details but said she was suffering.
“Look at my eyes – I do cry a lot. Many people commenting on social media don’t understand what I am going through.
“You have to ask what happened – don’t just look at the action alone. I have my reasons. I have gone through a lot of family issues. I cannot be suffering. I suffered with him.”
She said she had thought of tearing up the passport in Europe but said that would have caused her husband too many problems.
In the video at the airport, one traveller was heard saying the couple had been having issues throughout the flight.
Some people were also seen consoling the husband and telling him to be calm.
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Mr Igiebor on his part gave credence to the display at the airport when he posted his own side of the story saying;
“My wife has posted something this morning. I don’t want to say anything, but I will leave you to watch the video. It is on various social media sites. I have the full clips.
“She didn’t know that I had someone with my phone because my friend and I came down here to do some things. I will post the full clip. I never expected that she would come out and say what she said. These are some things that we can resolve as a family,” he said.
Nobody who watched the video and saw the level of seriousness involved, will think that anyone will be thinking of tearing the nation’s passport in the name of doing a skit.
Ironically, Mrs Igiebor’s husband has now come out to say “The document my wife tore at the airport wasn’t my passport. It was a skit. I didn’t know it would turn out this way. I’m begging everybody to forgive us, we are sorry.”
This is certainly taking skit too far and breaking the law of the land in the name of skit.
According to Section 49 of the NIS 2015 Act (as amended), a person found guilty of changing or altering a passport may face imprisonment or a fine. However, there is no section for punishment in case of destruction in the act.
The section reads, “A person who alters or assists another in altering a travel document, or who produces or reproduces or assists in the production or reproduction of any travel document without lawful authority commits an offence under Section 59 of the Act and is liable on-conviction to a- term of five years imprisonment or to a fine of one million naira or both.”
Can Ignorance Of The Law Be Taken As An Excuse?
The latest development is that Mrs Favour Igiebor is currently helping the Immigration service in their investigation with a high possibility of going to jail for the act or at the least fined N1 million.
Skit making has become a huge plus to the comedy industry but when a skit maker breaks the law, the law will surely take its course.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
