PEOPLE WERE LAUGHING, BUT I WAS DYING INSIDE - COMEDIAN BOVI

Popular Nigerian comedian and actor Bovi has opened up about some of the most difficult moments of his career, recalling how he continued working and making people laugh while privately dealing with the loss of his mother.

Speaking during an interview, Bovi was asked whether he had ever been forced to perform despite being emotionally broken.

The comedian recalled an experience in 2012 when his mother was kidnapped while he was in Lagos for an event. He said he received the news while he was in the middle of his work and had to continue with the programme despite being deeply worried about his mother.

According to Bovi, he made several calls and was eventually asked to return to work and continue with the event while efforts were ongoing to secure his mother’s release.

“I was just going through the motions, and people were laughing, but my soul wasn’t there. My mind wasn’t there,” he recalled.

He said his mother was eventually rescued hours later.

Bovi also recounted another painful period following his mother’s death in January 2016. Just weeks later, he was booked to host the 60th birthday celebration of businessman and politician Ben Bruce.

The comedian said he struggled internally with the decision to accept the engagement, questioning whether it was insensitive to work so soon after losing the woman who gave birth to him. Despite his grief, Bovi went ahead with the event and performed his professional duties.

He recalled that while guests laughed at his jokes, they had no idea of the emotional pain he was experiencing.

“I would get on stage, do my part, do my bit. I was hosting, and people were laughing, and they didn’t even know I was dying inside. I was really a hot mess at the time,” he said.

The comedian’s revelation highlights the often unseen emotional struggles entertainers face while working in front of audiences, where professionalism can require them to perform even during deeply personal moments of grief.

Bovi has built a career around comedy, acting and entertainment, becoming one of Nigeria’s recognised entertainers. His latest recollection offers a glimpse into the personal experiences behind the laughter that audiences see on stage.

“I Didn’t Invite Carter Efe to My Wedding Because He Might Have Ruined It” - Peller Opens Up

 

Popular Nigerian content creator and livestreamer, Peller, has finally addressed why fellow comedian and skit maker Carter Efe was absent from his traditional wedding, revealing that he intentionally left him off the guest list because of what he described as Carter’s “over-the-top attachment” to him.

Speaking during a recent livestream, Peller jokingly described Carter Efe as someone whose personality online is exactly the same in real life, saying the comedian’s energetic and unpredictable behaviour made him fear that his wedding ceremony could have turned chaotic if he had attended.

According to Peller, he has spent time with both Carter Efe and social commentator GehGeh away from social media and has come to understand their personalities beyond the cameras.

“Carter Efe is no different in real life. He behaves like a crazy person both online and offline. I like him, and he likes me too,” Peller said.

He went on to describe Carter Efe’s affection for him as excessive, claiming the comedian always wanted his full attention and often joked that he should stay away from his fiancée, Jarvis.

“He always wants me all to himself. He doesn’t even want me spending time with my fiancée, Jarvis. He’s constantly telling me to leave her. The kind of love he has for me is just too much,” he joked.

Peller added, amid laughter, that Carter Efe’s behaviour sometimes made him wonder whether the comedian was joking or genuinely obsessed with their friendship.

“I don’t even know if he wants to sleep with me,” he said jokingly before bursting into laughter.

Explaining his decision, Peller said excluding Carter Efe from the wedding was the safest way to avoid any unnecessary drama on his special day.

“The best way to protect my wedding was simply not to invite him because he might have ruined the entire event,” he added.

The remarks quickly went viral on social media, with many fans interpreting the comments as playful banter between two close friends rather than a serious disagreement.

Several users described the exchange as typical of the humorous relationship both entertainers have displayed publicly over the years, while others joked that Carter Efe deserved an invitation to the couple’s white wedding instead.

Neither Carter Efe nor Jarvis has publicly responded to Peller’s comments as of the time of filing this report.