BY CHUKS NWANNE
From a humble beginning, comedian Francis Agoda, otherwise called I Go Die, has finally stamped his authority on the country’s entertainment circle. Aside from successfully launching himself into the league of top rated comedians in the country, the Niger Delta chap is gradually reaping the fruits of his labour, with recognition coming from different quarters. I Go Die, who is known for his rib-cracking jokes, just returned from the US, where he was presented with the Comedian Of The Year award, at the recently held Nigerian Entertainment Award (NEA) in Washington DC. The excited comedian dedicated the award to the youths, especially those of the Niger Delta, urging them to eschew violence and follow their dreams. HOWEVER, this is not the first time I Go Die will be winning an award in far away United States; he was in Obama’s territory some time ago to be part of the TV People Golden Award, where he was honoured. “If I was told my career would take me this far, to the extent of being honoured in ‘God’s own country’, I wouldn’t have believed it. Truly, dreams come true; all you need is to follow your dream, believe in yourself and put God first in all things.” No matter the level of tension in the Niger Delta region, I Go Die remains very proud of his roots. “I’m proud to say I am a true Niger Deltan. When a place is much talked about, then know there are changes coming. People all over the world will come and learn about peace and conflict resolution some day in the Niger Delta; it will one day become a pinnacle of peace and tranquility.” But for that to happen, the comedian charged the youths to believe in their visions. “There’s need to be united, stop kidnapping and violent acts, which does not only affect the human development in the area, but also scare foreign investors, who are willing to develop the region. The truth is that chaos can never solve the Niger Delta problem.” To I Go Die, the government has a major role to play in bringing a lasting peace in the region. “For this region to function well, government need to provide infrastructure that would engender creativity. They need to offer scholarships to children even if it means sending them to other parts of the country to get quality education. We need to rebuild our schools, roads, hospitals and other basic amenities. In all, Niger Deltans need employment.” The comedian is of the opinion that putting all these in place, is a sure way of getting the best out of the youths, who are most times, erroneously tagged militants. “The truth is that the region had in the past, excelled in different areas; sports, music, movies, entrepreneurship, medicine, academics and others. Today, we cannot vehemently ignore the rising cases of violence and its detriment to human and societal development because, even if it does not affect some of us directly, our immediate environment is constantly under threat.” He continues: “Lets save our generation and build a good society for tomorrow’s children. I was a victim of the 1999 Warri crisis if I had died, I won’t have achieved all these. I consider my part as a challenge to my abilities because I walked the path and drank from the bitterness of violence. I believe it is my greatest responsibility to use my talent to promote peace, so that, the youths will be inspired and empowered.” THE success story of I Go Die would be incomplete if his current $185,000 world tour with American entertainment outfit, Point Gate Entertainment, is not mentioned. In the last three months, the comedian has traveled to more than 300 cities of Europe, America, Asia, with Point Gate, preaching against violence, racism, human trafficking and drug addiction. I Go Die started comedy at the tender age of 13, presenting Mock News on Delta TV, Warri. Today, he has featured in different comedy shows within and outside the country. His unique style of comedy has singled him out as one of the leading comedians in the country.
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