Final night time the king assembled his individuals and all of us answered. From captains of trade to celebrities all the way down to regular individuals all of us crammed up the large bowl of the Eko Conference Centre wearing our fineries to pay homage to the longest-reigning king of something within the leisure trade.
He had a full schedule and as common, began late. Whereas we have been ready for the present to begin, I began strolling the room as I wished to.
Everyone was there, from my brother retired Air Marshall Makinde who got here with all of his household, to my different egbon President of Naccima Dele Oye and his brother and my brother Olumide Aju SAN dressed like an NBA Basketballer out on the night time.
The celebrities have been an excessive amount of, I misplaced rely. Okey Bakassi, RMD, Shola Shobowale, hilda Dokubo, Dayo D One, AY to call just a few.
As I walked by the room, I noticed Jim Ovia the founding father of Big Zenith, my brother Yemi Odusanya ED at Keystone, Emma Onokpasa ED at Nova who simply obtained a brand new MD the sensible Wale Oyedeji who was my main and secondary faculty colleague and a bunch of huge bankers.
I chatted with the celestially sensible Dr Tope Fasoranti ED at Zenith who was in entrance and laughed and bantered with Ade Adefeko Director at Large Olams and his stunning spouse on the desk.
This live performance was enormous, one might solely think about its finances.
The massive Jeep giveaway stands within the full glare of the general public and an unlimited array of wannabe comedians battling for the total prize.
The present began with a really stunning and jazzy rendition of the Nationwide Anthem which made us all very proud to be Nigerians and all of us stood up with mouths open not like how the People would do with their very own. You already know these will stand with arms on their chest and be doing like they may beat you if u intervene.
We stood with mouths open, some individuals with arms on their heads all in awe with the best way these 4 youths have been belting out the anthem in a way that even Awo would get up from his grave if he had assurances that he wouldn’t be kidnapped if he got here.
The economics of Alibaba’s Jan 1 present ought to be studied. The job alternatives to the various direct and oblique workforce, the galvanisation of sources, and its influence on hospitality, media, logistics, the beverage trade, Vogue, and tools hiring amongst others can solely be imagined.
I’ve made it a degree of observe to take a seat down with him to take a look at the figures. I solely hope that the authorities can even excellent a method of measuring the financial influence of giant reveals like this on the economic system in order that they’ll higher align with it and use it to undertaking financial development.
This December, it was as if the entire world assembled in Lagos. Enormous concert events, carnivals and even church buildings joined within the jamboree.
The Lagos State Authorities and the NBS ought to provide you with a method of quantitively measuring its influence on strategic sectors of the economic system for simple alignment with its financial objectives.
The large motion of individuals, resulting in the total utilisation of the about 2,000 resort rooms in Lagos throwing up a gross inadequacy in that sector
Again to Alibaba’s present, trying round me and hazarding a guess, I might say that present would have generated not less than N100m in spend and collections.
This isn’t for the tax man to chase him and even when they did, that may be great but it surely’s to point out the depth of influence to the economic system the present and certainly all different reveals would have made.
The quantum of drinks bought, the quantum of resort rooms taken, the amount of gas purchased to energy the automobiles that got here, the amount spent on Uber and different taxis, the quantum spent on diesel to energy the corridor, the amount spent on style for many who attended and carried out, the quantum spent on logistics to ferry the artists to and from their vacation spot?
One can solely think about. The corridor took all 6,000 of us and extra and you’ll think about the influence on the visibility of the sponsors which have been loads and which made me envious.
Sponsors should additionally be capable to quantify their advantages on the finish of the day. Hopefully, many bottles of drinks have been moved, many financial institution accounts have been opened, and plenty of airline tickets have been bought in order that conversations round sponsorships would transfer from – the person is aware of the person to very severe transactional ranges.
Alibaba present of yesterday if rigorously curated would have delivered not less than 5% of that day’s gross sales on every of the sponsors judging by the quantums moved.
The present itself was higher than final 12 months though it nonetheless had its flat moments. One nonetheless felt that Ali in some cases designed a present he would personally love and never what the viewers wished
The cowboy singer though was magic was Ali forcing his private selections on us however then once more he’s the king.
The spontaneity a part of it is usually an issue. A lot as I perceive its imaginative and prescient which is to groom replacements and provides them a platform, wrapping such an enormous present round it could spell doom for it.
One of many Financial institution Administrators lamented very severely concerning the ‘dryness’ of that a part of the present and I wish to agree. Eko Conference Centre is the Premiership, that venue can’t be for amateurs.
I believe Ali ought to have executed them on the Muson like he usually does and introduced solely the easiest to carry out well-rehearsed routines and never the spontaneous factor that noticed them belting out very flat jokes to a premium viewers.
80% of the renditions have been flat and extra skilled comedians like Koffi da Guru, Tee A and the remainder have been left to only compere. I slept off and will need to have missed the black comic who I heard was the spotlight.
Other than this glitch, I give the organisers a 4-star score. It was effectively organised, though began a bit late, every little thing afterwards went easily.
Acts have been fluidly interchanged on stage, ticketing was excellent outdoors, tables have been effectively organized making it very simple to establish your spot, mild meals and drinks have been effectively distributed with out disruptions to the present and the sound did it for me.
The sound was world-class. The mics amplified the performances to the purpose that when the person was doing the R. Kelly medley, I wept.
Alibaba with this present has prolonged his reign as king of comedy however he should start to not take the market as a right much less the market reacts negatively.
He should start to revamp his present to mirror the present tastes and appetites of his viewers. He should additionally
start to revamp this present to remain true to its calling – a mecca for comedy and never a coaching faculty for budding comedians
The Muson Centre could be their jamb lessons however the January 1st present is the World Cup remaining. It’s the present that units up the 12 months and it should be revered and handled as such–the mecca for comedy.
I give this one 4 stars.
Thanks
Duke of Shomolu