Veteran Nigerian comedian, Alibaba Akpobome, recently shared a captivating story about a tense yet humorous encounter he had with the late military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, during a cultural event.
Speaking about the incident, Alibaba revealed that he had been invited to perform at an event specially organized for Abacha, which featured a traditional dance troupe. As the performance began, he noticed that the president was wearing his trademark dark sunglasses—even though nightfall was approaching.
Observing this, Alibaba boldly halted the dancers mid-performance and turned his attention to the head of state. Addressing Abacha directly, he said something along the lines of, “Sir, it’s already getting dark and this entire dance is being done for your viewing pleasure. But with your dark glasses on, how are you even able to see what’s happening?”
To everyone’s surprise, Abacha responded by calmly removing his sunglasses and setting them aside, prompting a brief moment of laughter.
However, the mood quickly shifted when Alibaba noticed men from the Department of State Services (DSS) discreetly making their way toward the backstage area—presumably to apprehend him for his boldness. Realizing the potential danger, he quickly changed course and walked directly to Abacha, sitting on the floor in front of him in a lighthearted act of submission.
Abacha, amused by the comedian’s audacity and wit, made a joke about his decision to sit with him rather than face the security agents backstage.
Recalling the moment, Alibaba said, “As soon as I made that comment, I noticed DSS operatives heading backstage. So instead of going there, I walked over and sat down on the ground right in front of Abacha. He laughed and made a joke about how I dodged them.”
The story, which was shared on social media, sparked a wave of reactions from users who found the incident both amusing and reflective of deeper truths about power dynamics in Nigeria.
Here are some reactions from Nigerians online:
- @Sire_Sammi commented: “What I get from this is that our security agencies are like zombies, easily manipulated by whoever is in power. They follow orders blindly, regardless of legality or morality.”
- @oluwazam joked: “Nice one. Abacha even gave him the Ray-Ban glasses in the end!”
- @BWLawal wrote: “Comedians are bold o! This is another level of courage. Ah!”
- @xnstvi added an insight: “Sani Abacha used to wear dark glasses because he suffered from liver cirrhosis, which altered the appearance of his face. That’s why he wore those Ray-Bans all the time.”
The anecdote has since gone viral, showing how humor, even in the most intimidating of spaces, can disarm tension and leave a lasting impression.
