“Friend who used to mock me over my skit now works for me” – Mark Angel

Mark Angel, a popular skit maker and content creator, has narrated how he has employed a friend who used to mock him over his skits.

Mark Angel described in a recent interview with Teju Babyface how a friend who worked for Shell Nigeria insulted him during his days as a struggling skit creator, questioning if it was skits he intended to use to feed his family.

He claims that he began making sketches in 2013 but rose to prominence in 2015. Even so, he stated that he did not attain financial success until the next year.

Popular skit maker and content creator Mark Angel has recounted how he almost abandoned comedy due to challenges and discouraging comments from friends.

Speaking in a recent interview with Teju Babyface, Mark Angel recalled how a friend who was working with Shell Nigeria mocked him during his days as a struggling skit maker, questioning if it was skits he wanted to use to feed his family.

He stated that he started making skits in 2013 but gained the spotlight in 2015. He said even at that, he didn’t achieve a financial breakthrough until the next year.

Mark said, “I started skit-making in 2013 but hit the spotlight in 2015. In 2015, people started to know about me. I think my breakthrough was in 2016. That was when I decided to do comedy full-time.

“I was doing photography and videography part-time before then. So, I just decided to let that go. It took three years before I blew up in the skit-making business. There were so many times when I was discouraged. But the vision and belief I had were stronger than the discouragement.

“At a point, I started doubting myself because of what people were telling me. I had a friend called Alloy who nearly discouraged me from this life of skit-making.

“One day, I was coming back home from the location with my laptop and camera, and Alloy, who was working with Shell Nigeria then stopped me to say, ‘Mark, you intend to provide for your family with skits? Really? This ‘foolishness’ is your plan to take care of your family? Just wandering and trekking aimlessly with the laptop? At least, pay for a ride on a commercial motorcycle!’

“As at that time, I was investing every money I was making into my craft. Because at that time, the only way you could get ahead was to pay bloggers. I even put one of the bloggers on monthly payment. I paid the blogger N30,000 every month to promote my skits.

“Alloy who was discouraging me back then, now works for my construction company. He works for me now. So every time, I teased him about how he was mocking me during my days as a struggling skit maker.”