Popular Nigerian comedian, Francis Agoda aka I Go Dye, has entreated his fellow comedians to embrace the work as any other business.

According to him, comedy is a serious business that one shouldn’t look down on him/herself for partaking in- adding that comedians should remain focused and give out their best to their fans.

He said the secret behind his success is believing in God, and also believing in himself.

“Comedy is like every other profession that requires seriousness. You should also understand that your life must be tied to your job, because if you don’t do it well, someone out there will do it better than you. Even if there are people who can do it better than you, have it in mind that you’re going there to do your job and entertain; endeavor to be the best you can be at all times. In essence, the way I get myself ready for a performance is the same way you prepare for your own job.

“I believe in God, and I believe in myself. For you to succeed in whatever you do in life, you have to believe in yourself. The sacrifice I had to make for my job was me taking the decision to become a comedian, even when it was not so lucrative. But I stuck to it because I had the passion for it, and today, I thank God that I actually made that decision,” he told the Vanguard in an interview.

Recounting how he began his journey into the world of comedy, he said his parents were not much convinced to give him the green light at the initial stages of his career—as entertainers did not command lot of respect at that time.

“When I started comedy about 20 years ago, entertainers were not seen as serious people. As at then, there was no way my family would support my choice of being a comedian, but as time went on, they began to assist me. And they said, since it is what I love, I should do it. That’s why I always give credit to my parents for giving me the opportunity to walk in the path that I chose,” he said.