Aderombi Martin, a former Big Brother Naija housemate and comedian, who is better known as Dee One, has talked about his life.
In this interview with The PUNCH, DeeOne speaks with Oghenovo Egodo-Michael about his career and other issues
What inspired the title of your forthcoming show, ‘The Failed Comedian’, and what message are you trying to pass across with it?
The title is really a message to everyone that, regardless of what people think about you, you are the one who truly matters. People have called me ‘failed comedian’ so many times. But if you look closely, even the likes of Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola, and other business tycoons have failed more times than they have succeeded. I decided to embrace that label in a unique way, change the narrative, and make it productive. At the end of the day, imagine the so-called ‘failed comedian’ going on to host one of the most successful shows in Africa. That would be huge. I’m looking at 50,000 people at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos.
How have you been able to carve your niche in such a saturated industry?
It is true that most Nigerians are funny, but very few are real comedians. Anybody can crack jokes, but turning it into a profession is a different ball game. For me, I evolved over time. I started with weddings, corporate events, and church programmes. After Big Brother, I realised I had to explore the media space. I tried to have a TV show, but the budget was overwhelming. So, I decided to explore social media, though my style is a little different.
What I do is satire. I point people in the direction they are not looking at. I create humour around satires. It’s a genre of comedy many don’t fully understand, but over time, my visibility has helped my brand. That’s why some comedians are struggling today— they haven’t maximised the media space. I’m intentional about using it to my advantage.
These days, an entertainer’s success is often measured by social media numbers. Do you think followers and engagement are a true reflection of success?
To some extent, yes. Numbers matter, but people often get it wrong. It’s not just about how many followers you have. What’s more important is traction. Are you in conversation across platforms? Some people have millions of followers but little engagement. Meanwhile, others with fewer followers are trending everywhere. That’s what brands now look for— overall relevance, not just inflated numbers. Anyone can buy followers, but you can’t fake genuine traction.
Your style sometimes leaves people wondering if you deliberately confuse your audience with the things you say or if it’s simply part of your brand as the ‘failed comedian.’ Is that intentional?
Not everyone can do what I do. People already look down on me, so there’s no point pretending otherwise. I can air my mind freely, as long as I’m not breaking the law or insulting anyone. I am leveraging the way people perceive me. That’s why I can dare things others wouldn’t, like planning a show at TBS. No comedian in the world has done that. An “established” comedian would be scared—what if people don’t show up? But for me, if people don’t come, I’ll still be talked about. And if they come, it will be historic. Either way, I win.
What has been the toughest moment of your career?
The toughest moment was after Big Brother. I enjoyed my time in the house, but when I came out, I saw that a lot of people were insulting me, and I was wondering why. Nigerians are emotional people. Some disliked me simply because they were supporting another housemate. It was strange because everyone had an opinion about me. Then, when they were insulting me, I would visit some of their pages and wonder why someone I didn’t know would be insulting me when I had done nothing to them personally. Thank God the organisers provided psychological support after the show; that helped me process it. Over time, I realised that whether people insult you or praise you, what matters is that they know you. For me, even criticism is a privilege.
Before you went into Big Brother, you mentioned wanting to change the “poverty mentality.” Do you feel you’ve made an impact in that regard?
Definitely. I use myself as an example to show that, rich or poor, we are all equal. When Davido made a comment about my dry lips, I turned it into a joke, and today, he’s the one who became the laughing stock. Years ago, people would have said, “Ah, Davido ‘don finish this guy” because he has more money than me. But I made people see that everyone is human, no matter their status. I want Nigerians to shed that mentality of worshipping wealth. Like Abraham Lincoln said, all men are created equal.
Are you following the current season of Big Brother Naija? If yes, who’s your favourite housemate?
I am not following religiously, but I’ve seen clips of Isimi. I like her personality. She seems real and different. If I’m rooting for anyone, it would be her, because she reflects the everyday Nigerian. Whenever I see her videos, they make me laugh.
Many fans of the show say Nigerians vote based on emotions rather than strategy. Do you agree?
Yes, but you cannot separate emotions from human beings. Even animals are emotional. The problem comes when people manipulate emotions. As long as you’re true to yourself and not deceiving people, it’s fine.
If you weren’t a comedian, what career path would you have pursued?
I would have had my own live band. My father is a pastor, so I grew up in church playing instruments such as the keyboard and drums. In fact, one of my past shows was titled ‘Preacher’s Kid’, and it was inspired by my personal experiences growing up in church. My shows usually reflect my state of mind at the time. After Big Brother, I did ‘D1 Evicted’. When people were wondering if I was still into comedy, I did ‘Always Funny’.
What’s one misconception people still have about you from your Big Brother days?
People assumed I wouldn’t last or be relevant, but here I am, years later, still the most talked-about housemate after Ebuka. I’m on blogs, TV, and podcasts; people want to hear what I have to say. Many who dismissed me were wrong. Staying relevant since 2018 has not been easy.
You’ve had several online banters, especially with VDM. Is it all entertainment, or is there real tension between you?
There’s no bad blood. I only held him accountable because he promised transparency with NGO funds, and months later, there was no accountability. I held him accountable because I also donated to the cause. If not for me, that money might have disappeared. I believe in accountability. I just want him to be successful because he has put himself on the line as somebody who wants to be a role model, so I decided to fact-check his activities. Since he prides himself as an online police, I am the online Inspector General.
Without boundaries, social media can easily be abused. Many Nigerians are learning about certain things because of me. When VDM started, many others thought it was all about setting up a camera and calling people out, and that put some people in trouble. There is a guy called Shamsudeen in prison right now because he tried to be like VDM. There is another guy who called Regina Daniel out over some unverified information; he was also detained because he tried to be like Vincent (VDM). Because of people like me, youths can see that there is a thin line between expressing yourself and defaming people. Imagine someone who doesn’t know you calling you out without any evidence.
How do you handle criticism from fans who take your jokes too seriously?
I love it when people “drag” me. Criticism fuels me. To show how much I love it, I am looking for videos of people who have criticised me in the past and I’m using it to promote my shows. As long as nobody threatens me, I enjoy being dragged. It’s like vitamins to me. People need an outlet for their frustrations, and if venting on my page helps them, why not?
Away from social media, what does a typical day in your life look like?
I am mostly indoors, brainstorming with my team. I have been running a weekly comedy club for over 12 years. When I’m not performing, I’m reading, watching movies, or just sleeping. I really love to sleep.
What principles keep you grounded?
Humility. I remind myself that I’m no different from any other human being. Online, people might drag me, but in real life, everyone wants to take pictures and greet me. Even when I’m tired, I remind myself that this comes with the territory, so I try not to snub anyone. Once pride sets in, that’s when the issues start.
What kind of childhood did you have?
I grew up in an ethical, middle-class home. My father was a pastor and civil servant, while my mother was a teacher. I went to good schools and never lacked. I grew up in Lagos, though my family is originally from Oyo State. Now, most of my family lives in the United Kingdom, but I’ve chosen to remain in Nigeria because I feel I have a mission here to reorient the youths and transform the entertainment industry.
There were once rumours about you secretly getting married. Are you really married?
(Laughs). Those rumours came up around 2017, but it wasn’t really a secret. People just didn’t know me back then, so when the news came out, they thought I had secretly married. Nigerians like to add drama to everything. What I can just say is I have a babe. People online believe that nobody can settle for me, so I prefer to keep it going because if I debunk those speculations, they won’t be happy.
How do you unwind?
I love to watch movies, especially those centred on crime. I appreciate being in a quiet space most times because my career already puts me in the spotlight.
What do you hope to achieve by attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the longest stand-up comedy performance?
My aim is to strengthen the comedy industry. The Nigerian music and film industry is already global, but comedy is not there yet. So, with this, we would start exposing Nigerian comedy to the world. Another aim is to show Nigerians that failures only bring one closer to success.
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