Humour in the euphemisation of depravities, dread and distress in selected Nigerian comic skits of Sabinus
Humour in the euphemisation of depravities, dread and distress in selected Nigerian comic skits of Sabinus

Summary/Abstract: Comic skits, like stand-up comedy, have been invaluable sources of humour, education and sensitisation in Nigeria. Extant studies have acknowledged the informative and entertaining contents of Nigerian comic skits, with hardly any critical efforts on their humouring and demystification of degeneracies and distressing experiences that pervade the Nigerian sociopolitical space. This article examines the link between humour and misfortunes in selected comical skits of Sabinus (Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Ejekwu), one of Nigerian most famous skit-makers and comedians, showing how he euphemises repugnant behaviours, and dreadful, despairing experiences in Nigeria. Four hilarious skits of Sabinus were selected through purposive sampling from his Facebook wall and were subjected to qualitative literary analysis, paying attention to events, characters, and dialogues used to foreground them. The skits are: Sabinus has given up; Sabinus enjoyment man; Sabinus meets his longtime Facebook lover and Sabinus currently at the psychiatric home. The Relief Theory of Humour is adopted in this study, and it is complemented with Euphemisation Theory, to account for the mental reprieve derived from the comical effects of the skits as evident in their euphemisation of bad conduct, and morbid and agonising episodes. The analysis reveals that Sabinus appropriates light and dark humour in his comic skits, to euphemistically underscore the depravities and woes that characterise Nigerian society.

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