Ali Baba Recounts Near-Death Experience After Joking About General Abacha
Veteran Nigerian comedian Ali Baba recently shared a harrowing story of how a joke aimed at former military ruler General Sani Abacha nearly cost him his life. During a conversation on the Leadership Podcast, the 59-year-old comedian reflected on a tense moment in his career under Abacha’s authoritarian regime.
Ali Baba recounted that the incident occurred while he was hosting an event in Abuja. Noticing that General Abacha was still wearing his signature dark sunglasses late into the evening, Ali Baba jokingly called out, “Your Excellency, sir, it’s almost 10 p.m.; why are you still wearing dark shades? Don’t you want to see the performance?”
Abacha removed his sunglasses but quickly turned to his aide, after which Ali Baba noticed DSS officers gathering backstage. Sensing the impending threat, Ali Baba strategically moved down from the stage and sat beside the general, who then engaged with him in light-hearted banter, breaking the tension.
The comedian’s anecdote highlights the risks entertainers faced under Abacha’s rule, notorious for its suppression of opposition. General Abacha led Nigeria from 1993 until his death in 1998, during which his regime was marked by widespread human rights abuses.
