While most entertainers have faced fierce ‘oppositions’ from their parents when they expressed their desire to join the showbiz fraternity, female comedian Heiress Jacinta was actually pushed into comedy by her mother.
She noticed her daughter’s ability to split sides with her humorous jokes at home and asked her to take comedy seriously. So being an ‘obedient’ daughter, she did just that and she is loving every moment of that although she never dreamt of being comedian.
Recalling her debut on stage in a conversation with Showbiz on Tuesday, Heiress Jacinta who is currently the only female comedian in Ghana said it was a scary experience which ended happily ever after.
“ I was about 19 years old and I told a friend I was interested in comedy. He introduced me to Buchi, one of Nigeria’s leading comedians who decided to give me a chance to justify my inclusion. I was young, scared and nervous but when I got on stage, my first line got everyone double up in stitches. When my 10 minutes act ended, Buchi said ‘if you can make it on this platform, then you can make it anywhere’ and the rest they say is history.
Jacinta who currently holds the bragging rights as the only female comedian in Ghana believes that it is time more female came into the fold.
“I want more female to do stand-up comedy because apart from using it to better yourself, you will be giving back to society. Stand-up comedy is growing so we need more people to come on board. If a lot of guys can do it, why can’t we the women?” were the words of the eloquent Jacinta when Showbiz caught up with her last Tuesday.
The bubbly comedian who is of Ghanaian and Nigerian origin and calls herself a ‘Ghagerian’ said she is happy to have originated from both countries. “I appreciate the fact that I am a Ghanaian and Nigerian. It is a priviledge to belong to these two great African countries”.
Giving her take on the comedy scene in Ghana, this is what Jacinta had to say, “considering the fact that I grew up in Nigeria, I think Nigerian comedians are more supportive of each other, here in Ghana, people need to support comedians because they work really hard to come up with content.”
“Ghanaians were first exposed to Nigerian comedy so that was the standard. Ghanaian comedians should be part of international comedy. When you hear there is a comedy show somewhere, please go and support,” she said.
Jacinta used the opportunity to call on corporate bodies to incorporate comedy into their affairs, “they have started and I think that is a step in the right direction, comedians host end-of-year parties and do some stand-up comedy on the side. There should be more comedy shows and Ghanaians should support Ghanaian comedy.”
Jacinta has been doing comedy commercially for five years including her time at the University, “I was in school so I wasn’t always out there, there were days I had exams and shows so I would quickly write the exams and go and do my comedy,” she recalled.
Jacinta shared some unpleasant moments in her career, “sometimes you are performing and someone in the audience keeps heckling you and getting into your business, I have learnt the game so well that when you heckle me, I will heckle you back so badly. But I will say so far so good.”
Asked which of her performances is the best, she said, “Every performance of mine is the best because I have different audience and something different for all of them.”
The 24-year-old Jacinta has quite a rich CV as she has performed in top Comedy Shows in Ghana and Nigeria. These include Comedy Night with Buchi (Lagos), Shakara and the Gang (Lagos), Comedy Express, Girltalk, Laughline, Live Comedy Thursdays, Lord of the Ribs, Easter Comedy Show, DKB Live, DKB Point of View, Akwaaba UK Comedy Night, Comedy Bar, Silverbird Comedy Night, Corporate Comedy Series, MMC Live among a host of others.
Born to Alex Dzabaku Ocansey and Eucharia Ocansey, Jacinta Asi Ocansey is the first and only daughter of her parents. Her younger brother is called David. Her father is a building constructor while her mother works for SOS Ghana.
Life hasn’t been all rosy for the pretty comedian, “back in Nigeria, I had to stop school for a while because there was no money in the house. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to write my WASSCE and also did a course at NIIT. After that, I decided to come to Ghana for my university education and ended up at Pentecost University College where I read Mass Communication,” she said.
Did the university have a feel of her talent before she completed? “I was the Students Representative Council PRO so in my final year, I decided that we put together a comedy show for the first time, every GH comedian was there to support me, from DKB, Lexzy, Khemikal, Forster, Nino, Teekay, just name them. It was wonderful, it was just great.”
Come July 3 at the Global Cinema, Jacinta will be on stage to perform on Laughline and when she was asked what we should expect, she simply said, “comedy”.
Jacinta who wants to go into full-time showbiz also works as an MC, acts and sings as well. She features in Yvonne Nelson’s Heels and Sneakers and says to watch out for her in Kobi Rana’s upcoming movie, Selfie. She has a yet-to-be-released single, Gyrate with eShun.
With all these up her sleeves, Jacinta, who is currently doing her National Service still finds time for some hobbies which include swimming, dancing, listening to music and watching movies. Her best colour is white because it signifies purity, a new beginning and a new life.
She used the opportunity to thank God for a beautiful life, her fans whom she prefers to call lovers for always being there, her family for being supportive and the few people she calls friends for their love and care.
Jacinta who is single hopes to land her ideal man to spend the rest of her life. “ My ideal man should be God fearing, humble and rich. Yes, rich because I do not want to suffer ooo. He should be comfortable enough to provide for me and our children.
“I will be working to make my own money but you know in this part of the world when the man does not have money or the woman makes more money it becomes a problem. And some of men cannot handle it.”
Jacinta has bagged some awards including Ghana Tertiary Awards 2016 Most Influential Student Comedian, Most Popular Student and Most Entertaining Student.
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