By Lance Guma
He has worked as a security guard, parking attendant, student nurse, waiter, cooking assistant, cleaner and been unemployed and homeless at one point. This is the amazing story of one of Zimbabwe’s top comedians, Carl Joshua Ncube.
The multi-talented Joshua Ncube who was featured on CNN’s Inside Africa in June 2011, is also a renowned chef and hotelier. He reflects on his journey and even jokes about how sometimes he does not feel appreciated by his own people.
On arrival at the airport after his appearance on Comedy Central Africa “Best of Africa Gala”, Joshua Ncube wrote on his Facebook page;
“Arrived at the airport, no screaming fans and no $300,000 cheque from the President…oh snap hold up I was on Comedy Central Africa not Big Brother Africa…my bad!”
The joke was clearly loaded.
Flashback to October 2010, Big Brother Africa star Munyaradzi Chidzonga received US$300,000 from President Robert Mugabe following his disappointment of controversially missing out on winning the reality TV show.
Businessmen Phillip Chiyangwa and David Chapfika set up a Chidzonga Trust Fund to marshal donations. While Ncube is not saying he wants something similar to happen, he is clearly making the point others have been appreciated for far less than he has achieved.
On Comedy Central Africa he shared the stage with some of the best comedians on the continent including Nigeria’s Basketmouth, Patrick Salvado (Uganda) David Kau (South Africa) and Ndumiso Lindi (South Africa) and Daniel “Churchill” Ndambuki aka Mwalimu King’ang’i (Kenya).
The apparent lack of appreciation has not discouraged Joshua Ncube however. He has already started an ambitious project to build the first ever comedy venue in the tourist town of Victoria Falls.
“This club will serve as the gateway to importing and exporting great comedy talent in the beautiful setting of Victoria Falls.
“Once built this will become the most awesome activity during your stay in the city that is home to one of the natural wonders of the world Victoria Falls,” Ncube says.
The comedy venue will cost $200 000.
The maths is simple, 20 000 Zimbabweans donating $10 each will make the project a reality. The funds will help build a GEODESIC out door space for comedy shows, equipped with lighting and sound system, bar and restaurant, outdoor picnic and braai area.
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