Nigerian comedian Denilson Igwe, a co-founder of the popular Mark Angel Comedy, has made serious allegations against his one-time close partner Mark Angel. Igwe claims that greed and exploitation are prevalent in the company, while Mark Angel, also the manager, has remained silent on the matter. Denilson Igwe has gone 360 degrees, alleging that there has been widespread abuse of trust and confidence within the company. Igwe also claims to have founded the comedy company that has made Mark Angel the richest comedian in Nigeria, with an estimated net worth of 1.4 million dollars (more than 847 million FCFA).
In a video podcast series, Igwe shared his experiences, recounting how he started his comedy career in 2011 and how Mark, who was then a security guard in Port Harcourt, joined him in 2013 as their work began to gain traction.
According to Igwe, Mark leveraged his status as the elder brother of the household to rename their production from Mechanic Pictures to Mark Angel Comedy, a decision Igwe didn’t contest due to his situation as an orphan living in Mark’s home. He also mentioned how Mark’s mother brought Emmanuela to live with them, which marked the beginning of her involvement in their skits.
“I was the boyboy of the house and could not go to church like others. It is Sunday, and I have to clear grass and clean places,” Igwe recalled, explaining how he began teaching and featuring Emmanuela in their skits, eventually drawing Mark’s attention.
Igwe admitted to being unaware of the potential for monetization at the time. “I never knew anything about monetization. I did not even know when the platforms were magnetised. I did not know this thing brought money because then internet was not that popular,” he said.
In 2014, Mark bought a car, claiming it was a gift when Igwe inquired about the funds. Igwe further revealed that in 2016, Emmanuela’s parents demanded compensation for her involvement, leading to Mark paying her 20,000 Naira while Igwe received 50,000 Naira. Despite the substantial earnings from their skits, which reached over $120,000, Igwe stated that Mark kept all financial details secret.
“Before we started, I even stole a camera from where I was working. That was the camera we used in filming our skits,” Igwe confessed, adding, “Then I knew how to do video editing. I edited most of the videos.”
He also alleged that those who spoke against Mark faced dire consequences. “You can’t kill me. I am an orphan,” he said. Igwe accused Mark of exploiting Emmanuela, suggesting that the house purportedly bought by her was actually registered in Mark’s name and that she had no control over her social media accounts, which were managed by Mark.
In one podcast episode, Igwe contacted K-Brown, another actor from Mark Angel Comedy, who expressed financial struggles, including an inability to pay rent. Despite leaving and rejoining the company multiple times, Igwe eventually established his own platform, Denilson Igwe Comedy.
Igwe’s allegations have garnered significant sympathy online. “I don’t want money from him. Mark owes me my life,” he declared. However, Mark Angel has yet to respond to these serious accusations.
