Young Internally Displaced Person Thrives in Comedy World

A 20-year-old internally displaced person (IDP), Tse Nehemiah Busong from Mankon, Mezam Division of the North West Region of Cameroon, is currently thriving within the Cameroonian comedy world thanks to his outstanding performances in skit-making.

Initially known as Pa Matango, Nehemiah recently carved a niche where he specialises in producing skits that reflect the styles of popular Nigerian comedian Funny Bros. As a result, he developed the name “Funny Bros. 237”.

With over 30,000 followers on his Facebook handle, Nehemiah has been able to attract an average of over 1,000 consistent and committed fans, most of whom are citizens of Cameroon.

Born on October 30th, 2002 Tse Nehemiah began comedy in 2020, at the age of 18. “I had a friend whose boss was a friend of my own boss. One day, he introduced me to comedy. My first comedy was at our workshop. I realised that I performed well in that comedy, so I decided to continue doing comedy. It was 2020 when I began comedy, and till now I haven’t stopped because of my passion for it,” he said.

According to Nehemiah, many of his friends quit but he kept striving, believing that one day he would make it despite the financial difficulties.

Story as an IDP

Recounting his journey as a young internally displaced person, Nehemiah said, “In the year 2016, when the ongoing crisis started, I was in Form 2 GBHS Nitop 4 Mankon Bamenda. I had to quit school and stay home for a year. I spent that year in Kumba with my aunt, doing cocoa cultivation.

The next year, I moved back to Bamenda, my hometown, where I learned a trade (furniture and carpentry). The crisis was going to be critical; I had to move to Douala and continue learning my trade. I lived with my aunt and continued learning my job with a different boss while going to an evening school. I started schooling in Form 4 in other to balance the years I spent at home.

I studied for 3 years and wrote my advanced-level G.C.E. in the third year; unfortunately, I did not make it, but I graduated in my furniture and carpentry work. I moved back to Bamenda due to some challenges I was facing in the house I was living in. When I moved to Bamenda, I continued schooling and wrote my advanced-level GCE again, fortunately, I made it this time around. I moved back to Douala, where I currently live with my elder female cousin, to hustle for my life since there’s no money for me to further my education, but I will continue schooling when I’m financially stable,” narrates the upcoming comedian.

Comedy journey not void of challenges

The journey as a young comedian to Nehemiah has not been a bed of roses. According to him, he has so far faced a couple of challenges that, at one point in time, almost brought him down.

He explained, “I faced so many challenges, beginning with the people I worked with. When I began, I was working as a single comedian, then some people later joined me and we had to change my page name, which would show others that we were now a group but this never worked well. “

Nehemiah went on, “They all depended on me to do everything; they never wanted to contribute for us to get something for our comedy; at times they wouldn’t even come for video shooting. I decided to continue working back as a single comedian, so I changed my page name, and ever since then, I’ve been working as a single comedian.”

One of the challenges the young comedian says he is currently facing is the lack of quality cameras to showcase his talent. “I always beg people’s phones to do video because I don’t have a good phone camera. Even now, I still use people’s phones to do videos. There was even a time when I used ITEL A33 to do a video,” he noted.

According to Nehemiah, one of the things that will be able to keep him moving is the sponsorship of people of goodwill. “At times, transport is even difficult for me to get. I had to move on foot to where we had to shoot and, at times, even finish very late. I am going home at night.

Moreover, at times I have to go and wait for people, and no one shows up, so I just have to go home,” he lamented.

Despite the challenges, the young comedian is admired by many for his consistency and his desire to put smiles on the faces of his audience through comedy skits.