Francis Agoda (born April 4, 1979), better known by his stage name I Go Dye,^[1] is a Nigerian comedian, motivational speaker, writer, and social advocate. He has organized various international comedy shows, including "I Go Dye Standing."^[2]

Early life

Francis Agoda was born on April 4, 1979, in Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria. As a young child, he grew up at Okpara water side with his grandmother, Queen Agnes, where he saw the numerous challenges facing rural settlements in Nigeria. This insight later motivated him to address some of these issues through his comedy and publications.

A review of his creativity dates back to his elementary school days at Ighogbadu Primary School, and College of Commerce, Warri Delta State.^[3] During his school days he was a member of the Junior Engineering Technical Society and was made the zonal project manager to represent Delta State. In 1992, as a young kid, he met the first executive governor of Delta State Olorogun Felix Ibru after he exhibited unusual creativity for someone who grew up in the village to have the innovation to design a hovercraft ship, radio transmitter, hair dryer, projector, electric solar table fan, and flying helicopter, that made him the first African child to have built a flying helicopter and a moving hovercraft ship. He was awarded a scholarship to study structural engineering at New York University.

According to his mother, Princess Emily, his insight into the life and the future were mysterious, because he professed issues about the future and he had a great inherent spirituality that made him scared.

Through his passion for comedy, he gained wide acceptance and popularity within a short while. Based on what he witnessed growing up in the village as a young kid, he took his success as a means to address mitigating factors affecting young children and many unprivileged people.

Career

He came up with the name I Go dye from the similarity of the sound of his surname Agoda, I GO DYE, translated to mean initiative guide on developing youth endowment.

When in college, his mother removed him from the United College of Commerce to Essi College, Warri, so that his uncle, who was a teacher in Essi College, could monitor his activities.

While in Essi College, he joined SVC where he meet his best friend of today Otagware Onodjeyeke (Ltas) now known as Igosave. Together, they started presenting mock news on Delta Broadcasting Service 1994, where they addressed several issues affecting the society. Later on, he got a contract as a stand-up comedian at Prest Motel in Benin City where he was paid one thousand Naira per show.

After years of exploring his creativity and expanding his profile across different events in Nigeria, he featured in Africa's biggest comedy show Night of A Thousand Laughs (year 2000 edition). He became the most salable comedian according to the marketer, Obino Music. He performed for a decade and was eventually honored by Opa Williams, the producer of Night of a Thousand Laugh, as the most outstanding comedian to have been on the stage of Night of a Thousand Laugh for ten years.^[4]

His first European tour was with Ehi Zoya Golden Entertainment (2005), which took him around 7 countries. He was later contracted by France (NIDOE) to perform at the UNESCO Cultural Week in Paris, France. He was also presented an award for his contribution to the upliftment of Nigeria's Cultural value by Niddo Spain.

He has been featured in the MTV Africa Music Awards.^[5] He has also performed in opening and closing shows of various notable musicians including Akon, Boyz II Men, 50-Cent, Rick Ross, The Game, and Kelly Rowland.^[6]

Awards

I Go Dye has won various awards, including:

• African Best Comedian.
• The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation of Europe-SPAIN Award for his contribution to Nigerian culture and art.
• The Nigeria Best Comedian Award (NEA AWARD).^[7]
• Delta Role model Award 2017
• Nigeria best comedian Award
• Niddo Spain Award; for his contribution to Nigeria Culture and Art.
• Ukaid and youth alive foundation ambassador Award on #MadACT make a difference Against Corruption Today; dedicated to Nigeria pensioners
• Nigeria Army Civil Award with the complement of Chief of Army staff Lt General TY Buratai^[8]
• United Nations Development Goal Ambassador
• United Nations World Habitat Ambassador

Other activities

I Go Dye's personal comedy brand is I Go Dye Standing. In 2016,^[9] I Go Dye sold out 02 London to mark his 20 years on stage. Before the I Go Dye Standing's world tour, he performed in African comedy events including MTV Africa Music Awards. I Go Dye, as a prolific comedian, has remained the toast of the comedy industry, entertaining Governors, Presidents, and diplomats. He also performed at the 2018 National Council of Nigeria Traditional Rulers, held in Port Harcourt with The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, Ooni of Ife Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, and many others.

He is a United Nations Millennium Development Goals Ambassador, working to actualize the United Nations' objectives.^[10]

In September 2014, he was photographed with the Cross River Governor Liyel Imoke at The Nigeria Ireland Carnival in Dublin.^[11]

Social crusader

I Go Dye's tragic experiences changed his perception. He was shot at in a conflict, losing some of his close friends. When he reflected on the 1997 Warri crisis between the Ijaw and Itsekiri people, he championed the project, Peace in Sight. Amb Francis Agoda shot a 10-minute documentary, a short film in 2004 for the United Nations and the Federal government of Nigeria to promote peace and advocate for rural development.

He has often lent his voice and provided solutions to world leaders and Nigerian elites in his publications. He wrote an open letter to mark the United Nations Youth day in 2017, titled "Logic and Reason Without Guns", to the Nigeria Government, Governor's Militant and the youth. He has continued to be an advocate for the African Youths, promoting a new political ideology that will include the youths in governance. He has also advocated for youth leadership in Zimbabwe, when he wrote to president Robert Mugabe asking him to step down for more youthful leadership. In addition, he also successfully advocated for a youthful president in Liberia. He has continued to champion a new leadership for Nigerian through his open letter to president Muhammadu Buhari^[12] and former vice president Atiku Abubakar.^[13]

References