244:, Basi refuses to pay his rent, infuriating Madam who unsuccessfully tries to evict him in nearly every episode. Basi infuriates her further when his dimwitted sidekick Alali moves in without her permission. The duo consistently approach Madam with their deceitful plans to extract money out of her when they are not in their room in order to dodge the rent they can hardly afford.
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English examinations, despite
Nigeria's status as an English-speaking nation. Similarly, Roy Jibromah, a marketing manager for Saro-Wiwa's production company, claimed that "children sit glued to the television, with bad English poured down them for four hours a day, they end up with substandard
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Dandy, a cunning man who runs a badly-maintained bar on the street, and his friend Boy Josco imitate Basi's get-rich-quick scams, but with little or no success. Segi, a beautiful but devious young lady who lives nearby, is another rival. Their fraudulent and sometimes ridiculous plans include
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The series was also popular among women who tried to keep up with fashion trends set by the two female characters - Madam and Segi - who often wore traditional
African outfits. Aso Douglas, who played Madam and acted as the show's costumer, was famed for her larger-than-life
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Following a dispute with creator Saro-Wiwa, Albert Egbe left the series and was replaced by stage actor Zulu Adigwe, despite not bearing a close resemblance to the original actor. The new Mr. B was re-invented as a guitar-strumming layabout who often composed songs about his
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Frequently hailed as "Madam the Madam" (Her real name is never revealed), she proudly flaunts both her wealth and her membership of the women-only
American Dollar Club. Equally as greedy as her tenant, she is often the victim of Basi's pranks. She is fond of colossal
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240:", he promptly moves into a dingy room owned by an equally greedy landlady simply known as Madam, a woman who believes all problems can be solved with money, hence her catchphrase "It's a matter of cash!". Despite living on her
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folklore and lampooned widespread corruption in oil-rich
Nigeria while highlighting its consequences. To date, it remains one of Africa's most watched comedy programmes, with an estimated thirty million viewers during its peak.
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Often described as "The Lady with the
Beautiful Eyeballs", Segi - short for Segilola - is friends with Dandy, and the love interest of almost all the male characters. Although sensible, she is somewhat vain and
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Also known as Al, he is a malnourished young man who Basi had met at a motor park before inviting him to stay in his room. He takes orders from Mr. B, but is seldom allowed to express his own opinion.
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era, the main character Basi - popularly known as Mr. B - dreams of acquiring wealth through his hare-brained schemes, and his motto is "To be a millionaire, think like a millionaire!". Arriving in
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Nicknamed "Dandy Dandy", he is the owner of a rundown bar with few customers as he never maintains his business. Like Basi, he believes in easy money. In almost every episode he is seen wearing a
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439:, often seen with a cigarette in his mouth and hanging out with best friend Dandy. Both attempt to foil Basi's plans to become richer than them, but with no success.
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512:. In 1990, Aso Douglas appeared in a commercial for the defunct Abacus Merchant Bank, reprising her famous catchphrase ("It's a matter of cash in your interest!")
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Popularly known as "Mr. B", his main ambition in life is enormous wealth without hard graft. In nearly all episodes he is seen wearing a bright red
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English". Saro-Wiwa stated in an interview in 1987: "We should go for proper
English so we can relate to the rest of the world...one reason
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which remains dominant on television and has been blamed for the poor command of standard
English in the country leading to low scores in
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561:, the original cast went on tour across Nigeria. Saro-Wiwa also published a series of books based on the series, including
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Among the show's more successful alumni was
Mildred Iweka who had a starring role as Ada Okeke in Nigerian
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on the back. Despite living in his landlady's house for the whole series, he has never paid rent.
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725:"ENUGU JOURNAL; 30 MILLION NIGERIANS ARE LAUGHING AT THEMSELVES (Published 1987)"
657:"ENUGU JOURNAL; 30 MILLION NIGERIANS ARE LAUGHING AT THEMSELVES (Published 1987)"
508:. Zulu Adigwe was Professor Edem in the pilot episode before he was replaced by
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schemes. Four different actresses have played the part of Segi, including
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despite their unemployed status, persuading radio station to buy fake
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is so popular is that young people are using it to learn
English".
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praised the use of standard
English on the show, as opposed to
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How Ken Saro Wiwa changed my life - Zulu Adigwe, veteran actor
203:) is a Nigerian sitcom which ran from 1986 to 1990 on
577:(1992), as well as a dramatised version of the book
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856:Nigerian Television Authority original programming
52:Ken Saro-Wiwa, Tekena Harry-McDonald, Bob Ejike
331:To be a millionaire, think like a millionaire!
236:where he believes "the streets are paved with
8:
743:Basi and Company: A Modern African Folktale
563:Basi and Company: A Modern African Folktale
520:Former Minister of Information and Culture
826:Nigerian English-language television shows
18:
279:
841:1990 Nigerian television series endings
691:How Nollywood Kills Nigerian Television
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435:A homeless man living in a shack under
836:1986 Nigerian television series debuts
634:Ken Saro-Wiwa: A writer, the sacrifice
581:. Zulu Adigwe released an album under
359:, wearing them in nearly every episode
272:results for unsuccessful candidates.
7:
215:, the show derived inspiration from
16:1986 Nigerian TV series or programme
363:Come in if you're handsome and rich
260:, adding their names to government
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831:Nigerian comedy television series
415:Can I have a piece of the action?
321:Mr. B Says To Be A Millionaire...
851:1980s Nigerian television series
846:1990s Nigerian television series
669:from the original on 2023-04-06.
411:Hell, I should have known that!
127:
1:
579:Mr. B: Four Television Plays
325:...Think Like A Millionaire
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557:Following the success of
553:Merchandise and spin-offs
621:August 25, 2013, at the
587:Mr. B Hits the Millions
103:Zulu Adigwe (1988-1990)
100:Eji Oyewole (1985-1988)
792:Four Television Plays
645:The Perils of Activism
496:presenter Ethel Ekpe.
367:It's a matter of cash!
268:licenses, and forging
374:Tekena Harry-McDonald
319:with the inscription
771:Segi Finds the Radio
571:Segi Finds the Radio
94:Theme music composer
616:1995: Ken Saro-Wiwa
730:The New York Times
713:700 Club - Nigeria
662:The New York Times
385:I'm hungry, Mr. B!
323:on the front, and
798:978-1-870716-03-1
749:978-1-870716-00-0
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427:Emmanuel Okutuate
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111:Country of origin
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575:Mr. B's Mattress
559:Basi and Company
494:700 Club Nigeria
424:(Boy Josco #1),
345:(as Aso Douglas)
342:Aso Ikpo-Douglas
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573:(1991), and
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510:Nobert Young
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143:Running time
22:
760:Mr. B Again
567:Mr. B Again
464:(Segi #3),
459:(Segi #2),
452:(Segi #1),
335:Holy Moses!
306:Zulu Adigwe
302:(Basi #1),
299:Albert Egbe
250:real estate
130:of episodes
83:Aso Douglas
80:(1988-1990)
78:Zulu Adigwe
74:(1985-1987)
72:Albert Egbe
57:Directed by
820:Categories
593:References
522:Tony Momoh
467:Timi Zuofa
456:Ethel Ekpe
437:Eko Bridge
422:John Nwobi
392:Lasa Amoro
138:Production
86:Lasa Amoro
49:Written by
39:Created by
605:Bob Ejike
547:head-ties
516:Reactions
505:Checkmate
469:(Segi #4)
309:(Basi #2)
286:Character
248:peddling
702:Africine
667:Archived
619:Archived
569:(1989),
565:(1987),
476:devious.
262:payrolls
242:property
65:Starring
405:bow-tie
317:t-shirt
258:lottery
252:on the
217:African
181: (
177: –
171: (
166:Release
156:Network
146:30 mins
122:English
114:Nigeria
796:
747:
401:bowler
33:Sitcom
480:Ciao!
432:Josco
396:Dandy
378:Alali
356:geles
349:Madam
283:Actor
266:radio
234:Lagos
213:Enugu
200:Mr. B
29:Genre
794:ISBN
745:ISBN
539:Basi
534:JAMB
532:and
530:WAEC
501:soap
472:Segi
443:Cool
403:and
312:Basi
289:Role
276:Cast
270:WAEC
254:moon
238:gold
224:Plot
183:1990
179:1990
173:1986
169:1986
230:419
205:NTA
160:NTA
133:150
128:No.
822::
727:.
665:.
659:.
733:.
407:.
185:)
175:)
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