Africa-Press – South-Sudan. South Sudan has put an end to the recent tensions that stemmed from SPLM/A-IO’s withdrawal from ceasefire monitoring bodies due to alleged violations of the deal.
For a country that has been battered by civil war for quite some time, the projected image beyond its borders has always been negative. However, it is these negative images that one South Sudanese comedian is committed to changing, by organising comedy to not only thrill the audience with comics but also send a positive message about the youngest country.
Akao Ajambo told The City Review that he feels that he should see another side of South Sudan different from how the country is portrayed in the media as a bedrock of insecurity. He did this last weekend when he organised the first international comedy show.
Ajambo has spent months organising comedy festivals and has grown to understand what it takes to crack ribs.
“Artists see things with their third eye. If we can laugh about traumatic things in our society, it helps us embrace them. So art is therapy, “Ajambo says.
KG Mokadi, a comedian from South Africa, says comedy in South Sudan is what everyone needs now. He says comedy will enable people to look at each other without issuing threats to one another.
“Comedy is a great vehicle to discuss things in a non-confrontational way. You’ve heard jokes about Dinka people without the Dinka people being offended. This is the role comedy plays. It is the right space where everybody understands and it is very important,” says KG Mokadi.
Last weekend’s two-day comedy festival in Juba brought a hive of laughter as comedians from Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa gathered in a festival of jokes.
The first of its kind, the comedy festival was loosely based on the theme of social issues, corruption, politics, economics, sex, and everyday life in South Sudan.
Mamito Eunice, Kenyan comediene was of the view that, “When people laugh at their own problems, they are able to see reality,” adding that; “comedy can help with reconciliation, especially when people are distressed. They need laughter, and when they laugh, they relax, and a relaxed human being can solve problems.”
A Ugandan comedian Okello Okello, officially known as Joshua Okello, believes that comedy relaxes people’s mind and also unites them.
”When people laugh together, they feel relieved, and comedy, like sports, brings people together,” says Okello.
Ajambo and his team have big dreams of making the South Sudan comedy festival bigger and more popular.
“Our goal is to put South Sudan comedy on the international scene, so we need to partner with other people, comedians, producers and streaming companies like Netflix and hopefully the comedians here can learn from them.”
“I want this festival to be part of a cultural tourist attraction activity in South Sudan.”
In the quest of delivering more laughter for peace in South Sudan, Ajambo and his team have big dreams of making the South Sudan comedy festival bigger and more popular.
“Our goal is to put South Sudan comedy on the comedy map. When people are talking about comedy in Africa, South Sudan should be there. When they want projects that want comedians, South Sudan should be there. We need to partner with other people, comedians, and producers who have worked with streaming companies like Netflix, and hopefully, the comedians here can learn from them. I just want this festival to be part of a cultural tourist attraction activity in South Sudan.”
The festival was funded by the Netherlands Embassy in South Sudan, Ambassador Jelle Van Wieren, who emphasised the importance of laughter in uniting people for a common goal. He made a joke about the Netherlands.
“As I said it’s good to laugh at yourself, so I am going to tell you one or two small jokes about the Netherlands. One thing about the Netherlands is that we are so much into football. Our national team is very famous; the only problem we have is that whenever the national team is participating in a tournament.”
Psychologists agree that comedy and laughter are the best ingredients for stimulating the immune system and boosting human self-esteem.
According to them, laughter can decrease stress and reduce physical tension throughout the body, thus improving mood and pain.
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