Popular Nigerian content creator and comedian Taaooma has opened up about the creative process behind her successful skits, explaining that while she sometimes struggles with fresh ideas, she has learned how to recharge and find inspiration from everyday experiences.
Speaking during the United States Mission in Nigeria’s 250th Independence Day celebration in Lagos, the skit maker admitted that creative blocks are a normal part of her journey.
According to her, whenever she feels uninspired, she takes time to refresh herself before returning to work. She disclosed that one of the biggest influences on her comedy is her mother, alongside the unique habits and behaviours of everyday African parents.
“It’s not like I don’t run out of ideas, but I obviously recoup and rejuvenate,” she said.
Taaooma explained that she simply observes the funny and sometimes unbelievable things parents do before adding her own creative touch to turn them into entertaining content.
“But one of the primary sources of my thoughts is my mother and everyday African parents, what they do and how they do things.
“I just take the ideas and put my own spice on them. If you sit down and think about the things your mum does, there are so many funny and crazy things.”
The comedian also stressed the importance of being selective about the content she consumes. Rather than spending time on random online material, she intentionally watches content that stimulates her creativity and contributes positively to her thinking.
“I don’t just consume any kind of content. I consume things that I know will inspire me, things that are good for my brain, not just brainwash content,” she added.
Reflecting on motherhood, Taaooma revealed that becoming a mother has significantly influenced her creative approach. She noted that many of the situations she now portrays in her comedy sketches are inspired by her real-life experiences as a parent.
“There are so many things that I’m doing now. I’m doing them for real, for real,” she said.
She also spoke about the unexpected rise of Quadri, one of the most loved characters in her skits. According to Taaooma, the character was originally created for a minor appearance and was never meant to become a recurring personality.
“Quadri was actually a waka-pass role. It was never meant to stay,” she explained.
“I think I created the character for an advert or maybe I just needed another neutral character. When I did it, I realised people liked it and I said, ‘Okay.’
“Quadri is just a regular Ilorin boy. They’re very rebellious. They can insult you. They don’t take nonsense. That’s just the Quadri character. Everybody has a Quadri character in their life.”
Addressing claims that she deliberately creates characters representing different parts of Nigeria, Taaooma dismissed the idea. While she appreciates promoting Nigerian culture through her work, she said the diversity seen in her characters happens naturally rather than through careful planning.
“Even if I am intentional about putting Nigeria on the map with my content, I don’t think that part has been very intentional,” she said.
“I don’t sit down and say, ‘Let me pick a character from this region or that region.’ I just do it according to how it comes.”