“They Offered Me Dollars” — Amuneke Claims Political Pressure to Alter Content

Kevin Chinedu, a Nigerian skit maker who goes by the names Kevinblak or Governor Amuneke, has said that members of a political party offered him money to change the content of his funny skits that made fun of politicians and government.

Kevinblak said this in an interview on ARISE Television’s show, where he talked about the stress that content creators face when they use humor to hold public officials accountable.

Governor Amuneke said he was invited to Abuja at a time when he was very weak, just after his wife had a Caesarean section and he was short on money.

The comedian said that even though he was under a lot of financial stress, he turned down the offer and stuck to his personal beliefs.

He said, “People from a political party offered me money to change my content.” They told me they were going to change my life and that I was making pennies, so they gave me dollars. They said that my coworkers are in the game and all that.

“I had a lot of bills to pay, and then I heard someone say, “Come to Abuja; let’s change your life.” Dollars after dollars.

“I looked at it and said, “No, I am who I am.” I’ve been here for a long time, and I’ve never done anything illegal or gone somewhere because I was paid to do it.

If I want to do it, I should do it because I want to, not because I have to. So, you know, it is what it is.

Kevinblak refused to name the party, saying only that it was “Amuneke’s party,” a reference to the made-up political figure in his skits. He also warned against trying to figure it out in public.

He said, “Don’t say names, trust me, don’t say names.”

Chinedu said that his close friends had also been asked for money and had turned it down.

He went on to say, “I don’t have friends who get too excited about money.” I know people who have principles because they have thought about them themselves. So, we always talk about that.