Nigerian comedian, Basketmouth has opened up to Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson Okojie on why people thinks he is unapproachable.
He revealed this while discussing with the thespian on “Mercy’s Menu.”
Mercy had mentioned people’s cautiousness around him.
“You’re one person, even when we worked together one particular brand, you’re one person that everybody is very careful. When I mean careful, I mean they’re scared of offending you, coming close to you or to your space. Why?” She asked.
In response, the comedian admitted to intentionally creating a barrier.
Basketmouth explained to Mercy Johnson that once someone gets close, he becomes more vulnerable and easier to take advantage of.
To avoid this, he keeps a tight circle of trusted friends, some known for over 30 years.
He expressed a preference for maintaining these long-standing relationships rather than forming new ones.
He said;
“Yeah, I think the reason they think that way is because all those things they see, most of it, it’s all false walls. I have too much within me, and I guard myself as much as I can. Because once you break in, it’s easy to mess with me. Once you break in to that circle, taking me down is not hard. Do you understand?
They will definitely know that weakness. So I build a guard around myself. I know you’ve seen me. I just come in, do my work, and I leave. I’m not stressed. I don’t want to make new friends to be honest. And it’s my life, it’s my choice. I think it’s too late. Most of my friends, if you meet them, I’ve known them for years.
My manager, I’ve known him for 33 years and that is the only person I can trust to manage me. He has access to everything. My lawyer I’ve known for 30 years. My talent manager I’ve known for 33 years. My logistics manager, 33 years.
So everybody around me – 15, 18, 19 years [of knowing them]. I only employ people that I know, I trust, because they have access to me. The way I am, it has worked for me, and it has worked for me for the past 25 years.
And since it works, it’s not broken, why do you want to fix it? So that’s why people have the illusion that they have. I soft o! I soft like babe [laughs]. People don’t know.”
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