By Cythia Abbah
Nigerian comedian and skit maker Josh2Funny, renowned for his comedic character “Mama Felicia,” has disclosed the reasons behind his decision to retire the role. Speaking candidly on ‘The Honest Bunch’ podcast, Josh2Funny shared that the primary reason for discontinuing “Mama Felicia” was due to unwelcome advances from homosexual men, which left him feeling appalled and embarrassed.
Josh2Funny, who built his reputation on the humorous portrayal of “Mama Felicia,” explained that the character was intended solely for comedic effect and had no basis for any romantic attraction. The character’s depiction as foolish was meant to elicit laughs, not to invite unwanted attention.
“I had a lot of advances from gay men,” Josh2Funny revealed. He recounted a particularly uncomfortable encounter where someone professed their love for him via WhatsApp. Josh’s reaction was to threaten to pray for the person to go blind, a response he described as a means to fend off the harassment.
The unwanted attention and harassment from some members of the LGBTQ+ community played a crucial role in his decision to retire “Mama Felicia.” To replace the character, Josh2Funny introduced a new persona, “Brother Zakius,” who is depicted in male attire, marking a shift from the female dress and mannerisms of “Mama Felicia.”
