A man of many talents, Gbenga Adeyinka is a multi-award-winning Nigerian actor, comedian, radio and TV presenter, writer, and MC.
Adeyinka is known to use different languages to set his brand of comedy apart in the industry, a key feature of his work that endears him to a wide range of people with different backgrounds and cultures.
Born on May 7, 1968, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, he studied English at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where he was involved with a group known as Theatre 15, hosted campus events, and also discovered his knack for comedy.
“I think [studying English] was the most amazing decision I took. Studying English opened my mind and allowed me to explore my creative core and till date, it gives me an edge in whatever I do,” he later revealed in an interview.
Popularly known as his self-proclaimed title, CFR (the Comedian of the Federal Republic), Gbenga Adeyinka is one of Nigeria’s foremost stand-up comedians, becoming the first to publish a comedy magazine in Nigeria, known as Laffmattazz. A comedic heavyweight, he soon rose to fame following his ‘shine shine bobo’ promo for Star Game Show.
He truly lives and breathes the objective of his work, as evidenced in years of praises from important personalities from all walks of life, one of which is veteran journalist, Azuh Arinze, who described him as a “gregarious comedian who permanently adorns a smiling face and radiates happiness.” in his latest book Encounters – Lessons From My Journalism Career.
He is also the CEO of Laughter Incorporated as well as the recently established farming, bakery/confectionery, and bottled water production company, Adunni Adeyinka Foods.
Gbenga Adeyinka is featured in Azuh Arinze’s Encounters – Lessons From My Journalism Career, which chronicles the experiences of the author throughout his career. Through this book, Azuh Arinze allows readers to examine 20 years’ worth of journalistic experience in 60 captivating chapters, highlighting some of his encounters with industry heavyweights.
Azuh Arinze, who is the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of ‘Yes International!’ served as the Editor of Encomium Weekly from 2003 to 2011.