Taooma: My Comedy Ideas Come from African Parents

Nigerian skit maker and actress, Maryam Apaokagi, known as Taooma, has shared that her biggest inspiration for comedy comes from her mother and the everyday actions of African parents.

In an interview with TheCable, shared on X on Monday, Taooma talked about how she sometimes faces creative blocks. But she often finds new ideas from experiences in African homes.

She noted that many funny moments in her skits are based on the behavior of parents, especially mothers.
“It’s not like I don’t run out of ideas, but I obviously recoup and rejuvenate,” she said.

“One of the major sources of my ideas is my mum and daily African parents, what they do and how they do their stuff. I just take the ideas and put my own spice on them,” she added.
Taooma believes there are many funny situations in everyday family life that can turn into relatable content.

“If you sit down and think about what your mum does and everything, there are so many crazy things that they do,” she said.

Content Choices

Taooma also mentioned that she is careful about the content she consumes. She focuses on materials that inspire her creativity and help her mindset.

However, she admitted that reading books is not her strong suit. She joked that she just started reading James Clear’s bestselling book, Atomic Habits.
“I don’t just consume content anyhow. I consume things that I know would inspire me and things that are good for my brain,” she said.

“I don’t really read books, I’m not going to lie to you. I just started reading Atomic Habits. I pray I finish it this year.”

The Character Quadri

Taooma also talked about her popular character, “Quadri.” She explained that this role was not meant to be permanent at first.

According to her, the character was created for an advertisement or to introduce another personality in her skits.
She decided to keep Quadri after seeing the positive response from viewers.

“Quadri was actually a walk-past role. He was never meant to stay,” she said.
“When I did Quadri I realised people liked the character.”

Describing Quadri’s personality, Taooma said the character shows the rebellious and outspoken traits often seen in young men from Ilorin, Kwara State.

“Quadri is a regular Ilorin boy. They are very rebellious and don’t take nonsense. Everybody has a Quadri character in their life,” she added.

Nigerian Culture

The comedian expressed her passion for showcasing Nigerian culture through her work. However, she said many of her creative choices happen naturally, not through strict planning.

“I don’t sit down and say I want to pick a character from this place or that place. I just do it according to how it comes,” she said.