Akite Agnes

Akite Agnes (born 19 March 1983) is a Ugandan stand up comedienne, actress, events MC and Philanthropist. She is popularly known for her role as Arach in The Hostel TV Series where she acted as Odoch's girlfriend and owner of a shop. She has also acted in Pearl Magic's Girl From Mparo as Mama Brian, the nosy neighbour. Her style of comedy reflects on the daily issues that face people as they go about their lives.

Akite Agnes
Akite Agnes in March 2015
Birth nameAkite Agnes Opio
Born(1983-03-19)19 March 1983
Kampala, Uganda
MediumStand-up, Television
NationalityUgandan
Alma materMakerere University
(Bachelor of Tourism)
Years active2009–present
Genresobservational comedy, self-deprecation
Subject(s)Every day life, relationships
SpouseBrian Makalama
ChildrenNoel, Brianna
Parent(s)
  • Anthony Opio, (father)
  • Hellen Opio (mother)
Relative(s)
  • Elem Richard (brother)
  • Adong Catherine (sister)
  • Apio Grace (sister)
  • Adoo Mary (sister)
  • Auma Susan (sister)
  • Oyar Emmanuel (brother)
  • Ayugi Harriet (sister)
  • Awelli Doreen (sister)

Early life and education

Akite Agnes was born on 19 March 1983 in Kampala, Uganda to Anthony Opio, an auditor and Hellen Opio. She is the fifth born of nine children. She grew up in Kitintale and later on Mutungo, which are suburbs of Kampala. She was raised a Catholic. She went to St. Kizito Primary School, Bugolobi for her primary, where she did her Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) from and then later on Our lady of Good Counsel, Gayaza where she did her secondary education. She did her Uganda Certificate Examinations (UCE) from Naalya SS, Namugongo. She later went for her A levels in St. Lawrence Creamland Campus where she did her UACE. She joined Makerere University in 2003 where she pursued and completed a Bachelors of Arts in Tourism [1]

Career

2009–2019

In 2009, Akite was approached by Anne Kansiime to act in a new TV comedy series called The Hostel after her friend, Pamela had turned it down. She got the part as Arach, without auditioning.[2] That was the beginning of her acting career. The Hostel was a Series that was very popular in Uganda, initially shown on NTV and later on, was also shown on DSTV. She acted for three seasons and later left the set in 2012 as she was preparing to give birth to her second born, Brianna.

In 2014 she debuted her stand up comedy act with a group called The Punchliners after being persuaded by Anne Kansiime and Daniel Omara to try out Stand-up comedy.[2][3] She later joined Comedy Files.

In 2015 she was part of the Queens of Comedy Uganda vs Kings of Comedy Rwanda in Kigali.

In 2016 she featured in Girl From Mparo as Mama Brian the nosy neighbour, a series that was aired on UBC.[4] and later on, DSTV's Pearl Magic.

In 2018, when the contract with Comedy Files ended, she started doing solo acts on different comedy platforms including Rock Comedy and Comedy Store Ug, hosted by Alex Muhangi. In June, she appeared in the Kampala Comedy Festival, hosted by Okello Okello, another renowned comedian in Uganda.[5][6] On her return to Comedy Stores UG in August, she impressed the crowd.[7] The clip for that show went viral on WhatsApp where she was heaped with praise.[8] She attributed the popularity of that clip to Comedy Store which has a vibrant social media and Kakensa Media who have a huge following on Facebook.[2] Between August and November she was a permanent member of the UG Pineapple Comedy Tour, which took her to different parts of the country including Mbale, Gulu, Fort Portal, Jinja and Mbarara.[9] She was part of the Group from Comedy Store Ug that went to Mbarara for its maiden show outside Kampala.[10] She featured for the first time in the fourth episode of Africa Laughs on 8 October at Kampala Serena Hotel.,[11] hosted by Patrick Salvador Idringi and featuring other comedians like Basketmouth, Alfred Kainga, Eddie Kadi, Mc Jesse, Professor Haimo, Arthur Nkusi, and other talented Ugandan Comedians. In December, she resumed acting, this time with Fun Factory in a TV series called Mizigo Express as Sam's girlfriend.

In early March 2019, Akite created and hosted the Arise Woman! Comedy Jam on International Women's Day. In celebration of the day, the show comprised an all female cast.[12] These included Nancy Kobusheshe, Maggie the Bwaiserian, Rich Mouth, Dora Nakagga, Leila Kachapizo and the Fun Factory ladies. Part of the proceeds of the show was given to charity.[13] In late March, she returned to Kigali as part of the Seka Fest which featured comedians from Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria.[14] In April, Agnes featured on The Comedian's OutLuke Podcast presented by Stand-up Comedian Luke Anthony as part of a Uganda Special.[2] In July 2019, she was part of the Ugandan comedians who performed in the Laugh Festival in Nairobi, Kenya[15] and in September, performed at the Uganda North America Association Convention in Chicago. In December, she headlined in The One Africa Festival in a bid to fight xenophobia at Port Elizabeth, South Africa.[16]

Ladies of The Fun Factory doing a skit during the Arise Woman! Comedy Show

Style of comedy

Akite's style of stand-up is observational comedy where she makes one see the funny side of the day-to-day life of the common man. On occasions, she has the good nature to have a go at herself and her attributes using self-deprecation. Akite's jokes are based on everyday life and experiences. It is from such that she picks up a line or two, builds up on them, and eventually crafts something funny out of it.[17] However she does not do Political jokes[18]

Personal life

Akite is the fifth born of a family of two brothers, Richard and Emmanuel; and six sisters, Cathy, Grace, Mary, Susan, Harriet and Doreen. Akite is a mother to two children, Noel, 13 and Brianna, 5. She is in a relationship with Brian Makalama. She is a devout Catholic who has been worshiping at Our Lady of Africa Church, Mbuya since she was a little girl.[19]

Philanthropy

Akite is the co-founder and CEO of Arise Woman Foundation, which aims to advocate for and empower women and youth. Proceeds from the Arise Women! Comedy Jam were donated to Home of Hope, Jinja.

Filmography
Acting appearances in film and television
Year Title Role Network Notes
2009–2012 The Hostel Arach NTV Uganda, DSTV – Africa Magic Entertainment, ZUKU TV and NTV KENYA
2016 Girl from Mparo Mama Brian UBC, DStv - Pearl Magic
2018–present Mizigo Express Sam's girlfriend DSTV – Pearl Magic

See also

References
  1. "Comedienne Agnes Akite's complicated path to stardom". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  2. Anthony, Luke (7 April 2019). "Agnes Akite - Uganda Special". The Comedian's OutLuke Podcast (Podcast). Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  3. Katongole, George (16 February 2019). "Comedienne Agnes Akite's complicated path to stardom". Daily Monitor.
  4. "Girl From Mparo". Uganda Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  5. Atungisa, Don (2 July 2018). "PHOTOS: How it Went Down at the Inaugural Kampala Comedy Festival — MTN Pulse". pulse.mtn.co.ug. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  6. Nakassanje, Winnie (5 July 2018). "The First Ever Kampala Comedy Festival Reveals New Internationals". The Kampala Sun. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  7. Ampurire, Paul (20 July 2018). "Comedienne Agned Arach Impresses Revellers on Comedy Store". Soft Power News. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  8. Zamboki, Lincoln (6 August 2018). "Comedienne Agnes AKite heaped with praise by fans after her clip went viral". MBU. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  9. Sources:
  10. Ampurire, Paul (25 September 2018). "PICTORIAL: MC Mariachi Wows Mbarara During Comedy Store's Tour". SoftPower News. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  11. Sources:
  12. Kulanyi, Rachael (11 March 2019). "Female comedians celebrate Women's day in a comedy show dubbed 'Arise Woman Comedy Jam". Matooke Republic. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  13. Emuk, Benjamen (9 March 2019). "Ugandan Female Comics Dedicate 'Arise Woman Comedy Jam' Show To Charity". Chimp Reports. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  14. Batte, Edgar. R (1 April 2019). "Ugandan comedians shine at Kigali's Seka fest". Sqoop. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  15. Sources:
  16. "Comedy show fight against xenophobia". News24. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  17. Nantaba, Agnes (19 October 2018). "Agnes Akite aka Arach on Funny Ugandans". Uganda News Archive.
  18. Daheley, Tina. "Comedy That Changes Minds". BBC World Service - The Cultural Frontline. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  19. Baike, Prisca. "Comedian Agnes Akite has Bone to Pick with Minister Lokodo". The Observer. Retrieved 19 October 2018.

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