Teacher Kwadwo living his best life
The power of social media is one that cannot be overestimated. How else would a teacher have become popular for his comedic talent ?
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When Michael Owusu Afriyie popularly known as Teacher Kwadwo, started getting a lot of likes for his funny posts and videos on Facebook and Youtube he didn’t make much of it because he was just having fun.
Little did he know that those humorous posts, which made his wall a favourite for many people, would propel him into the limelight and also bring him financial rewards. Today he has over 107, 000 followers with more being added every day and has thousands of views on Youtube.
However, the young man is unsurprised that he has gained a following for his humour.
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“I won’t say what I’m doing is new to me at all. When I was growing up, people laughed at my jokes and my friends loved to be with me because I made them happy even when they were sad. So when I joined the Facebook community a few years ago, it was only natural that the humorous side of me reflected in my posts,” he told Showbiz.
His popularity has soared with his spoofs on personalities. He takes portions of their old interviews and puts in his own questions so that it seems they are giving him responses. The questions are very often funny and elicit laughs out of anyone who watches them.
No one is spared the bite of Teacher Kwadwo. From showbiz personalities to politics and even members of the clergy, everyone has been spoofed.
Businessman, Alfred Agbesi Woyome was at the receiving end of a lot of jokes when his judgment debt scandal broke. The Shatta Wale-Wizkid beef has also been given a humorous slant by Teacher Kwadwo.
Having experienced how beneficial social media has been for him, he has now created the Teacher Kwadwo page to reach a much wider audience with his comical videos.
“I realised that people always look forward to my posts and opinion on trending issues. Initially, I was happy to know people appreciated what I did but as a Kumasi boy, I had to be smart. I had to make money out of all the humour and likes,” he said.
With over 100,000 views and counting, Teacher Kwadwo tells Showbiz he is overwhelmed by the support from Ghanaians. For him, the love he receives is what motivates him to do more.
However, not many have been pleased with his use of the Twi dialect with his critics saying it limit his audience reach.
“I have had a lot of complaints because some people don’t understand the language I use but that is what I’m more comfortable with. Maybe, in future, I will take their concerns into consideration. What is important to me now is that I’m making good money to put food on my table, thanks to comedy,” he said.
Thanks to fame on Facebook, he is now getting booked to appear on comedy shows in Accra and Obuasi and for him, this is just the beginning of the heights he wants to reach.
The 29-year old started his education at Jubilee Preparatory School in Oforikrom and continued to Asem Mixed and Adventist Preparatory School in Amakom and then the Tweneboah Koduah Senior High School all in the Ashanti Region. He was trained as a teacher at the Akrokerri College of Education.
Despite the smiles he puts on people’s faces, Teacher Kwadwo has had his fair share of sorrows in his young life. He lost his mother early in life and he was raised by his maternal grandparents, who also took care of his older brother.
Although they faced tough times, they weren’t enough to dampen the spirit of the trained teacher and he used that to spur him on.
Though he’s getting all the attention for his comedy which has seen him being interviewed on many shows including the popular KSM Show, Teacher Kwadwo says he won’t trade that for his teaching profession. He is currently awaiting posting after completing his Out programme (which is like National Service ).
“I’ve always loved to impart people with knowledge and it gives me satisfaction to know that I’m grooming leaders for a better generation. This is my divine duty and I would love to do it all my life,” he said.
He was very appreciative to all those who had supported his craft. “Words aren’t enough to express my joy when I see the huge viewership on my page. It brings tears to my eyes and that can only be possible if you have diehard fans who believe in your talent”.