Basorge Tariah Jnr: Comedian crisscrossing every area of performing arts

BY BARTH EZE

Basorge Tariah Jnr is an accomplished theatre man. He has navigated every branch of performance arts: from script writing, directing, choreography and dancing to acting, comedy, show promotion and more, and he is still standing.

To have continuously worked and succeeded in these different areas of the theatre would not have been possible without training and discipline. Tariah who trained under great theatre scholars at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State is happy to be earning a living from all the lessons from drama school.

The theatre was actually not his first choice at the beginning but this entertainer is pleased today for making the right decision. Through show business and allied matters, he has seen and travelled the world.

He has also brought laughter and joy into many homes, met great men and women in high places and on set, acted important roles and addressed society’s never-ending challenges and ills with his comedy.

Tariah is obviously on a roll and he is enjoying all the attention and goodwill from his creativity and popularity.

The story of this Buguma boy from Rivers State actually began way back when he won the National Dance Competition in 1983. This apparently influenced his career choice and interest in dance and theatrical display. So, it was not unexpected that a few years later, he joined a creative department in one of Nigeria’s important institutions and majored in choreography.

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At the University of Port Harcourt, he got his first major professional break as a stand-up comedian. He also made “big cash” from that innocuous job that gave him attention and a popularity that eventually followed him to Lagos, Nigeria’s entertainment hub where his story changed.

In Lagos, he got his bearings and took on the city. Tariah travelled the length and breadth Lagos, acted many roles and took part in many entertainment projects across the state until he landed the big one. He starred in Candle Light, a television soap directed by Zeb Ejiro and made a huge impact. Many people still remember his role, Do Good, and he continues to do well on Africa Magic today and on other platforms. He is also the proud owner of Basorge and the Old Boys, a musical band that is providing entertainment and engaging people who are interested in music and the arts.

There is no doubt that he is conscious of where he is coming from. And he obviously loves the society that shaped him. So, he is dedicated to working for a better society through his pet project, the Creek Search Initiative, ICS. The Creek Search Initiative is addressing falling standards and also engendering hope in young people. And Tariah is happy for doing well again by himself and contributing to society.

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The story of this Buguma boy from Rivers State actually began way back when he won the National Dance Competition in 1983. This apparently influenced his career choice and interest in dance and theatrical display.