Ayo Richard Makun, AY is a multi-talented, multiple award-winning Stand up comedian, and one of the most successful comic acts Nigeria has produced.

The first Male child from a family of seven from Ifon, Ondo state, AY was born and bred in Delta State. AY had a very humble and unassuming start, parlaying his charm and talent to a successful career in the Nigerian comedy scene.

He gained fame through impersonating Rev. Chris Okotie in his hilarious jokes, and by 2006, when he began; he was named the Best Up-Coming Comedian in Nigeria.

That wasn’t AY’s first award. The gifted comedian holds an enviable record of being the first student to direct a convocation production in the history of the Theatre Arts Department of the Delta State University, where he graduated in 2003.

In his campus days, he received many awards including: The Most Fashionable Student on Campus (1999 and 2000); The Most Celebrated Student on Campus (2001), Best Showbiz Promoter (2001), Jaycee Club Socio-Cultural Personality Award (2003), and The Most Celebrated Theatre Arts Student (2003).

Presently, AY has taken comedy out of the box. He writes the column, Going AY-Wire every Friday on The Sun Newspapers, (Nigeria’s most circulated National Daily) and every month he writes Jokes Apart in Gbenga Adeyinka’s monthly comedy journal, Laffmatazz. He presents The AY Live on The Morning Drive every Friday from 6am to 10am on Rhythm 93.7 FM, Lagos.

AY has become the ‘father’ of many upcoming acts and established acts that are doing well in the industry, through the monthly AY’s Open Mic Challenge that holds every third Sunday, at The National Theatre, Lagos.

The AY Show, arguably the best Comedy Show on Nigeria TV, shows on six TV stations across the country, winning BEST TV COMEDY SHOW in 2008, and has since been a must watch. He publishes Nigeria’s first comedy magazine, and he hosts (across the country, too) the usually out-sold comedy and music concerts AY Live.

In 2008 alone, AY won six different awards, all confirming one same thing: COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR – Diamond Awards for Comedy COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR – Mode Men of the Year Awards COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR – MBG Abuja Merit Awards COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR – Arsenal Award for Excellence COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR – TEENS FAVOURITE COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR – National Daily Awards

AY is happily married to Mabel (a gorgeous lady from Delta State), and they are blessed with a beautiful daughter – Michelle Adeola Folashade Makun.