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Akite Agnes

Akite Agnes (born 19 March 1983) is a Ugandan stand-up comedian, actress, MC, and philanthropist. She is popularly known for her role as Arach[1] in the series The Hostel. 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 people face as they go about their lives.

Akite Agnes
Akite Agnes wearing an off-white, short-sleeved top, grinning at camera
Agnes in 2015
Birth nameAkite Agnes Opio
Born(1983-03-19)19 March 1983
Kampala, Uganda
Medium
  • Stand-up
  • television
Alma materMakerere University
(Bachelor of Tourism)
Years active2009–present
Genres
Subject(s)
  • Everyday life
  • relationships
Children2

Early life and education

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Agnes was born on 19 March 1983, in Kampala, Uganda, to Anthony Opio, an auditor, and Hellen Opio. She is the fifth of nine children.[2] She spent her early years in Kitintale and later moved to Mutungo, both suburbs of Kampala. Raised in the Catholic faith, Agnes attended St. Kizito Primary School in Bugolobi. She continued her education at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Gayaza, for her secondary studies. Agnes completed her Uganda Certificate of Education at Naalya Secondary School in Namugongo and went on to pursue her A-levels at St. Lawrence Creamland Campus, achieving her Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education. In 2003, she enrolled at Makerere University, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in tourism.[3]

Career

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In 2009, Agnes 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 was given the part of Arach without auditioning.[4] This was the beginning of her acting career. The Hostel was a popular series in Uganda, initially shown on NTV and later on DStv. Agnes stayed on the show for three seasons and left in 2012, as she was preparing to give birth to her second child, Brianna.

In 2014, she began her comedy act with a group called The Punchliners, after being persuaded by Anne Kansiime and Daniel Omara to try stand-up comedy.[4][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 appeared in Girl from Mparo as Mama Brian, a series that aired on UBC[5] and later on DSTV's Pearl Magic.

In 2018, when her contract with Comedy Files ended, Agnes 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, a renowned comedian in Uganda.[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 the clip to Comedy Store, which has an active social media account, and Kakensa Media, which have a huge following on Facebook.[4] Between August and November, Agnes 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] Agnes 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, with other comedians such as Basketmouth, Alfred Kainga, Eddie Kadi, Mc Jesse, Professor Haimo, and Arthur Nkusi. 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, Agnes created and hosted the Arise Woman! Comedy Jam[2] on International Women's Day. In celebration of the holiday, the show comprised an all-female cast,[12] which 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, Agnes returned to Kigali as part of the Seka Fest, with comedians from Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria.[14] In April, she appeared on The Comedian's OutLuke Podcast, presented by comedian Luke Anthony as part of a Uganda Special.[4] In July 2019, she was one of the Ugandan comedians who performed in the Laugh Festival in Nairobi, Kenya,[15] and in September, she performed at the Uganda North America Association Convention in Chicago. In December, she headlined the One Africa Festival, in a bid to fight xenophobia at Port Elizabeth, South Africa.[16]

Agnes went on to host the second season of Arise Woman Comedy Jam in March 2020, which featured female comedians from Fun Factory Uganda as well as Anne Kansiime, among others.[17] In October 2022, Agnes was the opening act in Patrick Salvado Idringi's Africa Laughs sixth edition.[18][19][20]

On 23 October 2024, she hosted her first solo show at the national theatre, titled Son of Opio.[2]

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

Style of comedy

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Agnes's style of stand-up is observational comedy, where she points out the funny side of daily life. She also sometimes uses self-deprecation in her humour.[1] She avoids political humour.[21]

Personal life

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Agnes is the fifth-born[2] in a family of two brothers and six sisters. She is the mother of two children. She is Catholic and attends Our Lady of Africa Church.[22] On 9 November 2023, she was attacked and beaten up by thugs as she made her way back home from a quiz night in Najjera, sustaining a head wound and a bruised eye.[2][23]

Philanthropy

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Agnes is the co-founder and CEO of Arise Woman Foundation,[2] which advocates for and empowers women and youth.

Filmography

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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

References

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  1. ^ a b Nantaba, Agnes (19 October 2018). "Agnes Akite aka Arach on Funny Ugandans". Uganda News Archive. Archived from the original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Republic, Matooke (28 October 2024). "Akite Agnes Marks 10 Years of Comedy in Grand Style – Matooke Republic". Matooke Republic. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Comedienne Agnes Akite's complicated path to stardom". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d Anthony, Luke (7 April 2019). "Agnes Akite - Uganda Special". The Comedian's OutLuke Podcast (Podcast). Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  5. ^ "Girl From Mparo". Uganda Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  6. ^ Atungisa, Don (2 July 2018). "PHOTOS: How it Went Down at the Inaugural Kampala Comedy Festival". MTN Pulse. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
    - Nakassanje, Winnie (5 July 2018). "The First Ever Kampala Comedy Festival Reveals New Internationals". The Kampala Sun. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. 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. ^ Oneal, Nicholas (1 August 2018). "Kampala Comedians Thrill Mbale Residents". New Vision. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
    - Emorut, Brian (19 September 2018). "Gulu Comedy Fans Embrace Ug Pineapple". Guide 2 Uganda. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
    - Shantel, Denzel (21 November 2018). "Jinja Comedy Fans Get a Taste of the New Ug Pineapple". Showbiz Uganda.
    - Abenaitwe, Cliff (21 November 2018). "Fanfare at the Mbarara Ug Pineapple Comedy Tour". Mbarara News.
  10. ^ Ampurire, Paul (25 September 2018). "PICTORIAL: MC Mariachi Wows Mbarara During Comedy Store's Tour". SoftPower News. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  11. ^ Larubi, Robert (9 October 2018). "Africa Laughs Season 4 Drama and Humour Leaves Revellers in Tears". Soft Power News.
    - "Africa Laughs Season 4 Leaves Uganda Dying with Laughter". Ghafla. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
    - Matooke, Republic (9 October 2018). "Drama and Rib Cracking Laughter Light Up Africa Laughs Season 4". Matooke Republic. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  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. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. 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. ^ Nkurunzinza, James Peter (5 July 2019). "Rwandan comedian to perform at the 'Laugh Festival' in Nairobi". The New Times. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
    - Zuri, Admin (24 July 2019). "International Laugh Festival (3rd Edition)". Zuri News. Archived from the original on 25 September 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
    - Ngigi, Elizabeth (26 July 2019). "Laugh Festival Back for Round 3". The Star. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
    - Kagonye, Fredrick (20 July 2019). "Wamlambez Dominates Laugh Festival". Standard Digital. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  16. ^ "Comedy show fight against xenophobia". News24. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
  17. ^ Matooke, Republic (4 March 2020). "Season Two of Arise Women Comedy Jam set to crack ribs this Friday – Matooke Republic". Matooke Republic. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  18. ^ Ampurire, Paul (31 October 2022). "Africa Laughs 6 succeeds in debunking the stereotypes tagged on Uganda's stand-up". Plugged. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  19. ^ Namutebi, Phiona (26 October 2022). "Africa Laughs comedy show is back at Kololo Airstrip". Capital Radio. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  20. ^ Independent, The (30 October 2022). "Africa Laughs returns with comedic masterpiece". The Independent Uganda. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  21. ^ Daheley, Tina. "Comedy That Changes Minds". BBC World Service – The Cultural Frontline. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  22. ^ Baike, Prisca. "Comedian Agnes Akite has Bone to Pick with Minister Lokodo". The Observer. Uganda. Archived from the original on 20 November 2018. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  23. ^ Mwesigwa, Solomon (14 November 2023). "Comedienne Agnes Akite attacked and robbed by thugs after a quiz night session". MBU. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
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