It's a shame a concert on Fela is holding at a hotel instead of the National Theatre - Ali Baba

Whenever Ali Baba speaks, people listen. They listen not because what comes out of his mouth is probably going to make them laugh and fall off their chairs but because beyond the humour, therein lies some truth.

This much came to the fore on Tuesday when the veteran comedian, against the planned privatization of the National Theatre at Iganmu, Lagos by the federal government.

In a series of tweets, the 'godfather' of Nigerian stand-up comedy advised that the theatre should instead be repositioned to play its role as a national entertainment hub and not as a trade centre.

Ali Baba was reacting to the idea of holding a concert on late Afro-beat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti at the Eko Hotel and Suites.

"It is a shame that a musical icon like 'Fela' has to be celebrated at Eko Hotel", he said in the tweet, adding that "Such a gig should be the birth right of the National Theatre".