Lekzy DeComic on how visa acquisition issues cost him South Africa gig

Popular Ghanaian comedian, Lekzy DeComic, recently shared his frustrating experience trying to get a visa for a comedy festival in South Africa. He shed light on the difficulties that African artists often face when trying to travel for work.

Speaking on “The Forum” show on GhanaWeb TV, he explained that he and his fellow comedians were supposed to participate in a comedy festival. They were set to join artists from various countries, but getting visas was a hurdle.

“We had the opportunity to go for a comedy festival with people from South Africa, Kenya, Britain, Kenya, Rwanda, etc. Ghana (we had two representatives there). We couldn't even get one person to make an intervention so we could get our visas. It came Friday evening, while the event was on Saturday. Even if we quickly got a flight, by the time we got there, the event would have ended,” he narrated.

Although Lekzy DeComic understood that visa issues can happen, he didn't want to blame the whole system. He, however, questioned why it's so tough for Africans to travel between African countries. He wondered why it's easier for Americans to get visas on arrival in some African nations but not for Africans themselves.

"I won't blame the system, because the first time we toured South Africa, it was smooth. But this time, there were some issues. Even though we made a few calls, nobody could put in a word on our behalf. Even the first time we went, it was strange that we had a three-month visa but could not stay in the country for more than 10 days, so after ten days, we had to cross into Swaziland and back into South Africa to maintain our eligibility. Even Americans got their visa on arrival, but why is it that African countries are being stressed like that when traveling between African countries?” he lamented.

Lekzy DeComic also asked for support from government institutions. suggesting that visa processes should be made simpler to help artists move more freely within Africa. Believing that this would boost the creative industry.

He stated, “That's what we are trying to make our leaders understand because some of these things go a long way to help creatives.

He reminded everyone that it's not just music that can make Ghana famous; comedy and other arts have great potential too.

"We shouldn't be looking at Nigeria all the time. South Africa is quite welcoming. We should not only focus on music, but other art forms are also doing quite well, so let's explore them." he said.

Lekzy DeComic holds the second edition of his comedy special. This year's is dubbed 'Can Pain Promise' and is expected to come off at the National Theatre on September 30, 2023.

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