From CNBCAfrica. Story by Tendai Dube.

The comedy industry in Nigeria is worth about $251 million US and for pioneers of the industry like Julius Agwu, the journey has been challenging but lucrative.

The highest-paid comedian in Nigeria, he Agwu has a net worth of $7.5 million and charges an appearance fee of about $20,000 per event, with two events guaranteed per week.

He also earns income from his books on jokes.

Agwu organised the annual comedy show, “Crack Ya Ribs” and “Laff 4 Christ’s Sake,” an evening of gospel rhythm and jokes that earn him about $700,000 annually.

He grew up in the village of Choba in River state — the community that houses the University of Port Harcourt. “Thank God for that school or else I wouldn’t be a graduate,” he said. “I think my foundation started from school.”

As early as secondary school, Agwu had his own theater. He called it JAMMIN – the acronym for “Julius Agwu Must Make It In Nigeria.”

He started his career in entertainment as a dancer and actor, and then became part of a travelling theater group. “That was when the whole journey started,” he said.

“The high point of his career? “When I started ‘musicomedy’ — a fusion of music and comedy,” he said.

Agwu had to overcome serious health issues in 2015.

“I was shooting one of my series and I had a seizure after the shoot and I was rushed to the hospital. Getting there I (went into) a coma.”

“I didn’t know I had tumors in my brain until I went to America. The MRI scan showed that I had three tumors — one which was the size of a golf ball. Thank God they are now benign. It’s a rare privilege. Not everybody gets an opportunity of a second chance.

Agwu has an upcoming comedy show that he said he is doing to honor God.

The show is called “Life As I See It,” “because my perception of life changed after my encounter with death and God,” he said.

Read more at CNBCAfrica.