Amid political elections in Nigeria, banks mobbed and torched over cash shortages following the government’s controversial decision to scrap old banknotes, Basketmouth declares himself happy to be somewhere, anywhere, other than a homeland he has a love/hate relationship with. Perennially agitated, his status as one of Africa’s highest profile comedians, seen as a wealthy man in a ‘cash crunch’, affords him sleepless nights. He also denounces those who would criticise him for touring Europe during this pivotal moment for Nigeria. Tall, physically expressive and charismatically explosive, the stand-up born Bright Okpocha wears his persecution complex and insecurities on his sleeve.

Regrettably though, to these ears, those insecurities consistently manifest as homophobia. Making the mistake of any celebrity who reads online comments about themselves, he’s flabbergasted to see himself described as bisexual, incredulously wondering what has created this impression? Was he spotted dancing in a Parisian club with a girl who may not be quite what he took her for or on Manchester’s Canal Street before supposedly being groomed by a male gig promoter?

Contrived, hateful nonsense, which equates being gay with abundant shame, Basketmouth protests far, far too much, indeed for roughly two-thirds of Unprovoked. Elsewhere, the recent break-up of his marriage provides an excuse for his default Madonna-whore perception of women, and he at least has a similarly crude, cynical view of heterosexual men. But he rarely rises above regressive caricature and lazy bigotry.

Basketmouth: Unprovoked tours until Sunday 12 March; reviewed at Glee, Glasgow.