dyton mupawaenda
Maria Chiguvari
TRENDING comedian Tokolosh, who has decided to remain faceless, has sparked curiosity among netizens.
Beyond his engaging and thought-provoking skits, many are now eager to uncover the person behind the character.
This social media personality has captured the hearts of many with a unique presentation that blends Christianity, witchcraft and profanity.
His knowledge of various subjects is fascinating. Notably, he is remarkably proficient in English.
Tokolosh’s humorous portrayals of people during prayer or those who neglect spiritual practices often leave followers in fits of laughter.
However, some believers are occasionally offended by his satirical treatment of prayer versus goblins or other forms of sorcery.
An analysis of his skits reveals a broad appeal across generations, delivering relevant biblical messages through wicked witticism and word play that address moral decay, particularly among young people.
For example, in one skit, Tokolosh interrupts an amorous young couple, exclaiming in his signature voice:
“Fornication! Are you married? Where is your ring? You want to have a match without a ring . . .”
Tokolosh made a notable appearance at the 23rd National Arts Merit Awards in Harare. His distinctive appearance, featuring black powder covering his entire body and his unmistakable facial expressions, ensured he stood out.
The character collaborates with his producer, Sean Khoza.
“My brother, Gosh Vines, inspired our entry into the content creation world. His ‘ghetto chronicles’ sparked a challenge within us and we began by adapting those concepts in a different way,” Khoza revealed.
Tokolosh, a 22-year-old character under Code Red Studio, has on several occasions refused to make his identity public. The only information revealed is that he is called TD Paswere.
This has only attracted more interest.
Remember how the public was eager to unmask Dr Zobha a few years back?
Code Red Studio has stated that they still have plans for the Tokolosh character and would like to see his identity largely remain unknown.
“We still have a lot of plans for the Tokolosh brand, hence the decision to keep his identity a mystery. We are trying to avoid revealing his full name at this time.
“The mystery surrounding his identity enhances the overall artistry and its appeal to our followers. However, there are a few people who know him,” added Khoza.
Purpose of the Tokolosh character
What began as an ordinary and random skit has since evolved into a well-defined artistic expression, focusing on preaching, teaching and rebuking unholy occurrences.
The team believes they are Christian crusaders and their message is steadily reaching a broad audience.
“In order for us to find fulfilment, we made a decision to live a purposeful life through these Bible-based creations. That is when the Bible became our source of inspiration,” said Tokolosh in an interview with The Sunday Mail Entertainment.
He also explained their content creation process:
“As for the creative process, it is essentially a five-stage process.
“It begins with drafting an idea, whether it is a line in a script or a scene, followed by a meeting to discuss and refine that idea into a full skit.
“After that comes the shooting/filming, content production/editing and then the airing of the project on our active social media platforms, which include Facebook, TikTok and Instagram.”
Tokolosh prefers to call their skits “reality content”.
“There is more to everything than what the physical senses experience. There are spiritual forces and battles being fought every second.
“So, what could be better than making someone aware of those battles and how to be equipped for them through content creation?” he asked.
“We could make millions of people laugh with worldly content that adds no spiritual value to their lives, but in the end, what benefit is derived from that? So, we find joy in playing a part in awakening people to the reality of spirituality, of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Even if we do not gain widespread popularity for it, that is fine.”
He argues that it is better to entertain and transform the lives of a few individuals than to engage and excite a billion people who, in the end, do not achieve any spiritual enlightenment.
Much of their work, Tokolosh added, is inspired by their upbringing.
Before the skits, the team started by doing rap freestyles, with some of those elements now being incorporated into their current productions.
“If it were not for our upbringing, we strongly feel we would not have been able to do what we do and how we do it. The way we interact with our peers at school and at home is in many ways similar to the way we interact with digital peers.
“We used to do rap freestyles, which were transferred to the content as the remixes done in some projects. So, in many ways, our upbringing directly influenced our creation styles.
“It would not be an exaggeration to say it is simply a direct transfer of that personality and upbringing from our real lives to the digital one,” said Tokolosh.
He is convinced that he is a spiritually sensitive person.
“I pray almost all the time. When I revealed this to some people who got close to me through our interactions, it struck them as an unbelievable fact.”
The team considers a skit about an abusive boyfriend, created some years ago, to be their best work.
“The effort, outcome and reception of the piece were all top-notch. It represented one of the significant challenges in a girl child’s life. It was just a beautiful piece.
“Tokolosh is a perfect way to preach compared to all our previous content. It is much easier for people to understand the concept of spiritualism if they are seeing a spiritual being,” he believes.
Code Red Studio once comprised five members but is now made up of Tokolosh and Khoza only.
“Our schedules were tight with both work and school, so we thought to ourselves, ‘What can we do to keep the company afloat?’
“The time Sean would get off work was early morning, around 4am, and I would be at home, so we just decided to meet at those unusual hours to shoot. Others could not fit into the arrangement, hence they left,” explained Tokolosh.
Online Reporter