Comedian moojaya still dreams of playing football

Maria Chiguvari

THE name Moojaya has arguably become a household name, particularly among local netizens.

The enchanting content creator’s skits consistently leave many in stitches, thanks to his top-notch creativity.

Born Panashe Gurende, the comedian always infuses fresh ideas and positive vibes into his work, appealing to audiences across generations.

His deftness in front of the camera often leads people to assume he has long aspired to be an actor.

However, that is not the case.

Gurende harboured a strong desire to become a professional footballer. Comedy was never part of his plans.

Even now, he maintains a passion for football and plans his life around it. But will he eventually pursue football or is content creation his path forever?

“Football was and still is my true passion. I am very good at it and growing up, doing skits was never part of the plan; I never dreamt about it,” said Moojaya.

“My heart remains with football and even now, I hold onto hope and pray for a miracle. If an international club was to offer me a chance, I would seize it and leave everything else behind.”

The Chitungwiza-based comedian developed an interest in content creation after following a few TikTok challenges.

Initially, he would revoice other people’s content, but later realised he was capable of creating his own.

“When I first started, I never envisioned myself as a full-time content creator, but the situation has changed. Everything has fallen into place and looks promising. Although I have not reached my goals yet, I am encouraged by my progress,” he said.

“Initially, I took it lightly, and my mother was very supportive, telling me that even if I was to stop creating content, she would still support me.”

The risks associated with the arts sector often make parents wary of supporting their children’s creative dreams.

But for Moojaya, the case is different.

He has his mother’s full backing.

In fact, they are striking gold together, as she often features in his skits, portraying his on-screen wife, “Mai Ewu”, and his younger brother as the son.

This is a trend that is fast becoming popular with most content creators.

Whether it is a cost-cutting measure, by keeping money within the family, or a case of familiarity and good chemistry, one wonders.

“When I introduced the Baba Ewu character, I had no female figure to fill the wife character. That is when I asked my mother to play the role of Mai Ewu. She has been supporting me ever since,” he said.

For him, content creation was initially more of a fun pastime than a form of employment.

But with time, he realised it was a potential gold mine.

The 22-year-old is currently riding a wave of success.

He recently bought his second car using earnings from social media skits.

Moojaya has also been living his best life; he won his first accolade at the National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) in the Outstanding Social Media Skits category.

“Balancing content creation and other aspects of life is hard, but the former is benefitting me more than anything else happening in my life, so it comes first. Personally, I cannot say my content relates to how I was raised, but it is about some of the things I saw growing up,” he revealed.

He noted that criticism has primarily come from bloggers.

“The only challenge I faced was criticism from bloggers, especially on Facebook, where some users seem to take pleasure in mocking others. You just have to ignore them and keep doing what you know best. One thing I will say is that I have never struggled to create content because, from the start, I made it my goal to simply make people happy.”

He acknowledges, however, the challenges associated with making people laugh.

The comedian believes one has to be exceptionally gifted in that regard. While some visibly struggle, others like him appear natural.

Even the “silliest” of things he does immediately draws laughter and appreciation, often referred to as “love” and “likes” on social media.

“I appreciate fellow content creators and do not have time to criticise anyone. We should all just aim to do good,” said the comedian.

“I spend most of my time trying to create fresh content. I am developing my brand and career, hence the need for consistency. I come across fellow content creators’ work and I like and follow their skits.

“For those who are trying to make a living through this kind of career, they should work hard, try and make good skits and everything will fall into place.

“I have learnt to keep my distance on several issues, and I am trying my best to stay humble. I think to remain humble in life, you have to be mindful of the tables you are invited to.”

He is grateful to the Creator for the gift of life and blessings.

“Above everything, I am grateful to the Almighty for what I have achieved so far. I am a living testimony that it is not easy to create content and build something big from it. However, I won one of the biggest awards in the country (Nama). It was not easy, as I stood against giants in the country,” he said.