A nomination that sparks pride
Brazzaville woke up to cheering emojis the moment comedian Juste Parfait confirmed his nomination for the African Kotas Awards Distinctions, better known as Takad, in the category African Comedian of the Year. The honour catapults the 32-year-old into a continental spotlight he has long chased by young audiences.
His message on Facebook was brief, but it travelled fast: “Good news friends! Vote and share to the max.” With those eight words, the artist invited an entire nation to click for pride, laughter and perhaps a first major Takad trophy for the Republic of Congo.
Brazzaville’s Rising Star
Born and raised in Talangaï, the northern district whose crowded streets breed storytellers, Juste Parfait cut his teeth in community theatre. Teachers remember a restless pupil who mimicked principals with uncanny precision. That flair earned him a first stage role at 15, performing sketches on road safety.
He later joined the collective Les Vieux Loups, touring schools with didactic plays about malaria prevention. The mix of humour and public service still shapes his writing today, observers note. “He turns everyday struggle into punchlines, yet leaves you thinking,” says theatre lecturer Edouard Mabika of Marien-Ngouabi University.
From Stage Plays to Viral Clips
Smartphones changed everything. In 2018, a 90-second clip where he imitates a minibus conductor juggling coins went viral on WhatsApp groups across Central Africa. The skit crossed to Instagram, then YouTube, gathering more than two million views within a year, according to analytics platform SocialBlade across public pages.
Brands took notice. Telecom operator Airtel Congo booked him for a series of commercials, and festival programmers in Yaoundé and Libreville added his name to line-ups. Each booking expanded his fan base and refined a persona equal parts big brother and cheeky neighbour, firmly rooted in Congolese street talk.
Inside the Takad Awards
Created in 2019, the Takad ceremony champions African excellence in 33 categories ranging from urban music to social entrepreneurship. Organisers say the 2025 edition, scheduled for 27 December at the Abidjan Exhibition Centre, will gather nominees from 16 countries, including Ghana, Senegal, Uganda and both Congos, proudly diverse.
The top distinction, the Takad d’Or, rewards the personality or company accumulating the most online votes with 25 million CFA francs. Voters themselves can become “Golden Voters” eligible for three million francs, a gimmick that drives traffic and social chatter every year, according to previous event reports.
Voting Opens 1 November
Public voting runs from 1 November to 27 December on the official Takad platform. Fans must register with an email or mobile number and can cast one free ballot per day. Premium ballots, sold via mobile money, count double and fund logistics, organisers explain.
Congolese Comedy’s New Wave
Juste Parfait is part of a renaissance that includes colleagues Bobo Oyo and Loulou Jojo, whose blend of Lingala, Kituba and French resonates with a multilingual youth. Cultural journalist Chantal Ndinga believes this wave signals a shift from imported stand-up models to home-grown narratives.
“They talk about water cuts, football derbies, even the price of manioc at the market; issues everyone feels,” Ndinga says. By turning daily frustrations into collective laughter, comedians help defuse tension and promote civic dialogue, a role appreciated by community leaders and local authorities alike.
What Fans Say
In downtown Moungali, we meet Irène, a hairdresser who screens sketches between styling sessions. “Clients forget the heat and the noise for two minutes; that’s priceless,” she smiles. Student Francis Mbemba likes the comedian’s clean language: “You can watch with your mother, and that matters.”
Beyond Laughter: Social Impact
Offstage, Juste Parfait visits orphanages with the charity Rire Ensemble and recently headlined a fundraiser for flood victims in northern districts. “Humour opens doors that politics cannot,” he reflected after the show, crediting mentors who taught him that visibility comes with responsibility and long-term community trust.
His scripts also tackle gender stereotypes. In the sketch ‘Papa couche le bébé’, a father learns to change diapers, drawing applause from male viewers on Facebook Live. Gender activist Diane Oko calls it “soft education through mirth,” adding that such content supports government efforts on family equality.
Road to Abidjan
Between now and December, the comic plans a mini-tour of Pointe-Noire, Dolisie and Owando, testing new material while collecting votes on site with QR codes. Sponsors like local drink brand Youki have offered stage equipment and transport, proof that business senses the momentum.
Whether he returns from Abidjan with a trophy or simple memories, Juste Parfait has already placed Congolese humour on a larger map. For thousands of young creators clutching phones and dreams, his journey affirms that a good joke, told at the right moment, can travel far.
