It is good when we put up energy in everything we do, even on the little things that people tend to mock at the beginning.
My friend Tannah has a very good story on how he has made himself a brand from speaking English, in a broken way, like this sentence below:
“If you it’s not knowing how to sambil don’t entering the water because you will mill and death, no phwexing.”
From the example above to many more other funny compositions, Tannah has over the time managed to capture hearts and establish himself as one of the most loved commiedian in Malawi, despite a few others failing to accept the talent behind his signature comedies.
Tannah enjoying his stay in USA
As I recall, it all started with a Voice Note in 2017.
At that time, I was with my friend Lanken Nkhata. He played it on his phone and kept laughing as he listened to it. It was an advise about swimming in Lake Malawi after a few people had drawned. Tannah presented it in his ways and the good message also became a good joke. The VN got shared in different WhatsApp groups and that was the genesis of Tannah, Mr Broken English.
I got interested about him and asked who the voice behind the Voice Note was for. Lanken told me all about Tannah and later that week, I finally met him at Lanken’s house.
Since then, we became more than friends, he became a young brother I am proud to call anytime and laugh about our sorrows. Over the years, my home has become his home and I have seen him grow his brand from strength to strength.
Tannah poses with US govt officials after completing his Fellowship
There were those who undermined him, even getting some bad reviews in mainstream media, but where there is a will there will always be a way. He pushed on for recognition and to this day, the name Tannah does not need introduction in people’s homes.
Through his art, he was able to be selected as one of the participants for Mandela fellowship by the US government, a program that has taken him to the USA where he has spent a few months, learning and interacting with different other participants from across the world.
The fellowship that he is part of offers a very good platform to expand his comedy domain. But for all that to happen, it has taken a lot of work and dedication from him. He embraced what he can offer and he does it to his best ability.
I was happy when in 2020 he won UNESCO Covid19 Best Awareness Award which he co-produced with HD Plus Creations Ltd.
Taking his game further, Tannah has also been featured in movies such as Fatsani and Highbrow which are on DSTV’s Showmax and Zambezi Magic.
As I always tell him, he may not be able to make everyone laugh, but to those he manages to make laugh, we laugh our lungs out. After all, some people have more problems than his jokes can afford to lessen.
I celebrate with Tannah Mr Broken English Harawa.
Article first appeared on: https://www.kelvinsulugwe.com/