As a witty child, Jean Lionel Bayubahe didn’t know just how gifted he was. On many occasions, people laughed at his statements, even when his intention wasn’t really to make jokes. Now 22 years old, Bayubahe is making a name for himself with YouTube skits. He started his YouTube channel called “Majooro” in 2019, where he posts humorous skits. Some say he can make you laugh just by looking at him, and Bayubahe, who boasts of over 31,000 subscribers, says he is grateful for the good reception of his comedy as it continues to shape him into the star he aspires to be. His intention, he says, is not to disrespect or offend anyone, but just for fun. His storylines are mostly on relationships and the drama that comes with it. “Although it comes off as funny, at the end of every video, I expect men and young women to pick a lesson. My intention is to curb early pregnancy, to keep girls in school, but also to advise the men to be careful before initiating any romantic relationship with female students. Actually, they should wait for them to finish school,” the comedian says. He highlights that many men have lost their respect in scandals of dating, or having sexual relationships with students, a thing he says can be avoided. In his skits, he urges mothers to talk to their daughters about abstinence. At the start, his videos struggled to gain viewership as he wasn’t yet known, but he persevered, and kept on posting new content. In 2020, Bayubahe released a short comic film dubbed “Animateur”, a French word to loosely mean “Patron.” In the film, he acted as a police officer who offered advice to a young couple that was at the verge of breaking up. The film went viral and he was nicknamed ‘Animateur’. According to the comedian, the film that is set up as a series, was among the most viewed in Rwanda in 2020, with about 2.1m views. The video attracted a number of subscribers. This pushed him to create more videos. In a week, he uploads three videos, all 20 to 30 minutes. Bayubahe derives his ideas from everyday life, and crafts them in a way that keeps subscribers watching till the end. The videos are all in Kinyarwanda. His journey After completing high school in 2019, Bayubahe thought about ways to start comedy as a profession. He recalls that as a teenager, he was drawn to comedy movies. His favourite actor was and still is, Canadian- American comedian Andrew Byron Bachelor, best known as King Bach. It’s his acting that stirred Bayubahe to give it a shot too. Granted he was talented in comedy, but what he wanted most was to be able to earn from his talent and perhaps help his family financially. Growing up, Bayubahe didn’t have a peachy lifestyle; he was raised in a humble home that at times lacked basic needs. Having lost his father at a young age, Bayubahe and his three siblings were raised by a single mother who toiled for them. “My mother owned a small retail shop but she earned peanuts, we relocated from Bujumbura to Kigali as life toughened. She secured a job in a cleaning company that also didn’t pay her much. “We were always sent out of school due to accumulative unpaid fees, at times, we slept hungry and relatives and friends would come to our rescue whenever they managed. My mother was always in debt. Life was hard,” he says emotionally. The need to support his family financially was why he so badly wanted to earn from comedy. His wish is to make sure that his mother never lacks anything because she sacrificed a lot to make sure her children acquired an education. Due to the growing subscription on his YouTube channel, the entertainer is boosting his income through advertising for local companies. Apart from comedy, Bayubahe is also experienced in photography and videography. He accessed equipment that he uses to cover events such as weddings, birthday parties, among other events. He is currently the official photographer of MTN Rwanda, and has also partnered with other local companies in filmmaking gigs. Bayubahe anticipates starting his filmmaking company once he is done with university. The comedian looks back and appreciates the fact that he has started earning from comedy in just less than three years, and endless support from his fans leaves him speechless. His advice to the youth is to learn from successful people and use their own talent to make money. But also, to approach people that can encourage them to soar higher. In his free time, the entertainer enjoys singing and just hanging out with close friends and family. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in management at the University of Kigali. You can reach Bayubahe on 0788720669.
