27 years ago today, on April 25, 1998, Tunisia lost one of its most emblematic animators: Néjib Khattab. Man of radio and television, pioneer of the direct, a warm and revealing figure of talents, his imprint remains vivid in the collective memory. Through his shows, he knew how to bring together Tunisian families around the small screen, in a style that is both popular, respectful and deeply human.
Born in Tataouine in 1953, an orphan from a young age, Néjib Khattab has always expressed a limitless love for his mother, to whom he dedicated each program by the famous sentence: “My Ridha Allah Illa Bi Ridha Al Walidain” (the satisfaction of God goes through that of the parents). This sentence has become cult, as much as her warm voice and his contagious smile.
During the 1980s and 90s, he marked the variety programs in Tunisia from his imprint, offering a platform to artists from the Arab world. Names now famous like Kadhem Saher, Assala Nasri, George Wassouf, Mayada El Hennawy, Saber Rebaï, Najet Attia or Amina Fakhet owes him, in part, their first big television appearance.
His sense of rhythm, his professionalism and his ability to interact with the public in real time made him a legend. He was also a passer of culture, a man who deeply believed in the value of the show and transmission.
On April 25, 1998, when he was preparing to present a new program, he was the victim of a heart attack. Its brutal disappearance causes a shock wave throughout the country.
National television will pay tribute to him by baptizing a studio with his name. But beyond the plates, it is in hearts that he remains alive.
Today, on April 25, the memory of Néjib Khattab continues to shine. In an audiovisual landscape in crisis, few figures have left such an emotional, professional and cultural imprint. He was much more than an animator: an evening companion, a television confidant, a familiar voice that bore the warmth of the Tunisian home.
