Ugandan celebrated award winning artist Bobi Wine yesterday delivered an inspiring speech at Makerere University during the NSSF career expo. The “Kiggwa Leero” hitmaker who is currently persuing a bachelors degree from the International University of East Africa charmed the gallant intellectuals with the speech below.
“While growing up in the ghetto, our success was leaving Uganda. That has now changed.”
“After school, I tried to look for work but failed. Growing up, I was taught to adapt. Which is what I did.”
“I made wire toy cars and sold them and also other things given my parents were not badly off in my ghetto.”
“By the time I was 13, I had my own money from laying bricks and selling pancakes.”
“By 15, I had my own ‘tanulu’ selling bricks and could employ several boys in my community.”
“Along the way my friends in the better neighborhoods helped me to kill the inferiority I felt.”
“I was the only guy among my friends that went beyond P7 but I kept my attitude the same.”
“My friend Jose Chameleone made it & changed, he was even smelling different. I questioned everything after.”
“I questioned my course, my life choices and all because I knew I had the talent to match anyone.”
“I resolved to write a song and a made a beat. That is how the song ‘ Akagoma’ came about.”
“I knew about the wealth in the Ghetto so I sold grasshoppers for 4 months and had enough to record ‘Akagoma’
“The song started it all and as they say, ‘the result is history’…
“I started getting calls for performances but still didnt know how to even charge them.”
“I first got paid 100k and later 500k and even managed to get my first phone, that big Alcatel phone.”
“The lesson here is you’ll go to a place where you find those more priviledged, use that to boost confidence.”
“You all love a ‘rolex’, but don’t want to own a stall, that has to change if you want to succeed.”
“No job is too small, be it selling grasshoppers or pancakes. It is a starting point.”
“There is more money in common people that in the uptown ones, that is a secret you should all know.”
“I continued to invest and grow and by the time I left campus, I had over 30 rental rooms in the ghetto.”
“I now have a beach in Busaabala sitting on over 30 acres and continue to seek to entertain Ugandans on it.”
“So get a hold of your passion, talent or idea, as long as you work to improve it and stick with it.”
“Everyone has a dilema, but that is in the mind. Explore yourself and find confidence to remove it.”
“Give yourself challenges before life selects some for you. That will prepare your for life after school.”
