I lost my virginity to Bobi
Jun 24, 2011
After living together for over ten years, <b>Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu a.k.a Bobi Wine </b>and <b>arbara ‘Barbie’ Itungo</b> will tie the knot in August at Rubaga Cathedral then later, the ghetto president and his wife will host their guests to a reception at Serena Conference Centre.
After living together for over ten years, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu a.k.a Bobi Wine and arbara ‘Barbie’ Itungo will tie the knot in August at Rubaga Cathedral then later, the ghetto president and his wife will host their guests to a reception at Serena Conference Centre. Nickson Turyahikayo talked to them about their relationship.
When did you start your journey with Bobi Wine?
It was around November 2000 at the National Theatre. I was still at Bweranyangi Girls’ School and we were both acting in a play in which I was first lady and he was a president. He would escort me home and we would chat a lot. We soon grew close.
How long did it take you to fall in love?
Over seven months. We were friends first.
How did it happen?
One day as he was escorting me home, he gave me grapes and said: “I have bought you these grapes because I really feel for you in my heart.†I thought he was joking, but I later realised that he was serious.
That was after we had been good friends for some time and I had seen all qualities I used to pray and fast for.
You prayed for a man in school?
At school, there were times when we would pray for husbands. We believed we were mature enough as S.6 students. we imagined that we would leave secondary level and go another step in life where having a good man nearby was a great idea.
Was he your first cut?
Yes he was my first cut. I had never been in a relationship with anyone before him.
You didn’t even have a boyfriend from Ntare in the spirit of Bwera-Ntare?
I was a scripture union chairperson at Bweranyangi, so, I had a lot of friends in Ntare who were also members of the scripture union. But not lovers and, in fact, most of those friends are still my friends.
What kind of man were you praying for?
A man who would love me forever, be very open with me, who would not only be my husband, but also my friend and someone who would be kind to people around us. And, indeed, Bobi Wine has all those qualities. He speaks the truth, whether it hurts or not. So, I believe, my prayers were answered.
Is there any man you feel sad to have missed?
No! Many people approached me, but I refused and I remember some of them even had cars by then. We would actually walk from the national theatre with Bobi escorting me to Nsambya and still I did not wish I had a man with a car.
By the way, I still meet these guys who were after me and some are big in politics and business.
What challenges have you faced in your relationship with Bobi?
In these 10 years, I have faced four challenges.
At first the main challenge was his working hours.
He works at night and yet I grew up knowing that a responsible husband must be at home with his family by 5:30pm. It was very difficult.
I even talked to him about it and he now tries his best to be home when he can. When he is in Kampala, we try to at least have tea in the evening and supper together.
The second challenge was the girls around him, but I realised that he treasures me.
He is a very faithful man and I am sure of that.
The third and most stressful one is that I don’t feel free as Barbara Itungo. Celebrity life is complicated, with no privacy at all. I like to move around unnoticed but now I can’t.
The fourth is that I have failed to have real friends.
Most of the friends I get now want to be ‘friends with Bobi Wine’s wife’.
You called him faithful, but he has a child with another woman...
Bobi is my best friend. In fact, he confessed and explained why he did it. I have reason to believe he did it once.
He apologised and promised never to do it again. I forgave him but gave him a yellow card; if he does it again, it will be a red card; divorce.
What reason did he give you that prompted him to cheat on you?
That’s a private matter; I am his wife, I am supposed to keep his secrets.
Are your parents okay with the fact that their son-in-law is a singer?
They are. At first, they were worried I would give up, since it was my first time to fall in love. They warned me to take care but I went ahead and started living with him. I never allowed him to meet them until I gave birth.
Why?
In our culture, you introduce your boyfriend to your parents when you are sure that he is your final choice. I also used that time to study him.
But it was reported in the press that your parents did not want a man with dreadlocks
That was just gossip! My parents had never seen him; how could they know that he had dreadlocks? By the way, I have super parents; they encourage us to make our choices wisely, then they respect their children’s choice.
What if your parents had disliked him, would you have dropped him?
I would not. I would have stayed, and later returned to apologise. I know a parent is always a parent even when you annoy them. They never say: don’t come back! Later, I would try to make them realise that people make mistakes. they would not fail to forgive me, their own blood.
What do you hate about him?
Nothing! I love everything about him. Financially and physically, Bobi Wine has been changing but, in his heart, he is still the Bobi Wine I met in 2000.
Aren’t you worried that your children may take up his smoking habit?
I don’t believe so. They have never seen him smoking and I believe, by the time they grow up, he will have stopped smoking. He no longer smokes the way he used to. He has reduced.
But they see him in his music videos..
In videos, it is all about fiction, cameras exaggerate everything.
Is it true Zuena will be your matron?
I can’t say anything about that or whether Zuena is involved or not, but what I can assure you is that she is still my friend.
A friend of a woman whose husband is an enemy of your husband?
I share a lot with Zuena. She has been my friend since I met her. I like making friends as much as possible and I don’t want to lose the ones I have.
I don’t know whether the song, Mr Kataala is about Bebe Cool’s family and even if it is, I wouldn’t want to separate with my friend because of Bobi Wine’s music, of which I am neither a writer, nor producer. I associate with Firebase crew because I like their music but I am not part of Firebase. Itungo is a businesswoman and a house wife to Robert Kyagulanyi, the artiste in Firebase, that’s all.
No woman can make me leave Barbie
How did your journey start?
It was in 2000 and I was at campus. They took us to act at the National Theatre in a play entitled Cat And Mouse Land. I was cat and Barbie was mouse. The cat was a president in that land and the mouse was the cat’s first lady. I loved her from the first day, but I could not tell her because I knew she would refuse me. So I first pretended to be her friend, but deep down in my heart, the love was burning.
Was she your first cut?
I had had several girlfriends by then, but from the day I saw her, I started separating with them one by one - even before I was assured of her love.
What attracted you to her?
She was beautiful, had nice, smooth skin and figure and of course, her smile. All those hit me the first time I saw her.
Was it difficult to win her?
One day, after about seven months, I was escorting her home to Nsambya. I had bought her bangles and earrings. I told her: ‘By the way, I have bought you these earrings and bangles because inside my heart, I love you seriously’. She took them but blasted me for joking but I insisted. With time, she became more receptive and even started complimenting me.
Any crazy thing you remember in your ten year relationship?
There are many crazy things, but maybe the day, she wanted to visit me. I went home and told the boys I was going to clean up. We tried our best including washing up and hiding dirty clothes and perfuming the room. Unfortunately, something happened. We were watching TV and the signal suddenly went off. She rose and tried to re-position the antenna and landed in the dirty things we were hiding behind the box. She asked me what they were.
What do you value most about her?
I treasure her most because she was a virgin. I am sure I was her first cut and last. I really respect her for that.
Have you two ever fought?
Never and I will never fight with her. She has a golden heart. Barbie has never annoyed me. I have annoyed her very many times but she is always there for me.
Any challenges?
The one I have faced is that she comes from a family which is richer than mine. So I am ever working to prove myself and meet their standards.
Most celebrity relationships don’t last. Does that scare you?
Most celebrities make the mistake of taking their fame into their relationships, which leads to disaster. Whether or not you are a celebrity, you have to respect your partner. If you make a mistake, it is important to apologise and avoid repeating it.
Media reports claimed she pressured you to wed her after your girlfriend bore you a son?
That’s not true. Our wedding was planned before I met Simon’s mother. I want to assure you that of all the girls I have ever met, I have never seen one who can make me leave Barbie.
Will Simon and his mother attend the wedding?
Why should we talk about that? Although, her attendance would be good for her to witness that I really love my wife and that I will never leave her. What I must add is that it is okay for Simon to attend. In fact, Barbie is requesting that he joins his brothers and sister to witness our wedding.
What gift will you give Barbie at the wedding?
It’s a surprise!
Will Chameleone be your bestman?
No, my best man is my brother. I chose him because I know he knows a lot about how I started dating Barbie. He was the one who used to give me transport money to the National Theatre where I met Barbie.
When did you start your journey with Bobi Wine?
It was around November 2000 at the National Theatre. I was still at Bweranyangi Girls’ School and we were both acting in a play in which I was first lady and he was a president. He would escort me home and we would chat a lot. We soon grew close.
How long did it take you to fall in love?
Over seven months. We were friends first.
How did it happen?
One day as he was escorting me home, he gave me grapes and said: “I have bought you these grapes because I really feel for you in my heart.†I thought he was joking, but I later realised that he was serious.
That was after we had been good friends for some time and I had seen all qualities I used to pray and fast for.
You prayed for a man in school?
At school, there were times when we would pray for husbands. We believed we were mature enough as S.6 students. we imagined that we would leave secondary level and go another step in life where having a good man nearby was a great idea.
Was he your first cut?
Yes he was my first cut. I had never been in a relationship with anyone before him.
You didn’t even have a boyfriend from Ntare in the spirit of Bwera-Ntare?
I was a scripture union chairperson at Bweranyangi, so, I had a lot of friends in Ntare who were also members of the scripture union. But not lovers and, in fact, most of those friends are still my friends.
What kind of man were you praying for?
A man who would love me forever, be very open with me, who would not only be my husband, but also my friend and someone who would be kind to people around us. And, indeed, Bobi Wine has all those qualities. He speaks the truth, whether it hurts or not. So, I believe, my prayers were answered.
Is there any man you feel sad to have missed?
No! Many people approached me, but I refused and I remember some of them even had cars by then. We would actually walk from the national theatre with Bobi escorting me to Nsambya and still I did not wish I had a man with a car.
By the way, I still meet these guys who were after me and some are big in politics and business.
What challenges have you faced in your relationship with Bobi?
In these 10 years, I have faced four challenges.
At first the main challenge was his working hours.
He works at night and yet I grew up knowing that a responsible husband must be at home with his family by 5:30pm. It was very difficult.
I even talked to him about it and he now tries his best to be home when he can. When he is in Kampala, we try to at least have tea in the evening and supper together.
The second challenge was the girls around him, but I realised that he treasures me.
He is a very faithful man and I am sure of that.
The third and most stressful one is that I don’t feel free as Barbara Itungo. Celebrity life is complicated, with no privacy at all. I like to move around unnoticed but now I can’t.
The fourth is that I have failed to have real friends.
Most of the friends I get now want to be ‘friends with Bobi Wine’s wife’.
You called him faithful, but he has a child with another woman...
Bobi is my best friend. In fact, he confessed and explained why he did it. I have reason to believe he did it once.
He apologised and promised never to do it again. I forgave him but gave him a yellow card; if he does it again, it will be a red card; divorce.
What reason did he give you that prompted him to cheat on you?
That’s a private matter; I am his wife, I am supposed to keep his secrets.
Are your parents okay with the fact that their son-in-law is a singer?
They are. At first, they were worried I would give up, since it was my first time to fall in love. They warned me to take care but I went ahead and started living with him. I never allowed him to meet them until I gave birth.
Why?
In our culture, you introduce your boyfriend to your parents when you are sure that he is your final choice. I also used that time to study him.
But it was reported in the press that your parents did not want a man with dreadlocks
That was just gossip! My parents had never seen him; how could they know that he had dreadlocks? By the way, I have super parents; they encourage us to make our choices wisely, then they respect their children’s choice.
What if your parents had disliked him, would you have dropped him?
I would not. I would have stayed, and later returned to apologise. I know a parent is always a parent even when you annoy them. They never say: don’t come back! Later, I would try to make them realise that people make mistakes. they would not fail to forgive me, their own blood.
What do you hate about him?
Nothing! I love everything about him. Financially and physically, Bobi Wine has been changing but, in his heart, he is still the Bobi Wine I met in 2000.
Aren’t you worried that your children may take up his smoking habit?
I don’t believe so. They have never seen him smoking and I believe, by the time they grow up, he will have stopped smoking. He no longer smokes the way he used to. He has reduced.
But they see him in his music videos..
In videos, it is all about fiction, cameras exaggerate everything.
Is it true Zuena will be your matron?
I can’t say anything about that or whether Zuena is involved or not, but what I can assure you is that she is still my friend.
A friend of a woman whose husband is an enemy of your husband?
I share a lot with Zuena. She has been my friend since I met her. I like making friends as much as possible and I don’t want to lose the ones I have.
I don’t know whether the song, Mr Kataala is about Bebe Cool’s family and even if it is, I wouldn’t want to separate with my friend because of Bobi Wine’s music, of which I am neither a writer, nor producer. I associate with Firebase crew because I like their music but I am not part of Firebase. Itungo is a businesswoman and a house wife to Robert Kyagulanyi, the artiste in Firebase, that’s all.
No woman can make me leave Barbie
How did your journey start?
It was in 2000 and I was at campus. They took us to act at the National Theatre in a play entitled Cat And Mouse Land. I was cat and Barbie was mouse. The cat was a president in that land and the mouse was the cat’s first lady. I loved her from the first day, but I could not tell her because I knew she would refuse me. So I first pretended to be her friend, but deep down in my heart, the love was burning.
Was she your first cut?
I had had several girlfriends by then, but from the day I saw her, I started separating with them one by one - even before I was assured of her love.
What attracted you to her?
She was beautiful, had nice, smooth skin and figure and of course, her smile. All those hit me the first time I saw her.
Was it difficult to win her?
One day, after about seven months, I was escorting her home to Nsambya. I had bought her bangles and earrings. I told her: ‘By the way, I have bought you these earrings and bangles because inside my heart, I love you seriously’. She took them but blasted me for joking but I insisted. With time, she became more receptive and even started complimenting me.
Any crazy thing you remember in your ten year relationship?
There are many crazy things, but maybe the day, she wanted to visit me. I went home and told the boys I was going to clean up. We tried our best including washing up and hiding dirty clothes and perfuming the room. Unfortunately, something happened. We were watching TV and the signal suddenly went off. She rose and tried to re-position the antenna and landed in the dirty things we were hiding behind the box. She asked me what they were.
What do you value most about her?
I treasure her most because she was a virgin. I am sure I was her first cut and last. I really respect her for that.
Have you two ever fought?
Never and I will never fight with her. She has a golden heart. Barbie has never annoyed me. I have annoyed her very many times but she is always there for me.
Any challenges?
The one I have faced is that she comes from a family which is richer than mine. So I am ever working to prove myself and meet their standards.
Most celebrity relationships don’t last. Does that scare you?
Most celebrities make the mistake of taking their fame into their relationships, which leads to disaster. Whether or not you are a celebrity, you have to respect your partner. If you make a mistake, it is important to apologise and avoid repeating it.
Media reports claimed she pressured you to wed her after your girlfriend bore you a son?
That’s not true. Our wedding was planned before I met Simon’s mother. I want to assure you that of all the girls I have ever met, I have never seen one who can make me leave Barbie.
Will Simon and his mother attend the wedding?
Why should we talk about that? Although, her attendance would be good for her to witness that I really love my wife and that I will never leave her. What I must add is that it is okay for Simon to attend. In fact, Barbie is requesting that he joins his brothers and sister to witness our wedding.
What gift will you give Barbie at the wedding?
It’s a surprise!
Will Chameleone be your bestman?
No, my best man is my brother. I chose him because I know he knows a lot about how I started dating Barbie. He was the one who used to give me transport money to the National Theatre where I met Barbie.