Ronnie is warm, understanding - Sharon

Jul 21, 2006

RONNIE Mulindwa, the man behind Obsessions, has a six-year-old daughter, Lousa, with former Miss Makerere University, Isabella Nabuloli. Currently, he is in love with Sharon Salmon, 21, a member of the Obsessions. They talked to <b>Sebidde Kiryowa</b> and <b>Pidson Kareire</b> about their love affai

RONNIE Mulindwa, the man behind Obsessions, has a six-year-old daughter, Lousa, with former Miss Makerere University, Isabella Nabuloli. Currently, he is in love with Sharon Salmon, 21, a member of the Obsessions. They talked to Sebidde Kiryowa and Pidson Kareire about their love affair:

SHARON SALMON

Question: How did you and Ronnie meet?
It is a long story. When I was young, we were neighbours in Ntinda. Our mums worked with Bank of Uganda. Ronnie used to come to our place all the time to borrow videotapes.

Were you friends at that point?
Ummm...(hesitates). Sort of. I guess it was the kind of connection you have with a neighbour.

So, how did you take it from that stage to this level of intimacy?
Oh my God! Let me see... Okay, when we (her family) moved to Bukoto from Ntinda, I lost touch with Ronnie. He is about six or so years older than me, so he finished school and started the Obsessions. I met him again when the Obsessions came to my school (East High, Ntinda) to perform. I was in S.4 then. I guess he liked me because he got me a phone, so we could keep in touch. True to his word, he kept in touch. He put in a lot of effort to see that we communicated.

What was your breaking point? What made you eventually give in to him?
He was caring, really warm and understanding. He didn’t seem to be interested in sleeping with me like some guys do. He seemed to have a genuine interest in me as a person. Also, being older, I trusted that he would give me mature guidance. Indeed, he has groomed me into the woman I am today.

Did the fact that he was in Obsessions and a celebrity make him more attractive to you?
Well, I was crazy about the Obsessions like any girl my age and I wanted to join. I also knew having him would make it a lot easier. But I was not really looking at the prestige of having a celebrity boyfriend.

What did your friends at school say about your relationship with Ronnie?
Some of them thought I had moved really fast, having made such a giant step from puppy love (school affairs between students) to a mature and (moreover) public relationship. But I had made up my mind and knew this is what I wanted.

What did your parents think about your relationship with Ronnie?
Okay, mum is going to kill me when she reads this. She was not okay with this whole thing — both joining Obsessions and the relationship. My dad, though, was okay, perhaps because he is white. However, seeing that I was determined to get what I wanted and I was happy, she decided to support me.

Did it bother you that he had a daughter from a previous relationship?
Yeah! Definitely. But Ronnie was such an understanding and easy guy. He explained it all and stood by me when my friends were against the relationship. I drew a lot of strength from his commitment. So, I decided to create a bond with the child.

So, are you friends with Lousa?
Yes. Surprisingly, she really likes me. She asks her dad to bring her over to see me. I’d have expected that it is confusing for her not to see her parents together.

If Ronnie and Isabella had to spend time together with Lousa, would that make you jealous?
Oh my God, do I have to answer? Okay, I feel really terrible for that kid because I know she would want her parents to be together. But, on the other hand, I wouldn’t want to see Ronnie and Isabella together. I don’t want to take chances. Anything can happen. That said, I trust him.

What do you imagine would happen if you met Isabella?
We worked together on Heart of A Dancer, an Obsessions production. It was my first and her last production with Obsessions. At that time, they had broken up and we were dating. However, she was not what I expected. She wasn’t bitter. In fact, she was helpful.

How does Ronnie make it up to you when he makes you mad?
Oh God! (Sighs uncomfortably). Why are you asking me such things? (Grunts anxiously). I am a hard woman to please when I am mad. But he tries. He pecks and curdles me. If I am really mad, he would go down on his knees I guess (laughs).

Do you cook?
Yes, but we have a maid. I make him breakfast though, every morning. He demands for it. Sometimes I am lazy to get out of bed, but there’s just no way around that breakfast.

What would change about Ronnie?
He is too kind for his own good. I know it is good, but when people do not reciprocate, it is another story.
I would want to change that. He has to be fair to himself.

RONNIE MULINDWA
What attracted you to Sharon?
(Chuckles) She’s beautiful! That’s the first thing anyone will notice about her. She has a very pretty smile.

How did you summon up the courage to ask for her affection?
Well, I knew her when she was still very young. I had a feeling all along that she liked me. I’d catch her looking over the fence and checking me out. But, I was not sure. I’d dated before. She pretty much hadn’t. It was tricky.

How hard was it to convince your daughter that you had a new girlfriend?
I was still staying with my mum and my daughter was staying with her mum. Besides, even when we got together as Obsessions, there were always many girls and it wasn’t easy for her to single out one person. When she started seeing me with Sharon, she became a little jealous and reacted. Still, she was young and the need to explain myself never arose. The challenge for me was convincing Sharon.

Clearly you are convinced your girl is very beautiful and young too. Ever worry that some guy will whisk her off her feet and leave you hanging?
Well, she’s a beautiful girl and many guys see her, but I trust her. Besides, if she’s to leave me, it will happen whether I try my best to stop it or not. She knows what she wants.

When Sharon joined the Obsessions, were you worried about a clash between her and Isabella?
First of all, I was not so keen on Sharon joining Obsessions after having dated Isabella who was in the same group. But she insisted and applied. I couldn’t stop her. As for Isabella, I wasn’t worried because we had both moved on. She was dating British journalist Will Ross. So I didn’t expect any incidents.

Did your mum have any problems with you moving out with Sharon?
She had problems with Isabella. Not Sharon. Which mum wouldn’t want her son to date a beautiful woman? She liked her. But of course, she was worried that Sharon was a young girl and asked her if she was sure I was the one she wanted.

Do you see yourself ending up with Sharon?
I’d much love to. We’ve been together for four years and all the while I have been a happy man. We’ve been through some tough times. When the original Obsessions broke up, people thought she would leave too, but she stuck by me. She’s a blessing in many ways. I love her very much. We love the same things – music and dance. She’s the kind I’d want to spend the rest of my life with.

What would take you back to Isabella?
Let me see.… Nothing of course. I wouldn’t go back to Isabella, but I’d be her friend. She’s talented and jolly and I think we would make great friends. But that is about it.

How do you balance your love and time for your daughter and Sharon?
I see no conflict of interest in loving them both. Each of them is important to me in their own right. They are my two superwomen.

Does she ever put you under pressure to provide her with a comfortable lifestyle?
Even that little flashiness you might see about her, I force it onto her. I also leave a quiet and rather boring lifestyle. I don’t think many girls would go out with me. I don’t go out at night, I don’t drink and don’t go to night clubs. I go only to the movies. But Sharon is comfortable with it.

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