Celebs talk about their fathers
Jun 12, 2008
MY father, the late Dr. Milton Obote, discussed anything with me. <br>People think growing up with a father who is the president is very special, but it is normal. I was born when my father was the president of Uganda and I could not change that.
By Pidson Kareire
MY father, the late Dr. Milton Obote, discussed anything with me.
People think growing up with a father who is the president is very special, but it is normal. I was born when my father was the president of Uganda and I could not change that.
Many people think when you are a son of the president you do not experience hardships. They think you have millions of shillings stuffed away somewhere.
I spent much of my life in exile, lived like an ordinary person and went through life’s hardships because of my father’s deeds.
I have met people who derive happiness from seeing the son of a former president suffer. In 1971, I was almost kidnapped in a church. Former president Idi Amin sent someone to kidnap us.
Since then, our movements were restricted. When I grew up, I understood the dynamics of politics, but as a child, I thought, my parents were harsh. I could not play freely with other children.
At school, they talked about outings and I felt bad. I went to exile in Tanzania when I was four years old and life was hard.
This perception many people have that a son of an African president can access everything is wrong. My father was not corrupt, so when we were exiled, life was tough.
My father instilled in me a reading culture and I am very grateful. During holidays, he took me to libraries to borrow books.
I do not recall any advantages I enjoyed as a first son, even seeing my father was a luxury. He was so busy, I only got a chance to interact with him when we were in exile.
I never moved with security. I preferred moving on my motorcycle. I was quiet, but liked to argue and debate. My father used to play scrabble, so he encouraged me to learn the game.
We played scrabble together the second time we were in exile and I enjoyed his conversations most.
The greatest thing I can do for my father is to see that his dream of a united Uganda is achieved. He wanted poor people to access social services. I could do anything to achieve this.
My father spent much of his time in discussions and reading books. I share a lot with him, especially politics.
By Vision Reporter
JOSE CHAMELEONE
I am there for my children
I am a modern father. I live with one child, the other one is in Belgium. The child I live with receives more attention than his other sibling. As long as I am at home; I give him all the attention and on weekends I take him to the beach.
I am a great father.
Apart from my biological children, I father many artistes. I have nurtured singers such as Mozey Radio and Weasle Mayanja of the Leone Island. Nakudatta is like my grandson. It gives me a lot of joy. My vision is to see my children living off my achievements.
I would be happier if they led a comfortable life. I also give them a chance to discover their talents.
I try so much to show my children both sides of life. I let them taste the soft life, but also educate them about the rough side.
It is not right to expose your child to only a luxurious life because it spoils them and retards their thinking. That is why I ignore their luxurious demands sometimes.
Sometimes my career gets in my way. I am always out at night when I am supposed to be with my children.
I hardly have supper with them. It also confuses them to see people following me, others screaming and whistling; it tortures them psychologically.
The hardest part of being a celebrity dad, especially an artiste, is that your children cannot understand why their father is away from home at night.
I do not give them enough fatherly love because I never get enough time. It is a challenge, but I try to balance career and family. Despite that, my children and I are close, although they are closer to their mothers.
My children call me dad and I play with them sometimes. I am happy when my children are happy. I ensure that my children are God-fearing.
By Vision Reporter
NAVIO OF KLEAR CUT
My father constantly wanted to teach me everything and he appreciated my curiosity. He never got tired of answering the questions I asked him. He was a good teacher and always wanted me to excel.
He was generally and positive about whatever I did. My father (RIP) was not rich, but he became a public figure because of my music. However, I credit him for laying a foundation for me. I have always feared to let my parents down.
Due to political unrest in the country at the time I was young; my family went into exile to Nairobi. But, despite the hardships, my dad was a good father. His priorities were education and health.
When we returned to Uganda, I went to a boarding school and he visited me frequently. Unfortunately, he died before reaping what he sowed.
With my father’s guidance, I led a group of students and we came up with a music group known as Klear Kut in 2000.
Although my mother has been exemplary, my father stands out because he was hardworking.
He always moved with me and for that reason, my songs, Mama Told Me and My Father’s Pride are a tribute to him.
By Vision Reporter
CHANDIRU OF BLU*3
My dad is strict, but we are close
My father was strict when it came to small things like table manners and etiquette. He was a civil servant, who wanted his children to speak English at a tender age and because of that, I did not have time to master my mother tongue.
The thing I remember most and love about my father is that he taught me how to play scrabble at a tender age because he wanted me to perfect my English.
Today, he is very proud of me because I did what he wanted — I learnt to play scrabble and still love it. He was very hard to please, but when he calls me and says he is happy about my achievements, that is enough to prove his love for me.
I did not think he would embrace my career, but he did. I miss playing scrabble with him. I enjoyed beating him at a game he taught me.
My father was very strict, but I managed to make him my close friend as we played scrabble.
As a parent, he was obliged to teach me wrong from good, so as long as I stayed out of his way, it was easy to live with him.
I loved fighting other children, but he left the obligation of discipline to my mother. There are some things I never considered doing because of my father’s strictness, for example attending music shows.
The first time I attended a music show was during my Senior Six vacation and this was after seeking his permission.
I became independent when I won the Coca-Cola pop stars in 2000.
I pray that I prosper so that I can spoil my father with special gifts. He is a funky person, but still cannot get over my tattoos and piercing of my nose and lips. However, he has accepted me the way I am.
He always cautions me whenever the press publishes negative stories about me and I appreciate his concern as a parent.
The only problem is he likes to dictate and always asks for explanations. My father and I have certain things in common — fingers, toe nails and lovely legs. The fact that he is patient also makes him a great father.
Whenever I did not perform to his expectations, he would counsel and encourage me to do better next time.
He has now left me to live my life. He taught me to always ask myself this: ‘Are your parents proud of what you are doing?’ before doing anything. It has since become my guiding principle.
MY father, the late Dr. Milton Obote, discussed anything with me.
People think growing up with a father who is the president is very special, but it is normal. I was born when my father was the president of Uganda and I could not change that.
Many people think when you are a son of the president you do not experience hardships. They think you have millions of shillings stuffed away somewhere.
I spent much of my life in exile, lived like an ordinary person and went through life’s hardships because of my father’s deeds.
I have met people who derive happiness from seeing the son of a former president suffer. In 1971, I was almost kidnapped in a church. Former president Idi Amin sent someone to kidnap us.
Since then, our movements were restricted. When I grew up, I understood the dynamics of politics, but as a child, I thought, my parents were harsh. I could not play freely with other children.
At school, they talked about outings and I felt bad. I went to exile in Tanzania when I was four years old and life was hard.
This perception many people have that a son of an African president can access everything is wrong. My father was not corrupt, so when we were exiled, life was tough.
My father instilled in me a reading culture and I am very grateful. During holidays, he took me to libraries to borrow books.
I do not recall any advantages I enjoyed as a first son, even seeing my father was a luxury. He was so busy, I only got a chance to interact with him when we were in exile.
I never moved with security. I preferred moving on my motorcycle. I was quiet, but liked to argue and debate. My father used to play scrabble, so he encouraged me to learn the game.
We played scrabble together the second time we were in exile and I enjoyed his conversations most.
The greatest thing I can do for my father is to see that his dream of a united Uganda is achieved. He wanted poor people to access social services. I could do anything to achieve this.
My father spent much of his time in discussions and reading books. I share a lot with him, especially politics.
By Vision Reporter
JOSE CHAMELEONE
I am there for my children
I am a modern father. I live with one child, the other one is in Belgium. The child I live with receives more attention than his other sibling. As long as I am at home; I give him all the attention and on weekends I take him to the beach.
I am a great father.
Apart from my biological children, I father many artistes. I have nurtured singers such as Mozey Radio and Weasle Mayanja of the Leone Island. Nakudatta is like my grandson. It gives me a lot of joy. My vision is to see my children living off my achievements.
I would be happier if they led a comfortable life. I also give them a chance to discover their talents.
I try so much to show my children both sides of life. I let them taste the soft life, but also educate them about the rough side.
It is not right to expose your child to only a luxurious life because it spoils them and retards their thinking. That is why I ignore their luxurious demands sometimes.
Sometimes my career gets in my way. I am always out at night when I am supposed to be with my children.
I hardly have supper with them. It also confuses them to see people following me, others screaming and whistling; it tortures them psychologically.
The hardest part of being a celebrity dad, especially an artiste, is that your children cannot understand why their father is away from home at night.
I do not give them enough fatherly love because I never get enough time. It is a challenge, but I try to balance career and family. Despite that, my children and I are close, although they are closer to their mothers.
My children call me dad and I play with them sometimes. I am happy when my children are happy. I ensure that my children are God-fearing.
By Vision Reporter
NAVIO OF KLEAR CUT
My father constantly wanted to teach me everything and he appreciated my curiosity. He never got tired of answering the questions I asked him. He was a good teacher and always wanted me to excel.
He was generally and positive about whatever I did. My father (RIP) was not rich, but he became a public figure because of my music. However, I credit him for laying a foundation for me. I have always feared to let my parents down.
Due to political unrest in the country at the time I was young; my family went into exile to Nairobi. But, despite the hardships, my dad was a good father. His priorities were education and health.
When we returned to Uganda, I went to a boarding school and he visited me frequently. Unfortunately, he died before reaping what he sowed.
With my father’s guidance, I led a group of students and we came up with a music group known as Klear Kut in 2000.
Although my mother has been exemplary, my father stands out because he was hardworking.
He always moved with me and for that reason, my songs, Mama Told Me and My Father’s Pride are a tribute to him.
By Vision Reporter
CHANDIRU OF BLU*3
My dad is strict, but we are close
My father was strict when it came to small things like table manners and etiquette. He was a civil servant, who wanted his children to speak English at a tender age and because of that, I did not have time to master my mother tongue.
The thing I remember most and love about my father is that he taught me how to play scrabble at a tender age because he wanted me to perfect my English.
Today, he is very proud of me because I did what he wanted — I learnt to play scrabble and still love it. He was very hard to please, but when he calls me and says he is happy about my achievements, that is enough to prove his love for me.
I did not think he would embrace my career, but he did. I miss playing scrabble with him. I enjoyed beating him at a game he taught me.
My father was very strict, but I managed to make him my close friend as we played scrabble.
As a parent, he was obliged to teach me wrong from good, so as long as I stayed out of his way, it was easy to live with him.
I loved fighting other children, but he left the obligation of discipline to my mother. There are some things I never considered doing because of my father’s strictness, for example attending music shows.
The first time I attended a music show was during my Senior Six vacation and this was after seeking his permission.
I became independent when I won the Coca-Cola pop stars in 2000.
I pray that I prosper so that I can spoil my father with special gifts. He is a funky person, but still cannot get over my tattoos and piercing of my nose and lips. However, he has accepted me the way I am.
He always cautions me whenever the press publishes negative stories about me and I appreciate his concern as a parent.
The only problem is he likes to dictate and always asks for explanations. My father and I have certain things in common — fingers, toe nails and lovely legs. The fact that he is patient also makes him a great father.
Whenever I did not perform to his expectations, he would counsel and encourage me to do better next time.
He has now left me to live my life. He taught me to always ask myself this: ‘Are your parents proud of what you are doing?’ before doing anything. It has since become my guiding principle.