Who is Faustino Okello?

Dear readers,

A friend of mine posted me this youtube video of early African guitarists. One among them is a Ugandan, Acholi guitarist, Faustino Okello. I am impressed by his innovation and guitar skills. I am amazed mostly that in 1967, the quality of the sound, recorded outside of the studio. This exemplifies the fact that he is so good at what he plays. I am certain that he did not learn skill from his Bazungu acquaintances.

What is also very true about the Acholi is that they are very rhythmic and musical. Music is part of our culture and one of the duties of the youth is to entertain the community through bands; playing a variety of musical instruments. As a young person, we were required to master instruments and dance. Courtship (dating) primarily occurs during dance moments.

This blog is asking for more information about early Acholi musicians and their works. This is also to enable us compile these treasures for posterity's sake. Please post both video and comments about this project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imuzyyMGgJs&playnext=1&list=PL45174CB96D82A42B

Please have fun!!

Editor!

Sex drain: The dilemma of "modern" Educated Ugandan Women

The subject of brain drain is one which, when taken out of its proper context, will show worrying patterns that threatens to thwart Uganda's prospects significantly. But another harrowing fear is sex drain. One such challenge that rising among educated Ugandan women leading them to stream out of the country through marriages to the Muzungu! These days, the educated Ugandan woman is crazy over the Muzungu man. This is quite frightening considering that most of them end up becoming stay home wives and baby making machines.

Now, feminists will argue that patriarchy in society is adverse as it entrenches social inequities in society. I agree, and wish to even prolong the argument by positing that because society placed very low expectation on the role of women, it muzzled their voices; our societies even today still function halfway – literally with very basic meaningful contribution encouraged from the woman. Productivity from women is still restricted, mostly within domestic confines or menial labour. Notwithstanding the fact that more educated and skilled women have made significant breakthroughs in the glass ceiling previously "man-only" worlds, the odds against the woman are still sky high. But even the successful women are not necessarily basking in these places because they are equals to men but because they are of absolute necessity and extra-ordinary. For a woman to rightfully find a spot among men in corporate spheres, executive positions or high echelon in society, they have to exhibit certain traits; such as being resilient, physically appealing; is married to some brand name; is a daughter or relative of some Lord Mayor, etc!

Today, most girls are staying put in school and are giving their male counterparts, the run for their money. In essence, education opportunities have unleashed the previously untapped skills in young women making them pivotal in development future of Uganda. This also illustrate that issues of social equity across gender must become key policy matter in the design of our society.

The downside of the woman education is that, women are being inadequately processed to confront their new elite world. The educated woman now is faced with conflicting views of society - caught between the old traditions and the new sophisticated one where her future resides. This duality compels them to rightfully feel that their status in society has been elevated but that of society has not.

Loaded with degrees and diplomas, the Ugandan women becomes confrontational to society and problematic to herself with the hilarity of having an education, thereby transcending tradition of their mothers, society's prejudices and stereotypes about women and; the prospect of landing a more sophisticated husband – and not the childhood playmate guy in the neighbourhood.

I have argued that the colonial education system excels in ensuring that the black man is uprooted from their culture and traditions deemed primitive. This is largely because we have not integrated African realities in our education through research. Further, this education refurbishes the African mind with such hateful vengeance against the self by replacing it with "western" mindset and view of the self considered "superior" or more "advanced". This is generational indoctrination and unless we agree to critically examine this concept, our education system will continue to churn and process graduates that lack self identity; are helpless, lack in all aspects of innovation and become candidates for modern slavery – thus, producing a bunch of disposable individuals!

So, for the educated woman, anything African sounds retarded; anything Western is superior, so they strive to romanticize with that. Looking for a Muzungu and hanging out with one, is such a big deal, as it highlights the confirmation of one's full integration into the so-called modern society with new identity. Uganda looses out because most of its priced talents and the educated women who get married and shipped out of Africa, become stay- home mothers and decay away as housewives, the very offence they accused their African brothers of committing on them. Our education should integrate local research in its mainstream to keep our graduates rooted in the realities that are prevalent within our society for them to become meaningfully engaged in new innovations - thereby keeping both the skilled and the Mother gainfully employed within Uganda.

END.

You are welcome to my blog

Dear Friends
I am happy that starting this blog is the eventual end product of a long self search. I have not been a fun of blogging, but I am a published writer for many years now, spanning over a decade. With the buzz in social media, we need to engage each other constructively so we can share our values, cultures and various innovations. I think as we grow towards a global and intricate village, we have to increasingly become conscious of our emerging environments and act in ways that show to the young generation that our future matters.
In my blog, I will be initiating debate on topical issues and some may be controversial. But the end point of it all is that we can indulge in well informed and indepth discussions that will enable us fill in our natural or rather inherent voids to overcome pettiness and prejudice, both of which are functions of ignorance or little exposure to the global common.
I look forwards to sharing with you great insights in politics, economics, health, science, philosophy and history.
Please accept my very kind regards
Morris P'Loreng'a!