Ugandan flamboyant vocalist and songwriter Mowzey Radio gave up on the fight for life after a series of surgeries owing to an altercation he was involved in in a bar.
You must be wondering who he was. Aren’t you? Assuredly, we’ve got you covered.
Rooted in Jinja, Moses Nakintije Ssekibogo attended Alliance Nursery School, Malongwe Primary School in Kyaggwe for one year, Kibuye Public Primary School, Lakeview SS for O Level and Kiira College Butiki for A Level.
He went on and graduated from Makerere University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. His mom noticed and nurtured his talent at a very young age. She used to ask him to memories Kadongokamu songs and sing them for her and the visitors. Actually, he still had Lord Fred Sebatta’s albums by heart, by the moment of his untimely death.
As a choir master in school, Moses used to compose songs for his peers and got so famous for that. He on the big stage for the first time in 2000, and he was. Amazingly, he never got nervous before hitting any stage – he just got excited. He never had a specific secret to writing music, but he was so in love with the reality and not fairy tales. He loved National Geographic Channels.
Starting up as a barber at a small Barber Shop in Ndeeba, Radio was picked up and taken to Jose Chameleone by Chagga, who has been his manager at his demise. He recorded his first songs like Jennifer and Sweet Lady under Leone Island, and also became Chemeleone’s backup artist, driver and errand boy.
All this was during his time as a student at Makerere University. Some of the songs he produced didn’t work out well but they were good pieces.
Out of boredom, Weasel, Chameleone’s brother, to whom Radio was a backup artist too, asked him that they hit studio together – Nakudatta the blockbuster was birthed. He still said he didn’t know the magic behind all of that.
He used to perform at Blue Africa and The National Theater during the early years of his career. African Queen by 2Face Idibia was the song that gave him a place in the hearts of many Karaoke lovers. Dr. Chameleone and Chagga had gotten an autographed CD of African Queen by 2Baba on a tour in Tanzania, who wanted it to be promoted in Uganda.
Ssekibogo, who was an avid lover of reggae music admitted that most of their music as Radio and Weasel came by chance. “I never at any point go to studio with a song. Most of our songs that you love were lucky mistakes.” He revealed.
Stating that listening to a song over and over before releasing it, was his only trick.
Masterpieces like Nakudatta with O.S Suuna, Nakutamani, Zuena, Nyumbani with Viboyo, Lwaki Onnumya, Nyambura, Bread and Butter, Potential propelled him and Weasel to fame as East Africa’s Dynamic duo. None the less in 2013, they became the 1st East African artists to be nominated in the prestigious BET
Regardless of constant fallouts with instrumental people in their lives like Jose Chameleone and manager Jeff Kiwa, plus fights with Bebe Cool; the duo made a legacy that will live on, and will be much attributed to Moses’ prowess. On 1st Feb 2018, Radio breathed his last, leaving the whole continent in a somber mood. May your soul rest in eternal peace.
Enock Mugabi aka iWitness is a Journalist, Seasoned Writer and Music Analyst with a passion for sports.
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