Christopher Ssebadduka

Christopher Ssebadduka, hailed as the best Ugandan folk singer ever and known to his colleagues as 'Jjajja w'abayimbi' (grandfather of musicians), was a celebrated figure in Ugandan music. He was born in 1926 and began performing in the streets and markets of Kampala in the mid-1940s. Ssebadduka is credited with recording "Omukazi Malaya" in 1955, which is cited as the first commercially released Kadongo Kamu song, a genre he popularized and for which he is often considered the godfather. His career spanned decades, during which he composed many educational songs that used anecdotes and social commentary to communicate traditional wisdom and morals. His popular songs included "Eddame lya Chwa," "Ebbere lya Tereza," and "Oluwala olunyunyunsi." Ssebadduka's artistry led him to perform at the official celebration of Ugandan independence in 1962 and later form the Kadongo Kamu Cultural Society. His social commentary, however, occasionally led to trouble, as his 1978 song "Kyaali Kyetagisa" criticized the policies of Milton Obote, forcing him into hiding when Obote returned to power in 1980, before resurfacing in 1986. Ssebadduka died of tuberculosis at his home in Masaka in 1998 at the age of 72, survived by five children and a number of grandchildren. It is noted that he died a poor man in a remote house.