David Rubadiri’s poem “Building the Nation” is a fascinating satirical piece. The next time you find yourself in Aristoc, pick up any anthology containing this poet’s works, as well as works by Barbara Kimenye. This poem endures as a great work of literature for many reasons. One of them is its projection of themes similar to those George Orwell addressed in his 1945 novella “Animal Farm”. Although both George Orwell and David Rubadiri focus on themes of injustice and corruption present in every societal setup, from a more positive perspective, we can discover an important concept: every individual, at their hierarchical level, bears a role in building the nation.
The ‘nation’, a word we are borrowing from Building the Nation, can represent a state, a community, an industry, an idea, a revolution—anything.
Despite the heavy satire and crude humor present in both works, as well as the depiction of societal injustice, we can peel the onion deeper and view these works as useful for studying the depth and breadth of every player’s role in the music industry. By the end of this article, you will be laughing at almost every stakeholder in all or any of Uganda’s musical generations that we discussed in our first articles, especially the Big 3 for the simple ideas they missed.
See, promoting heritability in the music industry required these industry players, the Big 3, as the foundation builders and pace-makers, to develop behaviors and a culture that would enhance the heritability of the core attributes upon which the Ugandan music industry was established, allowing time to improve them. Conceptualize this in the same way you would understand the American Dream. This idea would call for the establishment of a state body called the ‘Uganda National Music Industry Think-Tank’, whose job would be to determine and identify the fundamental ideologies and core values that would shape the industry’s future in economic, political, and other aspects. From these ideologies periodical strategic plans would be formulated for defined periods. The Big 3, Jose Chamelone, Bebe Cool, and Bobi Wine would by default be ex-officio lifetime members of this body and receive a handsome token. One of the many ideas that this think-tank would champion is the establishment of a National Music College, which would, among other things, run talent development programs.
Tonight, we will highlight the role of such an institution in the development, preservation, reinforcement, and streamlining of talent within the industry to make it fit for global economic performance. Principles such as socialization, cultural transmission, norms and sanctions, institutional influence, adaptation and change, collective consciousness, and symbolic interactionism support this model and its approach. Read on.
Talent development programs would play a king-size role in nurturing a successive generation of any country’s musicians, ensuring a vibrant, ‘concreted’, and sustainable music industry for years to come. By providing aspiring artists with access to education, mentorship, and resources, talent incubators and music colleges empower artists to hone their skills; and encourage creative experimentation and exploration. This allows artists to discover and refine their unique artistic styles and voices while navigating the complexities of the music business. These programs offer structured training and mentorship opportunities, helping musicians develop technical proficiency, songwriting abilities, performance skills, and an economic approach to their art.
By providing insights into the music business, talent development programs equip artists with the knowledge and resources needed to navigate the industry landscape, build sustainable careers, and capitalize on opportunities for success. These initiatives foster a supportive community of artists, mentors, and industry professionals, creating opportunities for collaboration, networking, and mutual support. Such programs would encourage collaboration between government entities, private investors, and music industry stakeholders to establish and support music education initiatives. Public-private partnerships can leverage resources and expertise from both sectors to create sustainable and impactful talent development programs.
They would also encourage the engagement of corporate sponsors and philanthropic organizations to invest in music education initiatives as part of their corporate social responsibility efforts. By aligning with brands and companies that value artistic and cultural enrichment, music education programs can secure funding and support for their activities and help to financially kickstart artists’ careers.
Additionally, they would facilitate the process of seeking grant funding from national and international organizations dedicated to arts and culture development. Grant programs can provide financial support for talent development projects, scholarships, and infrastructure improvements in music education institutions with such confidence that their beneficiaries are professional partners.
Next time, we will tackle the Mowzey Radio legacy and how this country can use it in building the nation…
