Ugandan producer Artin Pro says his struggle with pride may have cost him opportunities — and potentially more money than he has today.
Speaking to Diana Nabatanzi on BBS Terefayina, Artin was asked which of his entertainment-industry friends he would call first if he found himself in a difficult situation, such as an accident.
Instead of naming one person, the producer opened up about something more personal: his difficulty asking other people for help.
Artin acknowledged that he has been working on the issue, saying he believes people sometimes seek help for problems they could solve themselves.
“I feel like we’re in a generation where we ask for help over things we can think over and do them ourselves,” he said.
But Artin also admitted that his attitude toward seeking assistance may have come at a cost.
“I have a problem with pride and I’m actively working on it. I would probably be wealthier than I am now, but I don’t like seeking for help from anyone,” he said.
For Artin, however, friendship should not always depend on someone explicitly asking for assistance.
He said he believes genuine friends should be attentive enough to recognize when someone needs support and act without waiting for a request.
“I’m the kind of person who thinks that anyone should be able to see that the other person needs something and they do it without them first asking for it,” he explained.
He pointed to his longtime working relationship with fellow producer Dokta Brain as an example.
Artin said the two have worked together for more than a decade and that Brain does not need to formally ask him for support whenever he has a show.
“I have worked with Dokta Brain for over 10 years. If he has a show, he doesn’t have to first call me about it, I’ll simply show up,” he said.
Artin also recalled a gesture from singer Rickman Manrick, who he said bought him his first iPhone without being asked after noticing that he needed one.
“Rickman Manrick was the first person to ever buy me my first iPhone without me asking for it, but because he saw the need and that we have worked together,” Artin recalled.
For the producer, those experiences capture what he believes friendship should be: mutual support without forcing someone to repeatedly ask or beg for help.
“When people begin begging, your friendship can easily be compromised in a way,” he concluded.