Events emcee Joseph Ssendagire, popularly known as Mzee Bakiddaawo, is challenging Ugandan creatives to look beyond the talent that first makes them famous.
According to Bakiddaawo, entertainers risk limiting their careers when the public begins associating them with only one skill or category, whether that is comedy, music or another creative discipline.
His advice is simple: keep evolving.
“The advice I give to every creative as you embark on your creative journey is, don’t let the public consider you in one dimension,” Bakiddaawo said.
“If you are considered in only one category, that means you will never progress if you stay in one place.”
For the veteran emcee, diversification is not simply about adding another title to a résumé. He believes creatives should actively explore opportunities and develop abilities they may not yet realise they possess.
“Do not stagnate in one spot, or you will become completely stuck and rusty. There are a lot more things you can do; it’s just that, at the moment, you are yet to unlock your brain,” he added.
The message comes against the backdrop of an entertainment industry where artists and other creatives often build their public identities around a particular craft.
Bakkidaawo’s argument is that finding success in one area should not become a reason to stop experimenting. Instead, creatives can use their existing platforms and experience as a foundation for discovering other skills and opportunities.
But his advice goes beyond professional development.
Bakkidaawo also cautioned creatives against allowing their careers to consume so much of their lives that they neglect other important aspects of life.
He pointed to some people in the music industry who, in his view, have chosen not to have children because they believe their careers demand too much of their time.
“There are some creatives who join the music industry and decide not to give birth, with their minds convinced that music has consumed most of their time,” he said.
For Bakiddaawo, the broader lesson is about balance and refusing to let a single pursuit define an entire life.
His message to creatives is ultimately about staying curious: build the talent that brought you into the spotlight, but keep looking for the next skill, opportunity or direction that could take you somewhere new.