Every household in Uganda seems to have its very own 'Margaret' or at least know of one. Afrigo Band member Rachel Magoola and Bugweri District Woman MP recently shared a fascinating back story of her song's creation that has weathered the test of time and continues to sound strong in the industry's landscape.
The song narrates a tale of a wife confronting her husband about his whereabouts, knowing he has a mistress named Margaret, thus revealing that the song title 'Obangaina' simply means "where were you?"
"The origination of 'Obangaina' song is from a folk song I heard at a traditional wedding where I was a bridesmaid. When I was about 17, given my passion for writing music, I decided to build up the folk song into a full story," Ms Magoola said.
"I remember my sisters, when I was writing the lyrics of 'Obangaina,' not rating my efforts and jesting about who would listen to my 'ki song,' given it was from a village folk song."
Released around 1999, Ms Magoola was surprised at how quickly the song struck a chord in Uganda, cutting across all divides, generations, and demographics.
To-date, many continue to savour the song for their own individual reasons. The newer generations often find the beats tantalising and the dance moves appealing, especially with the redone version by Ykee Benda, while the generations before them appreciate not just the beats but also the message for its relatability.
Ms Magoola revealed that she started writing music when she was about 17 and indeed wrote several songs before she finished school.
She always had an intense admiration for Afrigo Band, and upon completion of school, she resolved to join them, which occurred in 1989.
Her entry point was a testament to her talent for writing music.
Afrigo Band will be making 50 years of its own next year and continues to burn with a flame so bright as though they just began yesterday.
Ms Magoola says they still manage to perform every week for different people, audiences, and events.
She is thankful to God for the life years of the band and attributes their success to their rock-solid originality, authenticity, and addressing issues that relate to people's lives in their music.
Therein lies the magic trick that keeps people attached to them.
When asked to provide an analysis of the music bands in the country, Ms Magoola observes that lately, people are playing band music using few instruments, and a lot of bands tend to play other people's music.
"Young musicians are not insisting on playing their own music. They do what is easy and play what people like, despite the fact it is not their music."
She acknowledges that as a band, Afrigo occasionally plays other people's music, but not every time like it is the norm today.
She advises that young musicians to appreciate that it takes time for people to know their music with patience being key and rewarding in the long run.
When it comes to quality and standards, Afrigo Band has perfected playing live exactly how it sounds on the recording. It is almost difficult to identify the difference.
In her thinking, Ms Magoola is of the view that any band should be able to sound just like they do on radio. It is not easy, but with experience, the right instruments, and people, it can be done.
According to the legislator, Uganda is one of those countries that survives unbelievable odds, and people amazingly still smile through it all.
This has played a critical role in their lifestyle, consumption, including music itself.
She, however, underscores the impact of social media and digital music on the arts. She notes that it has cost many their authentic originality. She advises that the only thing one can sell to the world is who they are.
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This has informed the rampant "live in the moment" kind of music making. It somehow finds its way to the top charts in Uganda; however, outside Uganda, it hardly sells. This affects the longevity of the music, and even the artists often become one-hit wonders.
"The reason songs like 'Obangaina' have stood the test of time is because there is soul in it. It is important to know who you are as an artist and stand for it."
Ms Magoola adds that a proper functional copyright law in place would catapult revenues for the artists, given that the real money in the art industry primarily is in the royalties.
This legal framework is a work in progress, which will realize its intended objective if it complements robust infrastructure that monitors the number of plays and other aspects of the arts for efficient collection.
