Patricia Nabakooza on being big sister to the Ghetto Kids

PATRICIA NABAKOOZA, 18, became known to many as the little girl dancing in Eddy Kenzo’s hit song Sitya Loss as part of the Triplets Ghetto Kids. This teenager is ready to conquer the world in fields beyond dance, as she told Quick Talk recently.

What are you up to these days?

I am soon resuming my studies at university [in a low excited tone]. I am soon becoming a campuser! I am also currently doing a lot of acting because it is one other thing I have loved since I was young. But I still perform on different shows. [She receives a phone call from one of her TikTok collaborators asking about the day’s scheduled shoot].

Which university are you going to?

I am not going to reveal the university I am going to attend right now, but I am going to be studying Journalism and Mass Communication because I love talking to people. I want to host big shows and have celebrities and ordinary people on my show.

You once hosted a show on BBS TV; what happened?

Oh yes. I had started working with Allan Cruz at BBS TV but by that time I was in my senior four and couldn’t handle doing both. The show was airing every Saturday morning and yet it was the same time we used to have science practical lessons at school. So, I had to pause that for a bit and concentrate on school first.

What do you currently do in Triplets Ghetto Kids?

I am the spokesperson of the group. I also help in choreography for the children for all their performances. I am always in the background working because we are one family and Ghetto Kids made us.

How has it been working with big celebrities in the country?

It always feels nice because every time I am close to them, I am their baby girl since they have watched me grow and know me too well. They have helped groom me not to go wild because of fame.

Who has been your favourite celebrity to work with?

There is always something in particular I love about every celebrity I have worked with. Eddy Kenzo is like my dad. He is intelligent, hardworking, likes dancing, loves people and joking around. He likes playing with the kids to make them feel like he is part of them.

Sheebah is so nice and has that motherly love in her. When she likes you, she will protect, support and inspire you. Spice Diana is also warm and, by the way, she used to back up our songs when we had just started out.

Most children you started out with in Ghetto Kids have gone to live abroad. Has it been your decision to remain here?

I think I have a lot to do here and I just love to travel and come back; but if time comes and I have to go, maybe I will.

What is your favourite country you have visited?

I love the United States more, because it is so much fun and I have a lot of friends there [she tells Quick Talk she doesn’t know the number of countries she has been to].

You are big on TikTok; how did you meet those guys you act with?

Actually, I grew up with most of them in Makindye; so, it was easy for us to come together and start up something.
[She acts alongside Jose Chakala, Taata Kimbowa, Mama Nakanjako, CB Talker, among others].

Take me through your day.

Most times on Mondays I have no shoot; so, I spend most of it at home unless a program pops up. I do some house chores but since we are many, the housework gets done very fast. I then spend the rest of the day watching movies. I am a big fan of Nigerian and Korean movies. For our TikTok content, each of us has their own day; we shoot videos and appear in each other’s skits.

So, on Tuesday it is Musilamu’s day, Wednesday is CB Talker’s day, Thursday is a free day, Friday is my day, Saturday is Jose Chakala’s day and Sunday is Pastor’s day. The shooting usually takes the whole day.

How is your mum?

My mum is very fine. My heart has actually been aching for her; so, I am going to see her this weekend. Anytime I want to see her, I go see her and anytime she wants to see me, she sees me.

How is it like being the big sister to the other children?

These of them are stubborn, oh my goodness! But then I was also like that. Sometimes it is hectic, with each of them seeking your attention and reporting to you what the other has done. At the end of the day, they are my siblings and it feels good to have them around and calling me baaba Patricia [in Buganda, baaba is a respectful word for one’s older siblings].

Do you have biological siblings?

I have three biological siblings and I am the eldest; so, my big sister duties extend beyond the Ghetto Kids.

How has it been like growing up in the limelight?

It has been nice but also stressful. It feels good to go anywhere and everyone knows you and treats you nice. But also, people open up fake social media accounts and impersonate me. Even at school sometimes it wasn’t easy for me; I was allowed to grow my hair [because of her work] which attracted some backbiting, but again, such drama made high school fun.

So, you were treated differently at school…

A little bit, but I tried my best to be just like any other student and I think that is why most of my teachers liked me. It is at school that I felt like a normal child because we would do everything together.

Which schools did you go to?

I went to Precious Children’s Center and Citizen Parents School in Makindye for my primary school and Uganda Martyr’s High School Lubaga for both O and A-levels.

It is rumoured that CB Talker is your boyfriend…

They are false rumours; I think it is because he acts as my boyfriend in our skits. But that is just content.

So, how do you handle boys who approach you?

[Laughs] They are definitely there because I am a girl and it is a normal situation I can’t run away from. I always find a way to handle it. Though I have lost some friends after saying no to them. Eehh! That is also another stress for a girl child.

How do you envision yourself in the future?

I see myself as one of the biggest show hosts and having one of the biggest shows. I also want to help our manager Dauda Kavuma to build a bigger foundation and help more kids. And at some point, I want to be a mother with my own children.

How did Dauda Kavuma find you?

He was a trainer at our school for music and dance. I was coming from a very poor family in Kawempe and life wasn’t easy – today you sleep in a house, tomorrow you get evicted because of rent and sleep on the streets. Sometimes we would even have nothing to eat.

Dancing is one thing which would make me so happy and I used to do it with a big smile. Due to failure to pay school fees, I would miss school a lot and I think Mr Kavuma noticed and when he asked me why, I explained to him the situation at home.

He told me to take him to my mum and when they met, he explained to her how he could help me pay my school fees and take care of my other needs through dance. My mum accepted and that is how I joined Ghetto Kids.

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