And it was a culture that all new students had to go to the front of the class and introduce themselves. The transfer was hard on all of them; having grown up in Kampala, Makerere particularly, the move was a big shift.

It is here that it happened. As he opened his mouth to say his name, a stubborn figure in the class made the remark, ‘Girly voice,’ which sent almost the entire class laughing. Maybe it was childhood fun, but it injured Farouq’s confidence all the more.

In that moment, he looked at the teacher. Hoping he would find a safe cushion in him, but there he was, also giggling before asking the class to be quiet so the newcomer would finish introducing himself. That was his baptism to the next 5 years.

It didn’t make things any better that his father was extremely tough on him and always compared him to his younger sister, who was clearly more outgoing, more confident, and, well… she was daddy’s little girl. Part of this could have been the father’s own projection of anger at being transferred to Yumbe from Makerere.

These things made the naturally quiet Farouq even more quiet. Solitude became his safe zone, living each day as it came.

He wasn’t a talented footballer, and this was the sport that would earn a student recognition because of the school’s reputation as a football hub in Yumbe. Two students from the school had made it to the Uganda Cranes Team. It didn’t matter that this was all the way back in 1974; the tradition of football had continued strong till the present day.

It was during his P7 Vacation that news of his father’s transfer back to Kampala was announced. It was a major moment of joy for everyone!

He felt wonderful being back in Kampala, but the years of dealing with a strict father, always being compared to his sister, and the school where he had been bullied had made him coil up a bit. Secondary school soon came, and he carried that quietness with him. Yet, always, in his lowest moments, it was his mother who became the voice he needed.

‘Nze nkulaba, oli musajja wamugaso,” she would constantly say to him. (I can see you are a person of substance)

Encouragement is like a seed. The results may not come in that moment, but there is something undeniable that it does to the person that receives it.

While in Senior Two, the school went all out during the MDD Finals. Since the Headteacher was new that year, he decided to do something completely different. The entire MDD process, from the chaotic backstage rehearsals to the intense vocal warmups, was being recorded for TikTok. For the inter-house finals, the new administrator raised the stakes even higher, organizing a proper concert with a surprise guest artist. His tech-savviness had even seen MTN come on board as a sponsor, offering free data to the school during the entire competition to power up the digital buzz.

Farouq was in Kennedy House, and even when it came to MDD, there was nothing he was particularly good at. Traditional dance, singing, and poetry were all not his strong suits. As a result, he did what the students outside of those dockets did: cheer their House.

Everyone was excited about the final day concert! The setup alone was breathtaking. The bright yellow MTN banners all around the school, the professional video crew moving with cameras, and the massive sound testing. It was the kind of excitement that got everyone grooving.

When the results were announced, Kennedy House came third out of the twelve competing houses. But for Farouq, that wasn’t the highlight of the day. The true shift happened when the stage lights flared, the crowd erupted, and the surprise artist walked out.

It was Elijah Kitaka.

Elijah Kitaka went ahead to give a masterpiece of a performance with his live band. While most of the students were completely focused on the artist, for Farouq, it was the drums. He had never seen them played in real life, and it was love at first sight.

He was amazed by the raw energy of the drummer and he was captivated by how the drummer served as the absolute heartbeat of every song—especially the way he would sharply hit his sticks together three times before each track exploded into life.

His eyes remained glued to the drummer all through the evening. It was absolute magic!

 “Mummy, I want to be a drummer!” he told his mother when he got home for the holidays.

“A drummer? With the ngalabi?” his mother asked, innocently.

“Haha, oh no mummy, with sticks and drums! Give me your phone and I show you. Do you have some data?”

“Okay, you put on some MTN Booster for 3,000 since it seems you want to see videos.”

YouTube: Best drummers in the world.

For the next 45 minutes, mother and son soaked in the world of drummers. Both equally amazed by the sheer art of drumming!

“In a way, I am not shocked, even your father used to play the guitar when he was younger. How do you think he was able to woo me?”

They both laughed. Farouq found it hard to imagine his father playing the guitar!

“You just see him very tough now, but that man would play the guitar like a rockstar!”

There is something reassuring about learning that the gift you are pursuing was carried, in a way, by those before you. It is like a sign to confirm you are on the right path.

Farouq got some two sticks, normal sticks, and he started using them to try and play. Every opportunity he got, whether it was tapping on the concrete blocks outside, or beating a rhythm on the headrest inside a crowded taxi, he was drumming.

As a gift for finishing S4, his mother got him a phone and before long, he was taking on lessons from TikTok, YouTube, and everywhere on the internet thanks to the MTN Night Bundle of 2,000 for 2GB from midnight. He had worked at a farm during the vacation, and from his savings, he got some wireless headphones.

It was such a strategic purchase, because practicing the drums without headphones is like being an Arsenal fan during a title chase—sooner or later, the whole house and neighborhood is going to hear you screaming.

He would stay up late in the holidays under the glow of a ring light in his bedroom to feed this passion. In these moments, he would borrow his mother’s tablet, which had a bigger screen to allow for better practice. He had downloaded a virtual drumming app, and with his eyes glued to the screen, he would tap away at the digital snare and cymbals, memorizing the rhythm of every beat.

The dream was now starting to enter the phase of perfection. For the next two years, drumming was all Farouq did during the holidays. It was drums in the holidays, and sticks while at school. Soon, he started making some TikTok videos. His first one was viewed by 7 people, but consistency often breaks any algorithm. With time, he had garnered a sizeable following.

Then came the S.6 Vacation. MTN announced a mini Reggae Concert for music lovers in Kikoni, but this time, there was a small twist: they were going to allow for a talent showcase. Farouq didn’t think much of it. In his mind, it was always the singers and rappers who were considered for such spotlight moments—and yet, at that point, his true talent was the drums. But nonetheless, driven by his pure love for the music, he decided he would attend the show.

As fate would have it, the main drummer of the day, Kilevu Grey, happened to be one of Farouq’s TikTok followers. Passion and preparation have a way of attracting the winds of fate. The moment Kilevu Grey spotted Farouq in the crowd, he waved him forward and asked him to take over the drums. He hesitated.

No! No! No! he signaled.

But silent, diligent preparation has a way of helping you overcome such hesitation. Beyond his late-night digital learning, Farouq had quietly been putting in the real-world work. For almost four months, he had secured a slot at a small studio in Wandegeya. The only available time they could give him was a tight window between 7:00 AM and 8:15 AM, and he had sacrificed his mornings for nothing else.

All those lonely, early-morning sessions had built the exact muscle memory he needed. Deep down, Farouq knew that his moment had come.

He stepped up and took his place behind the kit. Of course, it had to be an Elijah Kitaka song.

One, two, three……………………

And then, he let loose. Farouq went on to give one of the absolute best renditions of Elijah Kitaka’s Daily Bundle.

The crowd was cheering. Phones were out recording. And right there from the side, Kilevu Grey saw the next generation of greatness unfold right before him.

“Daddy, Mummy, Farouq is trending on TikTok!” his sister shouted across the house as she ran with her laptop to the sitting room.

And indeed, trending he was!

“Haahaa, just like his father……..” Daddy beamed, unable to hide his pride.

Seeing his son in this moment of glory reminded him of his own youth, and the music he had long buried. In an instant, the comparison to the sister vanished. For years, he had been the heaviest obstacle to Farouq’s confidence, but looking at that screen, seeing everyone celebrating him, he was humbled.

Purpose has a way of liberating those that have been undermining your strides.

And his mother smiled, thankful that her boy had found his voice. Thankful that her boy had finally, Freed His Fire!

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Author’s Note

This story was inspired by the captivating and vibrant rhythm of the MTN Uganda Free Your Fire campaign. Captivated by the ad, we creatively built a narrative around the journey of the drummer, whom we named Farouq. Our hope is that this story reaches the many other Farouqs out there—those who might currently find themselves standing at a quiet, uncertain turning point in their own journeys of self-discovery. May you find your voice. May you free your fire!!

Watch the original inspiration unfold below: