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Jean (Farmer from Buganda) |
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AikoGraphics Logo Gallery (Bittersweet Symphony) |
By age
4 while attending Daycare in someone's garage, we used to only play
with wooden polygonal shapes; I do not remember drawing anything. The
first time I realised that I might possess some Art Talent was during a
Drawing Assignment at Modern Nursery (Bell Avenue, Jinja Town): At 5
years of age, I drew a saloon car from memory and added an antenna,
something like the left sideview of a certain Jinja Doctor's blue and
white ride famous in the 1980s and 90s; it was probably Dr. Walakira. I
wanted to keep that drawing forever but failed [The automobile in the Music Video "Love You Everyday" by BEBE COOL, "The Way" by SHEEBAH KARUNGI, "Hustling" by RICK ROSS (Intro) plus Universal Soldier (1992 film), The Founder (2016 film) and Green Book (2018 film) reminds me of that artwork].
Artistic Primary School Classmates like Ivan Nsoita were motivating.
Odota, the backward-walking vagabond was also an inspiration, he could
draw at first glance though homeless. My big brother Victor Draman(i)
Afayo aka Vyo inspired me with his cartoon drawings in the 90s too; they
were quite fine lines though he did not pursue the genre and drifted
more towards Information Technology. You must have the interest or passion for drawing.
I was baptised "Edward Ayikobua" (No. 549) at Bugaddu Church of Uganda in Bugerere (Kayunga) on 22nd April 1984, but dropped the Letter Y in my Surname (given by my Mother) following Advice from my Father when joining Primary 1 at Victoria Nile School in Jinja (The Pursuit of Happy-iness); made it shorter and more modern. At School, my Name was sometimes misprinted as Ikobua, Ikobwa or Aikobwa; I also wrote it as Aiko Bua, Aiko-Bua (paying Tribute to John Akii-Bua), Aiko'bua and Aiko'bu-a but Official Academic Certificates since PLE (1996) all have AIKOBUA where I derived my Penname. In my Primary 7, Art was not taught in order to focus on PLE. My S6 resembled my P7: it was my 2nd year in a new school where I spent five terms each overall; I only had one pair of casual shorts in some of the terms to change into because of the strict uniform rule [In P7 as Headboy, Kilama gave me a free pair whereas in S6, I bought one from Sendawula for 1,000 UgX] and I never studied Art as a class subject. Before University, there were only two classes in which I studied Art by my own initiative; S5 was the last time I handed in an Artwork for marking. Since the world wasn't coming to an end in Y2K, I experimented drawing with only ink (no pencil) after a request to draw Bob Marley by my Senior 4 deskmate Jean Rwamukaga (Kaahwa) nicknamed by SMACK classmates as Sato and Batusai like the Samurai X (Anime) Character. The assignment was like freedom from Mental Slavery! It required lock-in superfocus because ink-only mistakes are erased using a special blue rubber, razor blade or computer after digitising.
I was baptised "Edward Ayikobua" (No. 549) at Bugaddu Church of Uganda in Bugerere (Kayunga) on 22nd April 1984, but dropped the Letter Y in my Surname (given by my Mother) following Advice from my Father when joining Primary 1 at Victoria Nile School in Jinja (The Pursuit of Happy-iness); made it shorter and more modern. At School, my Name was sometimes misprinted as Ikobua, Ikobwa or Aikobwa; I also wrote it as Aiko Bua, Aiko-Bua (paying Tribute to John Akii-Bua), Aiko'bua and Aiko'bu-a but Official Academic Certificates since PLE (1996) all have AIKOBUA where I derived my Penname. In my Primary 7, Art was not taught in order to focus on PLE. My S6 resembled my P7: it was my 2nd year in a new school where I spent five terms each overall; I only had one pair of casual shorts in some of the terms to change into because of the strict uniform rule [In P7 as Headboy, Kilama gave me a free pair whereas in S6, I bought one from Sendawula for 1,000 UgX] and I never studied Art as a class subject. Before University, there were only two classes in which I studied Art by my own initiative; S5 was the last time I handed in an Artwork for marking. Since the world wasn't coming to an end in Y2K, I experimented drawing with only ink (no pencil) after a request to draw Bob Marley by my Senior 4 deskmate Jean Rwamukaga (Kaahwa) nicknamed by SMACK classmates as Sato and Batusai like the Samurai X (Anime) Character. The assignment was like freedom from Mental Slavery! It required lock-in superfocus because ink-only mistakes are erased using a special blue rubber, razor blade or computer after digitising.
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Thierry Henry (2000 Season), drawn on a ruled Exercise Book Page (blue Lines look faint here) |
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The Premiership's Invincible One (Talent, Intelligence, Motivation) |
There
is a shading technique that my Youngest Sister - Rachel Asizuru taught me; she
said she learnt it from her Ordinary Level school Progressive Bweyogerere. It
involves folding a small piece of paper and rubbing it against the (black or
coloured) pencil shading to create a smooth colour texture in the drawing.
Originally, I was using saliva on my finger to create the texture.
In 2001 (Senior 5), I dropped out of the Fine Art Class because of
constantly deteriorating grades (that fell by 7 marks every year since
1997 when I scored 83 percent on average in Art, then 76, 69 plus maybe 62 in the C4 registered during UCE; expected 55 in S5 because assignments were already getting me 5 out of 10) and my impatience to
learn Sequential Art which was not being taught. With my Artbook in
hand, I walked to the Technical Drawing Class to get a placement, but
the teacher told me while other students stared, "You cannot start
climbing a tree from the stem!" simply because I hadn't done TD in
Ordinary Level. Feeling terribly crashed in my spirit, I humbly walked
back to my Literature Classroom with TEARS in my eyes, sat down on my desk and decided to teach myself
how to draw cartoons. I thought I was in school to learn what I didn't
know, but the teacher couldn't let me sit. From that day forward, I
stubbornly stopped writing the Name GOD with lowercase letters. I had to
choose between flanking UACE Exams (I expected 48 percent basing on the Trends) or teaching myself an Art Technique that can earn me Financial Papers. So I committed myself to Cartooning. For three Weeks, I used to walk home [Kunstgarten - Art Garden]
from Makerere to Kyebando Kisalosalo via a macadamized Kira Road and an
untarmacked Kamwokya Slum-Pass with my A3 Artbook in hand. It was just
too big to fit in my schoolbag; I couldn't even fold it flat nor round.
In the Morning on rainy days, the Taxi from Kyebando would get stuck in
Kamwokya mud so I would not pay the 200 Shillings required and spend it
on whatever I wanted. Today the road is tarmacked and costs 500 UgX or
over. After dropping Art, I was still invited by Chairman Kizza (a very
talented artist and kebab cook studying Sciences) to be an honorary
Member of the Art Club. The ambition was to promote Art in the school, I
hope we tried though I was not too attached to the club, did my own Art
things. Mad Magazine borrowed from Ivan Musoke (Soki) in the Geography Class who bought his issues from Kenya, inspired me a lot alongside a Wolverine Comic Magazine (I requested my 3rd
but 2nd Living Sister - Doris Chandiru to get for me from the old Aristok Booklex
on Kampala-Jinja Road), Reader’s Digest Magazines (bought for me
by my Eldest Sister - Gladys Sakaru), a Bible that belonged to my grandfather (who departed in 1983) and illustrated by Horace Knowles, a Brochure from Joe Kubert School of Cartooning and Modesty Blaise cutouts from New Vision newspapers. Some Advanced Level hostelmates especially Garvey Smith encouraged me to pursue my dream. Even if the road to success gets rough, keep trying (including an alternative bypass)!
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The Bholims (Arshad & Arrwa) |
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The Standard (UCU Newspaper) 2008 |
Drafting never ends. Even the 2008 Maisha Film Lab inspired me to create Video Comics. Believe in your own ingenuity! As long as you can imagine it, then you can draw it. It's a matter of refining. I knew I would paint again on a large Scale in 2016 basing on the Pattern of my past dimensional paintings and it felt like deja vu when the Springs Arua owner invited me in December 2015 [third Term holidays] to his School. Emmyways wants children to be educated, that's why he builds schools. Then in 2017 between Thursday 19th January and the beginning of the new Academic Year [Monday 6th February - Tarehe Sita Day], I cartoongineered my Hugest Mural in Arua at his new Springs Kindergarten, about 100 metres west of the original block. Before I even knew who owned Springs Primary School, I wanted to paint a Mural for the School but told absolutely noone. Either a small Bird reported my Thoughts or GOD saw through my Heart and made it happen. While studying Art in the late 90s, there was a very strong belief that Art materials are too expensive and hinder people from venturing into the Business of Art; a paintbrush cost as high as 40,000 UgX and for paints like acrylics, you wouldn't even want to know. However, by 2017 you could purchase a pack containing 12 horsehair paintbrushes from stationery or bookshops at only 10,000 UgX [around 2 US Dollars]. Pray and be very patient...
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Toons at the 2017 Springs Kindergarten (Arua), Photo by Aiko using Erenge's Smartphone... |
In
2001, I decided to start an Art label and called it "Atelier" which is
French for studio. I would copy designs from nature especially designs
and colours on birds, animals plus plants like sisal and so forth to
create T-shirt designs and other patterns. However since I wanted to
draw mainly faces, I changed it in 2002 to "Imitari" [Latin for
"Portrait"]. Then during my Senior 6 vacation while returning to the
compound of my parents on Mt. Wati Road, a new name "AikoGraphics"
suddenly suggested itself to me as if it had descended from heaven into
my head like a [shortwave] radio signal: West Nile/ GOD bless Arua 4
ever! My first Mission Statement was: "For creative world-class designs
and portraits!" but later changed it to "Custom-tailored design!"
because I hoped to do any kind of Art.
My initial target was creating Advertisements;
Logos like American Art Director/ Graphic Designer - Paul Rand or Briton
Seb Lester (who does Letterforms, Patterns, Ornament and Heraldry plus
has a Calligraphy Class); Portraits; Posters and Badges (Limited Passion
unless required style is
relaxed [by school demand most especially]). On Sunday 2nd February 2003 at 4:39PM,
AikoGraphics was conceived in black and white (or blue and grey). I designed my Aiko inverted or flipped Nike
swoosh logo from 2001 to 3 inspired by the old Xantrex logo I saw in The New
Vision Classifieds. Bigups to Carolyn Davidson who designed the
iconic 35 US Dollar (206 in 2015 at a Rate of 2 per Hour for over 17.5
Hours) Nike Swoosh adopted in 1971: Just draw it! Comic Book Fonts came
in handy during my cartoon revisions around 2003 and I chose a full
alphabet style I would use for all my future speech balloons. As for
other sounds, I just use anything I feel like. Somewhere between
September 2003-4 in the Old UCU Library's Computer Lab, I discovered
that Nikki Aham in Japan uses an Aiko Graphics label. So, I contacted
and told her I also use the same name but will not fight any legal
battles over the name. I also found out that it's a company name in
Oregon, USA. There was also a Cannabis-promoting Artmedia Website that
uses it. In 2005 having failed to get internship at New Vision and Procurement News
[though the nephew to Mr. Ben Bella (my UCU Lecturer and Department
Dean who had addressed my Internship Letter to only New Vision) sent me
to interview Capital FM's Juliana Kanyomozi for BusinessWeek Newspaper], I decided to create a portfolio of random campus cartoons that got me my First Cartoonist Job two years later at The Standard
[Uganda Christian University Newspaper] till 2015 when I was let off
mysteriously after a supervisor's missteps. The work was really fun
though sometimes I felt quite drained spending sleepless nights
drafting. The Drawing Style in the Longman Contemporary English
Dictionary from my Cousin Micky Amati also inspired me to continue
cartooning. The Game ain't always as sweet as Honey, but Money makes you
forgive it when paid. Strict Deadlines keep you active. Photo Emulsion
or Mod Podge on Silkscreens is another Escape Plan.
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Aiko Toon - Venezuela Chaos (2019) |
In
2019, my New Year's Resolution was: "To draw more". I asked GOD where HE
wanted me to apply my Cartooning Skills and HE showed me a Dreamvision
that I did not interprete well until a few Days later. At 35 (lower Presidential
Age Limit of the 1995 Ugandan Constitution), I was unexpectedly called
back to the UCU Standard after a four Year Hiatus by my very diligent
Graduate Fellow and previous Comrade-at-Work John Semakula (also
probably the Toughest Defender I have ever faced in Football) to draw
Editorial Cartoons again; I accepted without even blinking as I
connected the Dots in my Dreamvision. Maybe Cartooning is my Calling,
sometimes I feel like a Comics Journalist or Sitdown Comedian (Fun
Factory/ Barbed Wire/ Comedicine Type of Way) drawing Cartoon after
Cartoon. The Wikipedia article entitled "Editorial Cartoon" states that:
A political cartoon commonly draws on two unrelated events and brings
them together incongruously for humorous effect. Cartooning involves:
Labeling, Caricature, Exaggeration, Symbolism, Analogy, Metaphorism and
Irony. A Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) or Graphics Card/ Video Card/
Video Board in a Computer takes data from the CPU (Central Processing
Unit) and turns it into Pictures. The 9 Ps to the Editorial Cartooning Process I believe in include:
Passion, Practice, Production, Promotion, Persistence, Publication, Patience,
Peace and Prudence. From Mr. Bean Cartoon Series, I learnt that the
neck needs to be small so that the lower body can be resized to create
the Big Head Cartoon Effect without stress. Study your real Eyes plus Mouth in a Mirror and Fingers to
draw better Facial Expressions and Hands! Believe, Begin and Become. At the Beginning of my Standard Newspaper
Editorial Cartoonist Journey (2007), I used to draw a Panel on the
Foolscaps where I inked my final Cartoons but later realised that it
reduces your workspace tremendously plus using a Computer to create the
Lines is more perfect and less Time-consuming (Semujju helped me with that). I also decided to draw
editorial cartoons from head to toe only after waist upwards in a few
panels. Cartoons are metaphoric Dream-like Images of our Opinions. One
Saturday in December 2010 while preparing to visit an aunt in Arua the
following Monday, I got a call to draw cartoons for Sunday Vision for
only one month since Mr. Ras was going on leave briefly. On Sunday, I
was in transit to KLA and could not believe I was seeing a five year old
dream come true like a Y-Corner (Either you go left, or you go right!).
It taught me that you have to "[b]e very careful what you wish for, you
might receive it!" I used to put a Copyright symbol before my "Aiko"
label on the editorial cartoons I drew at UCU but while at Vision, I
dropped the habit because I was told they become file images that can be
reused. Nevertheless, my logo never changed, still arial rounded with
an inverted Nike swoosh though some prefer to call me "E". A ream of
unruled foolscap paper comprising 500 sheets cost about 15,000 UgX in
2014 (over 20,000 in Twenty22). Exodus 20:4-6 made me wonder
if sculpting aint right, but the only caveat emptor I put to this
Artform is that the shapes must not be bowed down to as the law clearly
states, especially the ones purportedly depicting holy things. When
worshipped, sculptures graduate to idols with invisible demons attached.
No matter how beautiful tattoos look, Leviticus 19:28 and 21:5
discouraged me from doing that kind of Art from wayback when I first
read the Law of Holiness and its statutes though I've skinpainted
before. Edwin Sande, my St. Michael Royale hostelmate from Bushenyi
[2004 to 6] studying Business Administration at UCU Mukono who usually
called me a "Comedian" told me to use grid boxes when drawing faces and
even had a portrait of his political icon [Zimbabwean President] Robert
Mugabe hanging on his room wall. He drew it using those guiding lines.
The method seemed laughable to me because I had already switched to
free-style eye measurement inspired by my ink-only experimentation in
2000 but it can still be useful like it is in Geography mapping: It
helps with co-ordinating the facial proportions. Mathematics is very
vital for any artist and I strongly recommend it because it comes in
handy during technical design like measuring lengths, angles, circles
and other shapes. My Favourite Math Book will always remain “Preparatory
Mathematics (with Answers) - Revised Edition 1989, Reprinted 1990, 1991,
1993
(Thrice) and 1994” by B. J. Mehta and C. C. Desai, published by Evans
Brothers
(Kenya) Limited. I got it from my Sister Christine around P5 in 1994 but
used
it up to S4 (Y2K), it was that helpful and interesting. However when
copying faces, I do not fancy drawing lines first because it eats away
some time. I just try to pencil out a face that looks close, that is why
I opted for caricature disguised as portraiture just in case I fail to reproduce the exact resemblances.
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UCIFA Logo (Redrawn in 2007) |
I painted my 1st Wall Mural at Shell Muyenga in the third quarter of 2007 for a Kenyan-born, Ugandanised Indian OB's double-roomed "Posh Pets" shop; I call him The Sultan (picture Zenji Empire), instead of neither Guru nor Pharaoh. The theme in his first room was from the Finding Nemo film because he sold petfish and aquariums, but the second room had Garfield, Ratatouille and Scooby Doo because he planned to sell dogfood and catfood also; both rooms each had one whole side made of mainly glass. Unfortunately, the Election chaos in Kenya somehow disrupted his plans but it was a reflective practising experience because it happened around Chogm and I got to witness the entire Commonwealth Entourage of black Range Rovers driving freely in the middle of the deserted twoway road. The Queen of England and other Chogm participants stayed in Munyonyo - on the other side of Muyenga and passed by the Gaba-Kansanga-Kabalagala Road while heading to Serena Conference Centre. On weekends, I would slope near the Kabalagala Junction to watch Arsenal's Fabregas on fire [What's in a Name?], unforgettable final 10 minutes madness! Although my OB got for me custom-mixed Colours from the Sadolin Paints Factory in Industrial Area behind New Vision, there is nothing under the sun that cannot be painted with only five colours: [Red, Yellow, Blue, Black and White]; mix any two, three or four of those in various ratios on a palette and you will get almost any colour shade or hue you want eg mixing red and yellow gives you orange while blue and yellow give you green, black and white create grey, etc. Those five main colours can beautifully stand for Race Harmony, no Discrimination whatsoever, just one People! The Homosexuals spoilt the Rainbow; it feels awkward associating with those colours because you might be misjudged but am glad they left out sky blue (cyan) which appears in the real natural Rainbow Spectrum plus pink (magenta). In future, solar paint will make painting a source of energy happyness. The paint tin might tip over accidentally, but pick it back up and continue painting: Problem? + Ideas = $olution! Do not cry over spilt paint! I do not fancy powdered waterpaint because it can be washed away easily but one fantastic water-based paint is silk vinyl emulsion which dries into a plastic film on the hand. A 4 litre Tin of silk vinyl emulsion from the Banda-based Regal Paints cost 55,000 UgX in Arua around mid 2017 though might be cheaper downcountry. 4 litres of oil paint from Plascon (Japanese Company in Kolo, Mukono) cost 36,000 UgX in Arua around the same time; Emulsion paint cost 20,000 UgX. I like the up and down waterfall stroke of painting with brushes when preparing the background for wall murals. When using a roller, it's usually up and down; find a painting rhythm to override fatigue till elasticity. Everytime I went to an Art Gallery, artists as well as curators would tell me how too expensive their acrylic paints cost. It's like buying expensive paints was a requirement; that definitely discouraged me from venturing into Art Business yet Half-litre tins of normal oil-based wallpaint used in house construction cost 5,000 UgX in 2017 (then 7K two to five Years later, 10K in some shops); Quarter-litre was 4,000 in Twenty22. You can use those instead of worrying about money issues and paint authenticity. As long as the materials are longlasting enough, use them! A high price is not everything! My second mural [a giant set design (cloth) backdrop of the Kampala City skyline for a KADS Christmas Pantomime created by Dr. Dick Stockley] happened at National Theatre before I even finished the first and two dudes wondered if I was doing it for the Queen who had already returned to UK; I just laughed. Everyone who goes to the National Theatre [Uganda National Cultural Centre] is a king and queen in their own right so I was painting it for them; some you call Kabaka, Agofe, Kyabazinga, Omukama, Omugabe, Rwot, Omusinga, Shaka, Kaizer, Igwe, Pharaoh, Oba, Tsar, Emoloit, Nabagereka, Omulangira, Omumbejja or Empress! I had been stopped from painting at the National Theatre one morning because I had no special Chogm ID yet I had been painting there days before Chogm. I was not cross but feeling very unlucky in my own beloved Capital City just because the lack of a mere piece of paper [which was not even necessary for more than a week] put me in the bracket of a possible criminal, I just boarded a Mukono-bound taxi and went to draw cartoons. I did not even have to maneouvre my way into the National Theatre compound like a Black James Bond. The next time I went to Sadolin Paints (established in 1907) was in 2012 where I met my Indian Macos OG [though in a different combination from 10 years behind] named Jaya Jethwa. I'm black and not bad in the Kabaka's language but Jaya is yellow and probably spoke better Luganda than me when I first saw her in 2001. When I was in O-Level, there was a Nigerian in A-Level rumoured to know eight to nine languages fluently. His name was Okereke. English, French and German were taught to everyone from S1 to 2 but I think Okereke taught himself Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, Italian and Japanese; not so sure about the languages he actually knew but they were about nine. Everything is just learnt because of environment, noone is really born with certain kinds of knowledge, maybe just built to learn faster; Art can be learnt through observation even if it is not taught directly!
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Portrait of Lindsay Hames in Great Bend, Kansas (USA)... |
The 2020 Coronavirus Disease-19 Lockdown altered my views about computer aided colouring or digital-painting. I normally use the paint bucket that is easy and very sweet in Photoshop plus airbrush tool that fills colour gaps in editorial cartoons but decided to paint with Gimp layers (at least two or three) and brushes too once in a while; Lindsay Hames from Kansas (USA) threw me a poetic touchdown pass during lockdown and I had to catch it like a Patriot or Deion Sanders. Find a Mode to celebrate whatever state of mind you're in! Death to ignorance, not Prudence! Also, creating a Color > Threshold in Gimp darkens lines and helps get rid of grains near where colours meet lines. Focus while learning computer graphics because it helps. Laziness (sloth or procrastination) is a deadly sin even though rest (or sleep) is necessary for renewal. My Ugatoons epiphany came in November 2020 while I tried to draw one of the actresses in The Office (Ugandan TV series) for the drama's director - Maureen Nankya who happens to be my Favourite Ugandan Actress since 2008, it was a spark of unexpected wonder. Some dudes in Ntinda (KLA Suburb) once told me to go abroad and study Cartooning but I developed my style in the Pearl of Africa through focussed observation and inspiration. Drawing requires motivation; Money is the biggest. You cannot draw just for the sake of drawing all the time. But what do you do when your art fails to sell or attract commissions? Find fun and effectively stress-free techniques to make your work more eye-catching! "When you lose, improve," Pep Guardiola (Best Ballpasser in the 90s and Tiki Taka coach at Barcelona) taught me that. No surrender, just improvements. Colouring hand-drawn cartoons digitally is complementary like painting a finished house.
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"Diamond (Rhombus) of Paint Colours" by Aiko |
"Drop the Y in your Surname (1990) / Hard Mouth/ Weatherman/ Technician/ Thought you would become an Engineer or Lawyer coz you loved reading/ Funny/ You could have been a Musician/ Do not cry over spilt milk! Use the Time you've got now to move forward (2003)..." - JAMES DRAMANI (Baba)
"Painter/ Cobbler/ Fundi/ Harvester/ You used to be famous for Football as a Kid, what happened?/ How is your Good Life?/ If others can make it, then you can also do it (2003)..." - (E)LIZA(BETH NDEZO) DRAMANI (Ma)
“Oga…” - CHRISTINE LETASI (Letina), the Sibling I follow by three Years

" Your Stuff is always good/ Aikman/ Arua Ambassador/ People quote your Blogs..." - EDWIN PARATRA, my Second Cousin (First Cousin one removed) and Childhood Inspiration
"Impressive/ Dr. House…" – MAUREEN APIO, Old Girl in Upper Primary plus UnderGraduate Campus
"Best Artist…" - RONNIE OTYEK, Old Boy in Upper Primary plus UnderGraduate Campus, Cecilia Ogwal's Nephew
"Grade Aggregates: PLE: 4 on 4 (Among the Best in Uganda)/ UCE: 9 on 6; 15 on 8; 23 on 10 (including 4 in Fine Art)/ UACE: 18 Points out of 25 (got ACCD plus 1 Point in General Paper)/ BACHELOR's DEGREE: 4.12 GPA (Grade Point Average) out of 5 [Second Class Upper]..." - UGANDAN EDUCATION SYSTEM
"Edo..." - KEFA BAYO DOBO, my paternal Uncle in Ojapi, Maracha/ BEATRICE ASERU/ EMMANUEL ANGUDUBO/ GETRUDE
"Edoliro..." - JULIET PARATRA
"Lugbara-locating GPS..." - JOEL OKUYO ATIKU (Prynce)
"You love Art/ Don't lose Hope/ Mentor/ Kaibigan/ Be careful what you think coz your Thought controls your Life..." - JOSEPHINE MUNGCAL (Philippines)
"GOD gave us Talents to make Life easier..." - AGWAU OTIM, aka OPARAAH, arguably the Best Sidestepper I witnessed in Rugby among my Yearmates, alchemic
"Eduardo..." - AMOS ADRIKO NYAKUNI, my Second Cousin, nicknamed Momo
"Aiiko..." - ROBIN KASINDA, Old Boy and one of my Best Friends from Jinja Town who inspired me in 1997 to use my current Moniker; the Only Year between 1990 (Primary 1) and 2000 (Senior 4) when I was probably not in the same School with him was 1996 (Primary 7) but sat in the same Stream for only one Term during 1995 (Primary 6); him and TIMOTHY KYEPA remind me of that great Decade
"Artistic Acumen..." - ALLAN LWANGA, Old Boy (1997 to 2002)
"Create a Video Slide of your Art and earn from it/ Have a collective Ground for your Artwork/ Seek GOD's Guidance/ You need to find HIS Purpose in you/ Get into fasting for your Career/ You have a lot of Greatness coming your Way but if you do not break all the ancestral Spirits, generational Curse and Witchcraft, you are still going to work in Circles. Seek for Forgiveness for your Sins, Parents and all Grandparents..." - ALLEN HARRIET GAZARIANO (I call her Red Princess)
"Artist..." - GORDON, St. Michael Royale (Bugujju, Mukono) Hostelmate

"You can do it..." - MR. KIKOLOKOMBA, my Last Art Teacher (S5) while I painted my very first KADS Mural six Years later
"Ayiko 'bu-a..." - DAVID BANDUYO (aka ABADA) [invited me to Gmail before signing up became completely open after the locked stage]
"The Mentalist..." - FRIEDA FAITH LETACIE (at UCU)
"A good Artist/ Showed us how to read..." - DORO(THY AMURON), Itesot-Indian Classmate (Same Row and Column) whose Textbook I borrowed for a Holiday in P7 (1996) at Kalinabiri Primary School taught me about how Newspapers are made: What’s In The Newspaper? 1. News [(Home, Foreign), Sports, City or Financial]; 2. Leading Article [Comment, Opinion]; 3. Features [(Play, Book, Film, TV Programme), Reviews, Women’s Articles (Fashions, Cookery), Cartoons (Comic Strips), Competitions, Crossword Puzzles, Main Feature Article/ Pictures]; 4. Advertisements (Display, Classified)…
"You joined (Kalinabiri Primary School) 95 and immediately gave us a Run for our Brains..." - ALICON AUF TUMWEBAZE, arguably one of the two Most Convincing Debaters in 1996 alongside his P7 West Streammate named Wango
"Respect..." - EDMUND ASINGWIRE (UCU Fellow and my Art Manager)/ CLEMENT ATIBUNI, OB in 1996
"Gifted..." - VERONICA KITONSA MASINDE (a Friend of mine labelled her a "Black Jew" subliminally meaning she is blessed. Every Morning when she walked into the Lecture Room, it's like she had a new Glow on her)
"Silent Burner/ Specially gifted Artist..." - TONY BARIGYE, 2003-6 UCU Classmate
"Skilled..." - REVERIEN FILS KIRUZI (Rwanda)
"You are going to be famous..." - HOPE SARAH MINDRERU
"I like your Thinking Pattern..." - SIDNEY BWIRE OKUMU [My Kenyan Roommate in First Year at UCU who introduced me to www.MANGA.com]
"Genius..." - DENIS BRIAN SAMULA, Classmate 1995-6, fought with him in the Dormitory when I became Headboy and he was evicted immediately by the teachers when I reported him; that was my first Lesson about the Effects of Power. Nevertheless I admired his People Skills and later apologised to him many years later
"Toni..." - HERBERT TAMALE
"I have landed for your Art/ Playing it safe/ Gentleman, I do not expect you to run in the Rain/ You know the Devil's Things..." - LYDIA NANYOMBI (MUKASA) in Senior 5 and 6, my Moral Support at Macos
"I drew the same Picture of (Michael) Jordan in Pencil but, yours in Ink ("Spacebound") is perfect..." - BRIAN MATOVU [St. Michael Royale Hostelmate in 2004 to 6]

"Mr. Aiko..." - AZAR, Doc ASHRAF's Son while in Kansanga (KLA Suburb)
"Something else/ Guest Star..." - PATRICIA KELLY KOBUSINGYE [2003]
"Midas Touch…" - IVAN BUYONDO (Buyos, Slo Mo)
"Hold on to your Dreams..." - SSALONGO JAFFAR AMIN (REMO), Idi Amin's Son
"Magic on Aiko Hands..." - EMMA EMUSSU (Double Em)
"Some People might start saying you are Illuminati..." - JUSTIN EMEDOT
"Carpenter..." - OLIVIA K. (June 2023)
"Brother/ Edwardii..." - MILDRED MANENO, Cousin
"You speak on Paper..." - JACKIE ANIKU, my Sister-in-Law
"Cartoonist..." - LOICE EPETIRU
"OMG..." - CYNTHIA LETASI, dope and perfect Neighbour's Daughter in Anyafio on Mt. Wati Road who inspired me immensely to polish my Mother Tongue (Lugbara) between 2001-6
"If someone wants to become an Artist, let them! You cannot be forced to become a Doctor..." - WINNIE AMAGURU [London] on Thursday 3rd September 2009
"Atelier/ A Joy to converse with owing to his deep Intellect, many a time bordering on confused Carelessness but with timed and focused Arguments and Points; Aiko is a pure Socialist..." - ANDREW MUHIMBISE in September 2016 (Dixie/ Muantus)
"Easy-going..." - MOSEKA before 2006
"Let (my) GOD crown you..." - HELLEN ALUPO, heroine and real Beauty Queen since 2003
"Ballistic/ Legend…" - IAN KATEREGGA (PEPE)
"Aikographics..." - GRACE SEGIRINYA MUYOMBA (Segi)
"No Excuses/ Smooth Operator/ Draw thick Lines..." - BEN BELLA ILAKUT, Dean of Mass Communication (UCU Mukono)
"Boyfriend/ Naturally good at Creativity/ No Reason to stop [Drawing]..." - EMILY (MUGYENYI) AMPAIRE (Amazing Woman, The EMpress, caught my Attention in 2005 yet we had sat in the same Class since 2003)
"Man of GOD..." - JOSEPH KATIMBO
"Artist of the Year 2005…" - WANZA TEMU, Tanzanian Mass Comm. Fellow
"Dedication..." - JORGE LYNCH, Panamanian in the Philippines (Logo coloured using Photoshop)
"It's not about the Machines. What will you do when you get them? Create Content/ In Y2K you told me you dreamt I would be the Best in UCE and it came to pass..." - ISAAC SEMAKADDE (Zagallo), 3rd in our PLE but 1st in the whole Country during UCE. As Classmonitor in S3 (1999), he asked me if I could be the SMACK Timekeeper and I accepted but also prayed to GOD to always wake me up in time; HE did at 2 or 5 AM
"Fresh Beginnings/ We should start a Comics Company..." - DENNIS SEMBUYA, Lawyer
"Amazing Artist/ The Master..." - CRAIG LUGEMWA, SMACK Old Boy (1997-2000), my Captain in the 1st Post-Exams BO Champions Liga
"Very good Work/ No Supervision..." - EMMANUEL TANIKO ARIMA (Emmyways Engineering)
"E[ee], you resemble 50 Cent by the way/ Unk/ Osu [Mr. Bean]..." - JOSHUA GAVIN ARIMA (My First Nephew/ Nef)
"Uncle Edward..." - ETHAN ECORA (Double EE)
"Mine Uncle/ Your Pictures seem to move/ You do not get bored/ Our Lake..." - KIZZY LENI (My First Niece), used to call her Kijji
"Life is a Question; answer it..." - ARIEL (Second Niece)
"Rangi-man..." - BASHIR (Arua)
"Ali..." - APAGA
"E..." - GODWIN, TREVOR and JONAH (Springs)
"I expect Edward to grow fat in future..." - ZADOKI (Spire Road Friend in the early 90s)
"Headboy..." - DENIS OLUPOT, Classmate in 1995-6
"Solid, artistic, Lapiz, Picasso…" - WANYAMA WANGAH, Pioneer Supervisor for The Standard (UCU Newspaper)
"Best Cartoonist…" - THOMAS FROESE, German-born Canadian Author and Newspaper Columnist
"I still need you alive for your Art..." - WINDMAN (BRIAN SEMUJJU) aka DON ZAMO, Mass Comm. Fellow 2003-6 who prophetically later became my first Managing Editor 2007 at The Standard
"Google Films..." - MARK MUTAHI, Director of The Casual (2008 short film)
"Keep smiling..." - VINCHO NCHOGU (convinced me to join Facebook alongside PATRICIA ACHIRO OLWOCH [African Woman Magazine] and SEMI CHELLAS after Maisha, also inspired by KWEZI KAGANDA [Fun Factory/ Barbed Wire then Comedicine])
"Don't give up.../ Hard Work, Determination and Focus are the Key.../ You are amazing and will do amazing..." - MAUREEN "JOLLY" NANKYA aka Mona, my Favourite Ugandan Actress who inspired me to coin the portmanteau Ugatoons in 2020; she makes me feel like Leonardo da Vinci
"Great Guy, great Personality, great Attitude, great Friend..." - GEORGE KAIGWA (The Soundman)
"Hero..." - ANGELA WAMAI
"He writes like a Computer…" - AGNES KIBONE, Primary 6 Class Teacher (taught me English and Art in 1995) remarked in 1996
"[Pentium] Processor..." - DANIEL KYAZZE [aka Lace, Golig Bronze], Mass Communication Fellow 2003-6 at UCU Mukono, one of my Top 5 Classmates
"Rap for me 'Gangstaz Paradise' by COOLIO... You got saved from Foul Language (Bad Mouth/ Obscene Tongue)..." - MUKASA (O-Level Classmate in 1998)
"Patience is knowing Business..." - HAJJI ABASI (Mukono)
"Don't look down; enjoy your Moment..." - SHENNY ITALIA, Mentor, Producer for Salaam Bombay (film)
"The Problem is that you want to finish so many Things at the same Time…" - ESHBAN KWESIGA and FELIX NGYERO
"Loco(motive)/ Schizophrenic, bipolar/ You are supposed to be drawing Flowers/ Let's start a Church, you preach and I collect the Offertory (Joke)..." - LYDIA LAKWONYERO, hilarious Woman
"You need to be more flexible! Be simple, you actually try to be international. Be aggressive; it's a competitive World so you have to assert yourself... Your Toons are not original. Be confident and you will get there..." - Dr. Prof. PHILIP KWESIGA at Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Art (MTSIFA) in Makerere University on Saturday 14th March 2009 (Red Pain Day)
"Wise Fool..." - MIRIAM, Neighbour's Daughter
"Brother/ Edwardii..." - MILDRED MANENO, Cousin
"You speak on Paper..." - JACKIE ANIKU, my Sister-in-Law
"Cartoonist..." - LOICE EPETIRU

"If someone wants to become an Artist, let them! You cannot be forced to become a Doctor..." - WINNIE AMAGURU [London] on Thursday 3rd September 2009
"Atelier/ A Joy to converse with owing to his deep Intellect, many a time bordering on confused Carelessness but with timed and focused Arguments and Points; Aiko is a pure Socialist..." - ANDREW MUHIMBISE in September 2016 (Dixie/ Muantus)
"This
Chap has a wicked Hand in the Realm of Graphics Design. I first
interfaced with Aiko in 2006 when we intended to launch a Magazine
called Breeze…" - MIKE WATMON KINYERA, Chief Intelligence Engineer (CIE) at Dialogue Consults in KLA City
"Hajji..." - Ssalongo JAD JOHNSONS TABULE, Maternal Uncle
"Harden your Heart and start a Studio..." - KEVIN AJIDIRU, my Maternal Twin-Aunt during the 2010 FIFA World Cup Game between Germany 4, England 1 - could have been 2 for England if there was Goalline Technology or VAR; I started my AikoGraphics Facebook Page (Electronic Studio) instead
"Monsieur/ Kadogo/ Paparazzi/ Keep working..." - CHARLES DRAMU, Cousin
"Draughtsman..." - CYNTHIA SHARRON AMANIYO (Cousin)
"Alcohol is from the Devil; do not drink it, Edward..." - FELIX AGOH, Uncle married to my Mum's Sister Beatrice (aka Jenny)
"Very good Handwriting..." - HELLEN MAYELE, my Favourite Female Radio Presenter from West Nile on Arua One FM in the mid 2000s
"Harden your Heart and start a Studio..." - KEVIN AJIDIRU, my Maternal Twin-Aunt during the 2010 FIFA World Cup Game between Germany 4, England 1 - could have been 2 for England if there was Goalline Technology or VAR; I started my AikoGraphics Facebook Page (Electronic Studio) instead
"Monsieur/ Kadogo/ Paparazzi/ Keep working..." - CHARLES DRAMU, Cousin
"Draughtsman..." - CYNTHIA SHARRON AMANIYO (Cousin)
"Alcohol is from the Devil; do not drink it, Edward..." - FELIX AGOH, Uncle married to my Mum's Sister Beatrice (aka Jenny)
"Mambo bado…" – STEPHEN DRABO
"Very good Handwriting..." - HELLEN MAYELE, my Favourite Female Radio Presenter from West Nile on Arua One FM in the mid 2000s
"Easy-going..." - MOSEKA before 2006
"Let (my) GOD crown you..." - HELLEN ALUPO, heroine and real Beauty Queen since 2003
"Ballistic/ Legend…" - IAN KATEREGGA (PEPE)
"Aikographics..." - GRACE SEGIRINYA MUYOMBA (Segi)
"Onion
Boy/ Accident Aiko/ My G/ Still dope..." - MUCHINA KIMANI (Kenyan), my UCU Mass
Communication Graduate Fellow and St. Michael Royale Hostelmate
"He Goat/ You should become The Lugbara Agofe..." - OKOKU OBOMBA, one of my Top 5 Lecturers at UCU (2003-6)
"He Goat/ You should become The Lugbara Agofe..." - OKOKU OBOMBA, one of my Top 5 Lecturers at UCU (2003-6)
"There is nothing under the Sun that cannot be discussed in 100 Words..." - STEPHEN APEDEL, set my New Vision Dream in motion
"No Excuses/ Smooth Operator/ Draw thick Lines..." - BEN BELLA ILAKUT, Dean of Mass Communication (UCU Mukono)
"Boyfriend/ Naturally good at Creativity/ No Reason to stop [Drawing]..." - EMILY (MUGYENYI) AMPAIRE (Amazing Woman, The EMpress, caught my Attention in 2005 yet we had sat in the same Class since 2003)
"Man of GOD..." - JOSEPH KATIMBO
"Artist of the Year 2005…" - WANZA TEMU, Tanzanian Mass Comm. Fellow
"Dedication..." - JORGE LYNCH, Panamanian in the Philippines (Logo coloured using Photoshop)
"It's not about the Machines. What will you do when you get them? Create Content/ In Y2K you told me you dreamt I would be the Best in UCE and it came to pass..." - ISAAC SEMAKADDE (Zagallo), 3rd in our PLE but 1st in the whole Country during UCE. As Classmonitor in S3 (1999), he asked me if I could be the SMACK Timekeeper and I accepted but also prayed to GOD to always wake me up in time; HE did at 2 or 5 AM
"Fresh Beginnings/ We should start a Comics Company..." - DENNIS SEMBUYA, Lawyer
"Amazing Artist/ The Master..." - CRAIG LUGEMWA, SMACK Old Boy (1997-2000), my Captain in the 1st Post-Exams BO Champions Liga
"Very good Work/ No Supervision..." - EMMANUEL TANIKO ARIMA (Emmyways Engineering)
"E[ee], you resemble 50 Cent by the way/ Unk/ Osu [Mr. Bean]..." - JOSHUA GAVIN ARIMA (My First Nephew/ Nef)
"Uncle Edward..." - ETHAN ECORA (Double EE)
"Mine Uncle/ Your Pictures seem to move/ You do not get bored/ Our Lake..." - KIZZY LENI (My First Niece), used to call her Kijji
"Life is a Question; answer it..." - ARIEL (Second Niece)
"Rangi-man..." - BASHIR (Arua)
"Ali..." - APAGA
"E..." - GODWIN, TREVOR and JONAH (Springs)
"I expect Edward to grow fat in future..." - ZADOKI (Spire Road Friend in the early 90s)
"Headboy..." - DENIS OLUPOT, Classmate in 1995-6
"You do not have a Girlfriend because you do not ask 21 Questions..." - GODMAN MUNGUFENI (FEFE), Cousin
"Painter..." - STELLA DRIWARU (Anyafio Village, Arua City)
"(Computer) Virus/ Always Brothers/ Passionate/ Your Work is beautiful..." - CHRIS TUMUSIIME NTWIRE, UCU Fellow studying Business Administration, someone I looked up to
"Exciting Stuff..." - CHRISTINE OCOKORU (Mbarara University)
"Painter..." - STELLA DRIWARU (Anyafio Village, Arua City)
"(Computer) Virus/ Always Brothers/ Passionate/ Your Work is beautiful..." - CHRIS TUMUSIIME NTWIRE, UCU Fellow studying Business Administration, someone I looked up to
"Exciting Stuff..." - CHRISTINE OCOKORU (Mbarara University)
"Nice..."
- MAUREEN GUMA KIRUNGI (Most of my LinkedIn Endorsements are from her
though I no longer use the Platform; I had deleted my Account but Nada
Andersen [Star Leo Advertising and Sports TV] dragged me back. I also
made a Vow never to join Instagram.)
"Nice Designs..." - AWOYOMI OLATOMIDE TOLULOPE
"Nice Works..." - JUDE MUYANJA
"Nice Designs..." - AWOYOMI OLATOMIDE TOLULOPE
"Nice Works..." - JUDE MUYANJA
"Very nice..." - KRISTOF TITECA, Belgian Professor
"Religious..." - EMMANUEL OGWAL, SMACK OB and one of my Best Friends in the KLA Hood
"Man of Faith..." - THOMAS AGABA ONYANGO
"Substance..." - PAUL AMORU OMIAT, Honourable MP Dokolo South; my UCU Guild President who introduced me to the Rubber Flipflop Squeegee for Printmaking around 2nd Year, taught to him by his Dad
"A Beautiful Mind..." - INNO(CENT) IKINYANG [Hydra Files, my Best Friend at Macos almost like an Alter Ego]
"Double Happy-iness/ Star/ Are you the One who drew Amoru..." - MARTHA CHEMUTAI [CHUMMY]
"Humble..." - DOREEN KATUSIIME (one of my NBS TV Owakabi)/ AGATHA COLLINS
"Use your artistic Skills..." - ABUBAKER MUWONGE, NTV Cameraman
"Religious..." - EMMANUEL OGWAL, SMACK OB and one of my Best Friends in the KLA Hood
"Man of Faith..." - THOMAS AGABA ONYANGO
"Substance..." - PAUL AMORU OMIAT, Honourable MP Dokolo South; my UCU Guild President who introduced me to the Rubber Flipflop Squeegee for Printmaking around 2nd Year, taught to him by his Dad
"A Beautiful Mind..." - INNO(CENT) IKINYANG [Hydra Files, my Best Friend at Macos almost like an Alter Ego]
"Double Happy-iness/ Star/ Are you the One who drew Amoru..." - MARTHA CHEMUTAI [CHUMMY]
"Humble..." - DOREEN KATUSIIME (one of my NBS TV Owakabi)/ AGATHA COLLINS
"Use your artistic Skills..." - ABUBAKER MUWONGE, NTV Cameraman
"Use your Creativity…" - RON PHILIP BEEHAMYA
"You cannot see your Back; Other People see the Skills in you…" - MICHAEL MWEHITSYE
"Class..." - RACHEL KIBIRANGO (Rwanda) and ONYA KOKAS (Zambia)
"Class..." - RACHEL KIBIRANGO (Rwanda) and ONYA KOKAS (Zambia)
"The Flash..." - JUSTUS BRUNO OGADA OCHIENG (He's like the Ghost Rider)
"Are you still called The Psycho?" - DANIEL ASIIMWE (at Kololo Hill)
"Are you still called The Psycho?" - DANIEL ASIIMWE (at Kololo Hill)
![]() |
First Row behind Wanyama contains the 1st four Editors of The Standard alongside Froese while Second Row is the 2nd Group led by Aggrey Duncan Mugisha, the Replacement Supervisor |
![]() |
Opinion |
"I still need you alive for your Art..." - WINDMAN (BRIAN SEMUJJU) aka DON ZAMO, Mass Comm. Fellow 2003-6 who prophetically later became my first Managing Editor 2007 at The Standard
"Gifted Hands, funny, innocent..." - FRANK OBONYO [told me about the Cartoonist Job at The Standard where he was Sports Editor and I applied: got 5 out of 9 Missed Calls to go for the Interview on a Sunday and almost forfeited it because I had left my Panasonic Phone at home, spent all my Transport Money on Saturday Lunch in Nakawa plus calling back in the Evening on a Public Desk Phone outside a Hardware Shop in Kisalosalo]
"One of very few Cartoonists who get it spot-on for me. Cheers and keep on doing this! It is your Call.../ You should register your Font! Not certain I have seen it anywhere else..." - ARTHUR OYAKO, my Second Managing Editor at The Standard (convinced me to join Twitter), I used to call him King Arthur and we were the Knights on his Roundtable in The Standard Newsroom
"Sharpen your Humour..." - DAVID MUKHOLI (Sunday Vision)
"The Cartoonist/ Smart Guy/ I also wish that one Day you join New Vision and reap the Benefits..." - JOHN SEMAKULA, Graduate Fellow (2003-6), Workmate (2007-8, 2010-11) and Supervisor 2019. In January 2006, I spontaneously wrote down in my Classwork Book that if John ever formed a "Universal Joke Club" in future, I would join it. So when he called me in 2019 to draw Cartoons again, I connected the Dots
"One of very few Cartoonists who get it spot-on for me. Cheers and keep on doing this! It is your Call.../ You should register your Font! Not certain I have seen it anywhere else..." - ARTHUR OYAKO, my Second Managing Editor at The Standard (convinced me to join Twitter), I used to call him King Arthur and we were the Knights on his Roundtable in The Standard Newsroom
"Sharpen your Humour..." - DAVID MUKHOLI (Sunday Vision)
"The Cartoonist/ Smart Guy/ I also wish that one Day you join New Vision and reap the Benefits..." - JOHN SEMAKULA, Graduate Fellow (2003-6), Workmate (2007-8, 2010-11) and Supervisor 2019. In January 2006, I spontaneously wrote down in my Classwork Book that if John ever formed a "Universal Joke Club" in future, I would join it. So when he called me in 2019 to draw Cartoons again, I connected the Dots
"Make use of your Football Talent..." - TIMOTHY MURUNGI, Sports Editor (2012)
"That is a real Cartoon..." - RONNIE HUMURA, The New Vision (2007) commenting on my First Graduation Cartoon in The Standard
"My Cartoonist/ Do you want to die? (2012)..." - SARAH MUDAHOGORA
"Keep ko quiet! You will land in Problems..." - GODFREY JOSEPH SEMPUNGU
"Eddie..." - ALICE MBAYAHI/ SUZAN (Kyebando)/ TABI(THA)/ etc
"ED/ Aiko/ Musicfreak..." - DOREEN NYAKATO
"Read Caricature Books from abroad! Read National Geographic and The Economist, then copy and refine your Work... I like your Work! Go to The Independent, Observer and the other Publications..." - TAGA (at Tagaframe in Kamwokya)
"Your Work is not bad; it is publishable! All you need to do is make your Pieces flexible. These Faces look plastic... Do not make your Cartoon Faces over detailed... Instead of Foolscaps, use Ivory Paper and Combo Pens for long Keeping. Use a Combo Pen, it is more professional. BiC isn't the Way to go... Your Toons are very solid; you need to make them more stretched... You have definitely improved compared to when I first saw your Pieces..." - MR. RAS (on Bob Marley's Birthday - 6th February 2009 at New Vision), considered by many as Uganda's Best Editorial Cartoonist of All-Time
"Keep reading other People's Artwork... Apply for a Graphics Course in Town to learn Photoshop and Corel... Study Graphics! Don’t let another Artist criticize your Art; you are not bad. Every Artist must have his own Style... Show them that you are enthusiastic about the Job... You are okay, better than what I actually thought..." - B. DANNY (aka DB or DANNY BARONGO), my Favourite Ugandan Cartoonist since the 1990s
"Nokia..." - EDDIE BINDHE
"That is a real Cartoon..." - RONNIE HUMURA, The New Vision (2007) commenting on my First Graduation Cartoon in The Standard
"My Cartoonist/ Do you want to die? (2012)..." - SARAH MUDAHOGORA
"Keep ko quiet! You will land in Problems..." - GODFREY JOSEPH SEMPUNGU
"Eddie..." - ALICE MBAYAHI/ SUZAN (Kyebando)/ TABI(THA)/ etc
"ED/ Aiko/ Musicfreak..." - DOREEN NYAKATO
"Read Caricature Books from abroad! Read National Geographic and The Economist, then copy and refine your Work... I like your Work! Go to The Independent, Observer and the other Publications..." - TAGA (at Tagaframe in Kamwokya)
"Your Work is not bad; it is publishable! All you need to do is make your Pieces flexible. These Faces look plastic... Do not make your Cartoon Faces over detailed... Instead of Foolscaps, use Ivory Paper and Combo Pens for long Keeping. Use a Combo Pen, it is more professional. BiC isn't the Way to go... Your Toons are very solid; you need to make them more stretched... You have definitely improved compared to when I first saw your Pieces..." - MR. RAS (on Bob Marley's Birthday - 6th February 2009 at New Vision), considered by many as Uganda's Best Editorial Cartoonist of All-Time
"Keep reading other People's Artwork... Apply for a Graphics Course in Town to learn Photoshop and Corel... Study Graphics! Don’t let another Artist criticize your Art; you are not bad. Every Artist must have his own Style... Show them that you are enthusiastic about the Job... You are okay, better than what I actually thought..." - B. DANNY (aka DB or DANNY BARONGO), my Favourite Ugandan Cartoonist since the 1990s
"Nokia..." - EDDIE BINDHE
"One of the Best Cartoonists I know..." - RACHAEL NAKANWAGI NSAMBA, 2006 UCU Graduate Fellow on 1st September 2020 (Very stylish Woman)
"Gigabyte..." - UCU Friends at HONOURS COLLEGE (because I nicknamed my First Campus Crush Megabyte)
"Those Cartoons used to make me laugh..." - CHRISTOPHER YIKII, while still the Vice Chancellor (Director) at UCU Ringili

"Those Cartoons used to make me laugh..." - CHRISTOPHER YIKII, while still the Vice Chancellor (Director) at UCU Ringili
"Gifted..." - JOHN MILTON ANGUYO (Doctor Love in 2023)
"Even Kids in Secondary Schools around here talk about you..." - DERRICK DRE GUDOI (during his Fine Art Studies at UCU Mukono Campus)
"I have read your Blogs and they make me smile..." - LILLIAN KELLE BUTELE, Vurra Lugbara in the United States (4th August 2009)
"Blessings only..." - BRIAN DRICILE, Son of a Cousin (January 2020)
"Your Art looks like it's already printed..." - BENJAMIN INDANI (August 2019)
"Not bad..." - USHER KOMUGISHA, one of the Most Anointed Female Sports Journalists, not only in UG but even Africa
"Any Relation to Jhene Aiko the Singer?" (Maybe a very very very distant Cousin!) - RUGGED MADE (GODWIN URINGI), aka R.U.G.G.
"Ongo/ Abnormal Mind..." - ANDREW KEN LUBEGA
"Poet..." - VIDA Store (California, USA)
"Sugar/ Continue praying on your Knees..." - MARIAM NAKAFU
"Mafia..." - MOSES (Arua)
"Your Name should just be Aiko (Happiness)/ Eddydove/ Poet/ Humorous, loving and respectful..." - LILLIANE AJURU ANDAMA aka LILLYDOVE (Charis Junior School, Arua) whom I consider Arua's Most Beautiful Woman since I first spotted her
"Allow me to congratulate you upon the Blog you have on Lugbara Issues..." - Father RUFFINO EZAMA (Comboni Missionaries USA, 2009)
"Great Mind..." - LARRY LONDON (Thursday 26th July 2018 on VOA Border Crossings)
"Why didn't you do Art?/ Aiko dotcom..." - ALPHA CHARLES KARAMAGI (A Business Textbook he asked me to return for him borrowed from the Tech Park Library at UCU (during 2004-5) introduced me to the Term Psychographics that rhymed with AikoGraphics which was the final Label I had selected for my Art in 2003
"Near enough..." - SUDHIR RUPARELIA (commenting via Facebook about his Resemblance to my Caricature Drawing of himself)
"Staying low is the Pace of the Cosmos..." - ABASI STICKA
"Keep Time..." - MUSARAIT KASHMIRI (headstrong Maisha Program Director born in Dar es Salaam - Tanzania but raised in Toronto - Canada and Uganda), alerted me on very short Notice (with one Day left) after a selected Kenyan turned down his Invitation for the 4th Edition of Maisha Film Lab at Royal Impala Hotel in Munyonyo (October 2008); my Script Applications had failed to qualify me for three consecutive Years and I could not miss a Dream come true for anything else in KLA City, Mukono nor Arua
"Even Kids in Secondary Schools around here talk about you..." - DERRICK DRE GUDOI (during his Fine Art Studies at UCU Mukono Campus)
"I have read your Blogs and they make me smile..." - LILLIAN KELLE BUTELE, Vurra Lugbara in the United States (4th August 2009)
"Blessings only..." - BRIAN DRICILE, Son of a Cousin (January 2020)
"Your Art looks like it's already printed..." - BENJAMIN INDANI (August 2019)
"Not bad..." - USHER KOMUGISHA, one of the Most Anointed Female Sports Journalists, not only in UG but even Africa
"Any Relation to Jhene Aiko the Singer?" (Maybe a very very very distant Cousin!) - RUGGED MADE (GODWIN URINGI), aka R.U.G.G.
"Ongo/ Abnormal Mind..." - ANDREW KEN LUBEGA
"Poet..." - VIDA Store (California, USA)
"Sugar/ Continue praying on your Knees..." - MARIAM NAKAFU
"Mafia..." - MOSES (Arua)
"Your Name should just be Aiko (Happiness)/ Eddydove/ Poet/ Humorous, loving and respectful..." - LILLIANE AJURU ANDAMA aka LILLYDOVE (Charis Junior School, Arua) whom I consider Arua's Most Beautiful Woman since I first spotted her
![]() |
Lugbara Art (2019) |
"Great Mind..." - LARRY LONDON (Thursday 26th July 2018 on VOA Border Crossings)
"Why didn't you do Art?/ Aiko dotcom..." - ALPHA CHARLES KARAMAGI (A Business Textbook he asked me to return for him borrowed from the Tech Park Library at UCU (during 2004-5) introduced me to the Term Psychographics that rhymed with AikoGraphics which was the final Label I had selected for my Art in 2003
"Near enough..." - SUDHIR RUPARELIA (commenting via Facebook about his Resemblance to my Caricature Drawing of himself)
"Staying low is the Pace of the Cosmos..." - ABASI STICKA
"Keep Time..." - MUSARAIT KASHMIRI (headstrong Maisha Program Director born in Dar es Salaam - Tanzania but raised in Toronto - Canada and Uganda), alerted me on very short Notice (with one Day left) after a selected Kenyan turned down his Invitation for the 4th Edition of Maisha Film Lab at Royal Impala Hotel in Munyonyo (October 2008); my Script Applications had failed to qualify me for three consecutive Years and I could not miss a Dream come true for anything else in KLA City, Mukono nor Arua
"Google Films..." - MARK MUTAHI, Director of The Casual (2008 short film)
"Keep smiling..." - VINCHO NCHOGU (convinced me to join Facebook alongside PATRICIA ACHIRO OLWOCH [African Woman Magazine] and SEMI CHELLAS after Maisha, also inspired by KWEZI KAGANDA [Fun Factory/ Barbed Wire then Comedicine])
"Don't give up.../ Hard Work, Determination and Focus are the Key.../ You are amazing and will do amazing..." - MAUREEN "JOLLY" NANKYA aka Mona, my Favourite Ugandan Actress who inspired me to coin the portmanteau Ugatoons in 2020; she makes me feel like Leonardo da Vinci
"Great Guy, great Personality, great Attitude, great Friend..." - GEORGE KAIGWA (The Soundman)
"Hero..." - ANGELA WAMAI
"You still got it..." - JOSEPH ALUBA, my 1st New Friend at Macos (2001) commenting on my 2020 Ugatoons epiphany
"Ask GOD for Wisdom..." - DOREEN, while returning from Yumbe in January 2018 and marvelling at the red Sunset
"Good Job..." - JAMES AFEKU (Mukono)
"Cool..." - ROGER MUGISHA, my 2003-6 UCU Graduate Fellow (New Vision Food Guide Writer) who took my Art Portfolio of photocopied Drawings inside a Manila File to New Vision's Mr. Ras in 2005
"Keep your Head up, Playboy/ Avoid Dreamkillers/ Play the Cards you were dealt/ Dominoes..." - SHARPE COLE NIMUSIIMA, Freespirit
"Kind Friend, gentle Soul..." - ANGELA KIGOZI (3D Tracking)
"Neatness..." - EUGENIUS (Arua)
"A good Blogger in West Nile..." - GERARD IGA (Arua)
"We fasted plus prayed and I saw you in a Vision being pushed from Behind by a Dragon of Pretended Holiness. Suddenly, JESUS appeared and the Devil flew away, then JESUS hugged you/ I'm your Friend, you can tell me your Secrets/ Discern Spirits..." - RAYMOND RWABITA (Bornagain during S4)
"Ask GOD for Wisdom..." - DOREEN, while returning from Yumbe in January 2018 and marvelling at the red Sunset
"Good Job..." - JAMES AFEKU (Mukono)
"Cool..." - ROGER MUGISHA, my 2003-6 UCU Graduate Fellow (New Vision Food Guide Writer) who took my Art Portfolio of photocopied Drawings inside a Manila File to New Vision's Mr. Ras in 2005
"Keep your Head up, Playboy/ Avoid Dreamkillers/ Play the Cards you were dealt/ Dominoes..." - SHARPE COLE NIMUSIIMA, Freespirit
"Kind Friend, gentle Soul..." - ANGELA KIGOZI (3D Tracking)
"Neatness..." - EUGENIUS (Arua)
"A good Blogger in West Nile..." - GERARD IGA (Arua)
"We fasted plus prayed and I saw you in a Vision being pushed from Behind by a Dragon of Pretended Holiness. Suddenly, JESUS appeared and the Devil flew away, then JESUS hugged you/ I'm your Friend, you can tell me your Secrets/ Discern Spirits..." - RAYMOND RWABITA (Bornagain during S4)
"How come your Phone rarely rings?!" (Because it is usually in Silent Mode...) - STELLA MAYOKIA (adorable woman while in Kololo, Tara Subcounty, Maracha working for Electoral Commission [2010])
"Naturally talented..." - CHRIS CLARK
"Every Dog has its Day/ Talent/ Chase Money, not Skirts..." - SERAH (I used to call her "Aunt" but we probably do not have a clear Blood Link)
"Naturally talented..." - CHRIS CLARK
"Every Dog has its Day/ Talent/ Chase Money, not Skirts..." - SERAH (I used to call her "Aunt" but we probably do not have a clear Blood Link)
"[Pentium] Processor..." - DANIEL KYAZZE [aka Lace, Golig Bronze], Mass Communication Fellow 2003-6 at UCU Mukono, one of my Top 5 Classmates
"Rap for me 'Gangstaz Paradise' by COOLIO... You got saved from Foul Language (Bad Mouth/ Obscene Tongue)..." - MUKASA (O-Level Classmate in 1998)
"Patience is knowing Business..." - HAJJI ABASI (Mukono)
"Most Handsome..." - MR. MUKASA (Mathematics), P7 East Class teacher
"Drone..." - EYO (EYOTARU YEMI OLIVE), one of the Most Beautiful Lugbara Women I have ever met, used to call her Olive Oyl
"Enthusiasm..." - SEMI CHELLAS, Mentor, Writer for Mad Men (series)
"Drone..." - EYO (EYOTARU YEMI OLIVE), one of the Most Beautiful Lugbara Women I have ever met, used to call her Olive Oyl
"Enthusiasm..." - SEMI CHELLAS, Mentor, Writer for Mad Men (series)
"Don't look down; enjoy your Moment..." - SHENNY ITALIA, Mentor, Producer for Salaam Bombay (film)
"The Problem is that you want to finish so many Things at the same Time…" - ESHBAN KWESIGA and FELIX NGYERO
"Loco(motive)/ Schizophrenic, bipolar/ You are supposed to be drawing Flowers/ Let's start a Church, you preach and I collect the Offertory (Joke)..." - LYDIA LAKWONYERO, hilarious Woman
"You need to be more flexible! Be simple, you actually try to be international. Be aggressive; it's a competitive World so you have to assert yourself... Your Toons are not original. Be confident and you will get there..." - Dr. Prof. PHILIP KWESIGA at Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Art (MTSIFA) in Makerere University on Saturday 14th March 2009 (Red Pain Day)
"Wise Fool..." - MIRIAM, Neighbour's Daughter
"He's
always drawing..." - Response by UNRECOGNISED CLASSMATES in Primary 3 when Science
Class Teacher Miss Nabirye asked why my Grades were deteriorating
Happy-iness is in Heaven, Trash Ocean, Dirt Thrown On Me, Opp(osition), Judgement, Bitter Lemons, Old News, Thorns, Failure, Punches, Defamation, Wolokoso, Pokopoko, Kasasiro, Gasia, Interference, Ish, Shells, CRITICISM [I am neither perfect nor flawless, but will make a Stonetrail with every Gravel thrown at me. Reply Greetings, not Insults; glide through verbal Attacks like an Eagle and let GOD avenge; shred Negativity like Papers!]:
"Hypocrite (1994), Proud (1996)/ Arrogant/ Liar/ Ape/ Stubborn/ Mad [Escaped from Butabika Mental Hospital]/ Dog/ Slow/ Controversial/ Rebel/ Unserious/ Selfish/ Ugly/ Demon-possessed/ Pagan/ Sugarboy/ He has a Sugarmammy in Ntinda/ You do not know Luganda/ Watchman/ Where did you get the Money?/ Gigolo/ Bedwetters should not pocket (2000)/ Hopeless/ Jobless [Pair of Buttocks]/ Poor Handwriting (2002)/ Just existing and not living/ Dull/ Sick/ Shirt/ Poverty-striken [Windowshopper]/ Sleeping/ Controversial/ Cult/ Devil-worshipper/ Can't afford a Beer/ Lousy (2010)/ Disappointment/ Skiny Idiot/ Miserable/ Unpure Heart/ Confused/ Not prepared enough/ GOD wants to take you places but you are too disorganised/ You are not branding your work well/ You have a wrong team/ Loser/ Houseboy/ Lazy/ You have no Kids/ Broken/ Where are you going?/ Always indoors/ One Day you will cry/ You do not want to stay outside with People/ He cannot draw/ Peter Pan/ You still stay with your parents/ Coward/ Delusional/ You are not the one who draws those Cartoons/ No Value on Earth/ Powerless/ Maf/ I'm giving you a Chance to become important in Society/ Showing off with Pocket Money/ We don't need you anymore/ Has no Bed/ You are not a Man/ Taking the Economy back/ Are you a Girl or Boy?/ Ayikoru/ There are Things you do not know/ Small Mind/ Slumdog - Chai Wala/ Ai-cobra/ You ashame the Family when you wear Shorts/ Dependant/ What are you doing here?/ Hungry/ You just want quick Money/ Naïve/ Irrelevant/ You did not deserve to be Headboy/ What's wrong with Edward?/ Small small Boy/ Mr. Katala/ Other youths have offices and workshops in town but you don't/ Your colleagues are already driving and building houses/ You only know how to spend money, not how to make it/ Pretending to be sick/ Amateur/ Starving/ Destitute/ No Customers/ Edioti/ Fees Defaulter (got 28 percent in S4 UCE Mathematics Mocks Examinations after sitting for only one hour instead of three)/ You know how to draw but your Parents are poor (2018)/ Eddie Bosiko/ Pu$$y Mind (dissed by Nigerian on WhatsApp for confidently saying Arsenal can beat Chelsea before a tough Premiership home game; dissed him back in uncharacteristic anger and got a wound on my tongue for one week. It's obvious that sometimes you lose, other times you win like Kanu in 1999, Double Happy-iness in 2002 plus van Persie in 2011, etc)/ No other Work/ Does he really know Lugbara?/ If your girlfriend finds you in this slum, then she will dump you/ Penniless/ You do not know anyone/ Stinky/ Going to Hell/ Useless Man (2019)/ Yagwamu [Translated from Luganda: He ran out of Oomph]/ Myopic/ Silly/ Kid/ You have not learnt how to drive/ Mbata [Duck]/ Shambaboy/ Shabby/ I do not need your Money/ No future/ Cursed/ Childish/ Lullaby/ You imagine Things that can never come true/ What are you going to use the Money for?/ Twakowa [We got tired]/ Muyaye [Crook]/ Homo/ Rapist/ Defiler/ Child molester/ Casanova/ Wife-snatcher, go back to Maracha/ You need to go for Mental Checkup/ Theories/ I despise your Intelligence/ Baby/ No KB [Kabozi - Interesting Conversation]/ Tolina Mukisa [You have no Luck]/ Wasted School Fees/ Sente zagwamu [Money got finished]/ Tolina byakukola [No Work]/ Lonely/ Keep quiet/ Munafu [Weak]/ Wrong Business/ You are nowhere/ Okekereza [You economise]/ What you cook will not taste nice/ Do you know what a Swiftcode is?/ Cannot even ride a Bicycle/ You have never lived/ Still have a lot to learn/ 2 out of 20/ You do not show Love/ Junior/ Tewali kyomanyi [There is nothing you know]/ Otherwise/ Fala/ Go away/ Mufu [Deadbeat]/ What does he have?/ Learner/ Shy/ Go to School, get a Job and leave your Parents!/ Small Girl/ Tamalako [He cannot last long nor finish]/ Scrub/ Uncircumcised/ Always scrubbing/ Pauper/ Poorman/ Engalabi [Long Drum]/ We've seen Photocopiers before/ Yellow Card/ Mivu afazi yo [Translated from Lugbara: You have nothing]/ Waka/ Yala/ Earlyman/ Asi onzi [Bad Heart]/ Isu nga Azi ku [He has not yet got a Job]/ Mi Dri-a afazi yo [In your Hand there's nothing]/ Izakizaru [Miserable]/ Ko 'ba aza ku [Does not help]/ Onzoroko [Dirt]..." - VARIOUS CRITICS & TRASHTALKERS
"Daft, stupid, fake and boring (2001)/ Cassava Stem Legs (2002)..." - CLASSMATE condescending at my New School (Macos A-Level); I almost killed him with punches after praying to the Devil to numb my Conscience, LORD have mercy!
MENTAL SHOCK ABSORBERS/ IRON DOME/ CAVEAT EMPTOR for Depression or a Psychological Crisis: Read
Psalm 49 (Only GOD is invincible)... What can wash away my Sins; what
can make me whole again? Nothing but the Blood of JESUS!
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Women, Arsenal & Computers! At the Y-Corner, either you go left, or go right... |
"Hypocrite (1994), Proud (1996)/ Arrogant/ Liar/ Ape/ Stubborn/ Mad [Escaped from Butabika Mental Hospital]/ Dog/ Slow/ Controversial/ Rebel/ Unserious/ Selfish/ Ugly/ Demon-possessed/ Pagan/ Sugarboy/ He has a Sugarmammy in Ntinda/ You do not know Luganda/ Watchman/ Where did you get the Money?/ Gigolo/ Bedwetters should not pocket (2000)/ Hopeless/ Jobless [Pair of Buttocks]/ Poor Handwriting (2002)/ Just existing and not living/ Dull/ Sick/ Shirt/ Poverty-striken [Windowshopper]/ Sleeping/ Controversial/ Cult/ Devil-worshipper/ Can't afford a Beer/ Lousy (2010)/ Disappointment/ Skiny Idiot/ Miserable/ Unpure Heart/ Confused/ Not prepared enough/ GOD wants to take you places but you are too disorganised/ You are not branding your work well/ You have a wrong team/ Loser/ Houseboy/ Lazy/ You have no Kids/ Broken/ Where are you going?/ Always indoors/ One Day you will cry/ You do not want to stay outside with People/ He cannot draw/ Peter Pan/ You still stay with your parents/ Coward/ Delusional/ You are not the one who draws those Cartoons/ No Value on Earth/ Powerless/ Maf/ I'm giving you a Chance to become important in Society/ Showing off with Pocket Money/ We don't need you anymore/ Has no Bed/ You are not a Man/ Taking the Economy back/ Are you a Girl or Boy?/ Ayikoru/ There are Things you do not know/ Small Mind/ Slumdog - Chai Wala/ Ai-cobra/ You ashame the Family when you wear Shorts/ Dependant/ What are you doing here?/ Hungry/ You just want quick Money/ Naïve/ Irrelevant/ You did not deserve to be Headboy/ What's wrong with Edward?/ Small small Boy/ Mr. Katala/ Other youths have offices and workshops in town but you don't/ Your colleagues are already driving and building houses/ You only know how to spend money, not how to make it/ Pretending to be sick/ Amateur/ Starving/ Destitute/ No Customers/ Edioti/ Fees Defaulter (got 28 percent in S4 UCE Mathematics Mocks Examinations after sitting for only one hour instead of three)/ You know how to draw but your Parents are poor (2018)/ Eddie Bosiko/ Pu$$y Mind (dissed by Nigerian on WhatsApp for confidently saying Arsenal can beat Chelsea before a tough Premiership home game; dissed him back in uncharacteristic anger and got a wound on my tongue for one week. It's obvious that sometimes you lose, other times you win like Kanu in 1999, Double Happy-iness in 2002 plus van Persie in 2011, etc)/ No other Work/ Does he really know Lugbara?/ If your girlfriend finds you in this slum, then she will dump you/ Penniless/ You do not know anyone/ Stinky/ Going to Hell/ Useless Man (2019)/ Yagwamu [Translated from Luganda: He ran out of Oomph]/ Myopic/ Silly/ Kid/ You have not learnt how to drive/ Mbata [Duck]/ Shambaboy/ Shabby/ I do not need your Money/ No future/ Cursed/ Childish/ Lullaby/ You imagine Things that can never come true/ What are you going to use the Money for?/ Twakowa [We got tired]/ Muyaye [Crook]/ Homo/ Rapist/ Defiler/ Child molester/ Casanova/ Wife-snatcher, go back to Maracha/ You need to go for Mental Checkup/ Theories/ I despise your Intelligence/ Baby/ No KB [Kabozi - Interesting Conversation]/ Tolina Mukisa [You have no Luck]/ Wasted School Fees/ Sente zagwamu [Money got finished]/ Tolina byakukola [No Work]/ Lonely/ Keep quiet/ Munafu [Weak]/ Wrong Business/ You are nowhere/ Okekereza [You economise]/ What you cook will not taste nice/ Do you know what a Swiftcode is?/ Cannot even ride a Bicycle/ You have never lived/ Still have a lot to learn/ 2 out of 20/ You do not show Love/ Junior/ Tewali kyomanyi [There is nothing you know]/ Otherwise/ Fala/ Go away/ Mufu [Deadbeat]/ What does he have?/ Learner/ Shy/ Go to School, get a Job and leave your Parents!/ Small Girl/ Tamalako [He cannot last long nor finish]/ Scrub/ Uncircumcised/ Always scrubbing/ Pauper/ Poorman/ Engalabi [Long Drum]/ We've seen Photocopiers before/ Yellow Card/ Mivu afazi yo [Translated from Lugbara: You have nothing]/ Waka/ Yala/ Earlyman/ Asi onzi [Bad Heart]/ Isu nga Azi ku [He has not yet got a Job]/ Mi Dri-a afazi yo [In your Hand there's nothing]/ Izakizaru [Miserable]/ Ko 'ba aza ku [Does not help]/ Onzoroko [Dirt]..." - VARIOUS CRITICS & TRASHTALKERS
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JESUS TV: Every Knee shall bow and every Tongue confess that JESUS Christ is Lord, to the Glory of GOD the Father... |
"Daft, stupid, fake and boring (2001)/ Cassava Stem Legs (2002)..." - CLASSMATE condescending at my New School (Macos A-Level); I almost killed him with punches after praying to the Devil to numb my Conscience, LORD have mercy!
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ARC IN A SQUARE (Monday 4th October 2004): "If you have a Problem, then just look up (oneway) to Heaven..." - Ch.39 |