African Insights Ezine – May 2007

Omega – A Voice that touches the Soul...

There are some people in this world who are quite infectious.  When you meet them or are near them, you catch something of what they have.  You start smiling; you laugh and no longer think of the things that just troubled you moments earlier.  Such people are kind of rare in this world, since most of us have a lot on our plates and the cares of the day, our life choices rob of us of that smile and weigh us down. 

Omega Bugembe-Okello is such a person, such a human being. I think the moment that Omega was born into this world in her native Uganda, she did two things, smile and then burst into a song. 

You might think I am embellishing, but rarely do I write about someone at length. But having said that; there are certain people impact one’s life in such a way that their exuberance grabs your soul, leaving a lasting impression.

In Omega’s case it is a mixture of the shy and very polite “Ugandan” coupled with the “All American Girl” (no accent) with an “African twist”.  When you meet someone like Omega, they touch you with their smile--their graceful and caring ways.  One enjoys being around such people since they always share what they have; an inner joy.

Some years back, I was in a downtown Bellingham bookstore when suddenly we were hit by a strong earthquake.  Every one ran out, the books swayed a bit, but I just stood there looking for used African history books.  While there an incident came to mind where Omega sang at a Seattle Pacific University dinner function for alumni on top of the Smith Tower when an earthquake commenced to make the tall building sway—but even though others around were somewhat panicking—Omega never missed a note...she just kept on singing!!!

Omega left her beloved Uganda as a four year old and was one of the youngest members of the first African Children’s Choir.  Twenty some children, most of them orphaned, along with some chaperones, made the then difficult journey to Nairobi, Kenya to take her first jet flight to North America.  When she left her homeland of Uganda there was the war in the bush between the now President Museveni and his band of men and women and the then President Obote and his government.  Idi Amin, by now was in exile, yet things were not calm in the pearl of Africa.  When she returned, two years later, peace had come to Uganda and Yoweri Museveni was then President.

The African Children’s Choir traveled coast to coast by bus both in the USA and Canada.  They sang, told their stories, made people laugh and cry.  Omega at four and five, this tiny (she’s still petite as an adult) but infectious “songbird”, spoke, sang a few solos and wherever she went she made friends.  She is the kind of person that never meets an enemy.  There are few people like that. 

I met Omega when she was in her teens.  It was in Africa, Uganda to be specific, she was a young woman who had an inner dream; you could sense her depth of purpose.  Rarely do you meet someone as focused and purposeful in their teen years.  Like her mother before her, Omega wanted to go into the medical field and do something meaningful in her country of Uganda.  Yet there was still something else, there was what we call in German “Drang,” A knowing, a drive that she had been given something, a gift, a talent and whatever else she was doing and pursuing, her heart was not fully in it.  We might repress it; push it down, but that purpose in life sooner or later comes to the surface and brings us to a choice, and it may mean a major shift in our life’s focus.

Ten years later, at 16, she returned to the U.S. alone she returned alone, in order to ensure that she would get on of the best possible education by attending an American High School and preparing for her entrance to Seattle Pacific University.

At 17, she was asked to be part of the same choir that she had been with from the age of four to six. Omega also had the opportunity to make an album that contained much of her music.  Other important opportunities came--she sang in front of Tony Blair as a musical ambassador from Uganda, from Africa.  She, along with the 20 plus young children traveled all over the United Kingdom and Ireland, but then it was back to school where she finished high school, focusing on her studies, as well as singing with different school groups—mostly American “pop” songs which she enjoyed in those days.

Just think for a moment – If I ask you “Who are you?”  Most likely you will say to me Student, Teacher, Professor, Mechanic, Driver, and Manager.  If I however ask you, “What do you enjoy doing the most, what comes naturally?”  Your face might just light up as you tell me of something totally different from what you “do” for a living.  If I however ask, “Why are you not doing it?”  A sadness of heart might come over you.  Most of us never do what we were gifted to do…the result is that we miss out on what could be.

Omega Bugembe must have felt like that, it had been drilled into her that education was everything.  Her father and mother had instilled this “life credo” in her and her siblings; namely, that the only way out of poverty, the only way to succeed was to have an education.

She did fantastic at University, majored in Biology and trained in jazz and other musical genres and then moved to New York where she attended Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville and obtained her masters degree in medical advocacy. Upon graduation from Sarah Lawrence, Omega worked as a consultant and researcher. 

Omega’s story reminds me of one I read some years ago:  Ella Fitzgerald showed up for Amateur Night at the Harlem Opera House. At the time she was a skinny and shy 16 year old girl and a bit hesitant as she went on stage. She was announced to the audience as Ella Fitzgerald, and “she is going to dance for us…Hold it, hold it. Now what’s the problem, honey?...Correction folks, Miss Fitzgerald has changed her mind, she is not going to dance, she’s gonna sing,”  Ella Fitzgerald gave three encores that night and won first prize--but her original intent was to dance!!!

Medical advocate, this young woman from Uganda, freshly married, went onto the “stage” of life, and although her “dance” was that of medical advocacy—yet, something inside of Omega brought her back to what she had been entrusted with from her youth--the gift to sing. Her songs made people feel good about life, opened up their hearts to loving and being loved.

While in Uganda I received a phone call from her mom and she told me to pull up a website that had just been published.  I typed in the url and up pops this lovely young lady with that smile I just told you about.  Eagerly I went over the site and even sampled some of the different songs she had published on her website-- a very different version of “Amazing Grace”, “Summertime”, and “What a Wonderful World.”  As I closed the browser I said, “Good going, Omega! You are back in the flow; you are going with your passion.”

Omega is getting ready to go back to Uganda, to keep the African side of her world music alive…I wish her the best…I am sure many miss her as a medical advocate but many more will be touched when they listen to the Ugandan-American version of Norah Jones…jon

PS…On the last Sunday I was in Uganda, they were playing Omega Bugembe-Okello’s Music on the radio…it always works out…doors do open…maybe even for a grumpy 62 year old man…hmmm

Visit at Omega - World Music and listen to her music and even buy a cd