By Aaron Okalebo
I am that old soul from the eighties scene,
When UTV was king and Sanyu FM was queen,
Before your TikTok dances and your Instagram streams,
I lived through the golden age of African dreams.
I am that old school who queued for cassette tapes,
At Old Taxi Park downtown, checking all the crates,
While you stream your music through digital gates,
I held albums in my hands, felt their weights.
Before your smartphones and WhatsApp chats,
We had love letters and face-to-face spats,
Nokia 3310 was where it was at,
Snake game champion, imagine that!
I am that old school from the Idi Amin tales,
When our parents whispered history’s trails,
Before your Google searches never fail,
We learned from elders’ living details.
My generation built the internet age,
While you were born into its digital stage,
We coded the future, page by page,
You just swipe left; we turned the page.
I watched Uganda’s democracy unfold,
Saw elections when I wasn’t yet old,
Before your trending hashtags, stories told,
We witnessed history, brave and bold.
I am that old skool from the VHS era,
When renting movies was quite the opera,
Before your Netflix binge, small screen terror,
We gathered around TVs, family together.
My music came from Radio One and Capital,
DJ Roger Mugisha was quite magical,
Before your Spotify playlists, algorithmic,
We waited for our favorite songs, so critical.
I lived through the mobile money revolution,
From barter trade to digital solution,
While you take it for granted, no confusion,
I watched Uganda’s financial evolution.
I am that old school who remembers the struggle,
When power cuts made evening life juggle,
Before your backup batteries and power shuffle,
We lit candles and made do with the trouble.
So, when you think you are trendy and so cool,
Remember I am that old soul,
I built the world you navigate as a tool,
Respect your elders, that’s the golden rule.