Jinja: Paul Kulumba is news anchor, a sports analyst and a recording artist. But who exactly is Paul Kulumba, a.k.a Brazilian 10?
A graduate of social sciences from Kyambogo University, Kulumba got to be known in radio easily because he came with something new in radio in Busoga’s broadcasting industry, the soft sweet big voice and a penchant for giving listeners details on the issues he analyzed on shows like Akatabo ka’bwino, entiko ye ebye mizanyo. Those two are currently among the best sports programs in the Busoga sub region.
Born in Kazinga Channel, Bweyogerere, to Mr Hilary Kagwa and Teopista Nawamwena Kulumba attended Brilliant High School in Kawempe before joining Our Lady of Africa Namilyango for A level, later joining Kyambogo University and Kampala University Jinja Branch where he studied a diploma in journalism.
It was however after his university degree in 2014 that he joined Dunamis FM, kick starting a career in journalism and curving out a niche as a sports analyst. Six months into the job, he was poached by Baba FM where he continued doing sports analysis until he was asked to test his voice in news anchoring.
“Impressed with my voice, my bosses immediately put me on Baba TV to start working on a Luganda news anchor. There I was, after joining media a few months back, I was already a sports analyst and a news anchor,” he said.
But Kulumba was not yet done with testing his potential and talents.
Way back during his high school days, he had tried out his voice belting out mimes and eventually landing himself a post of entertainment prefect. His choir master, one Sam who was attached to the Prisons Band, one day heard his voice from a distance. He called him to learn something in music. He started teaching Paul basics in music and also some brass musical instrument such as the saxophone, tuba and trombone. Little did Choir Master Sam know that he had sowed a seed of music! That he had planted a seed for a star.
A decade after school and busy running between news anchoring and sports analysis, Paul decided to dig deep into his bag of talents and dusted the music seed that had been planted way back.
“My parents never felt bad when they discovered that I have joined music because they saw the talent in me since I was a kid though this talent never made me to leave education, I started music professionally when I am even working. The only thing my father advised me was never to plait my hair and I listened to him,” Kulumba said.
His first audio song, Ye Yekka Mukama released in 2019 didn’t gather storm as he would have wanted. Not impressed by the reception, he deiced against shooting a video for the song.
“Ndibaasa was my second song and it became a hit in Busoga. It even crossed the bridge and penetrated to Kampala and the central part of the country,” he emotionally remarks. “I premiered the video of this song at Bukedde TVs Akassengejja show and the effects were positive. This kept me with the whole vibe in producing much more songs such as Nakupenda Pia, watuuka, Akalimu and many others though I take Ndibaasa as my breakthrough song,” says Kulumba.
Kulumba now has more than 10 songs and all of them are hits, including his latest songs ondimungalo, ensonga, Ntoli, Taliba. The four were the songs that made him win awards turning him into one of the most booked artists in Busoga.
Just as he has listened to his father’s guidance of never plaiting his hair, men plaiting hair is seen in this part of the world as sign of a spoilt and bad upbringing, Kulumba has not allowed his stardom to turn him into a rough gangster. He is using it to inspire young people to use their talents to grow their opportunities and live a good life.
“Balancing the three tasks of music, sports analysis and commentary, news anchoring is kind of hard but it is all about following the time. These are three different tasks which takes place in different times, but the challenges faced are almost the same,” he said.
He adds that he manages to overcome the challenges through being unique, and remaining true to himself.
“Musically I believe one time I will be among the best performing artiste in the nation because right now I among those best five artistes in eastern region. My target is to compete for the national cake. That is why you see my music playing on the best national televisions such as UBC, Bukedde, spark, Sanyuka, Baba TV. I am also trying to work smart so that I can be the best journalist in the country,” he said.
He added, “To the community and my fellow youths, whenever you reach to the climax in life try to respect others bellow you, if you get to the middle status, try to work hard so that you reach to the climax of your life. To those who are still struggling with life please don’t give up because you’re not the only one in that situation but stay focused on the things which are important in Ur life one day one time you will make it.”
