THE PEN, THE PIANO AND GOD’S GRACE: My Encounter with Sylver Kyagulanyi at Sikia Studios

What the report says

Brian Mugenyi of Watchdog Uganda reports on a visit to Sikia Studios in Ntinda, Kampala, where he met Sylver Kyagulanyi, described as a musician, songwriter, poet and lawyer. The piece is framed as a reflective encounter rather than a hard news event, but it highlights Kyagulanyi’s views on creativity, faith and the business side of the arts.

According to the article, Kyagulanyi spoke about reading and writing as separate strengths that become more powerful when combined. He presented music and poetry as tools that can support social healing and community change, and he linked artistic talent to what he sees as divine inspiration. The studio setting, with instruments, manuscripts and a piano, is used to underscore his message that creativity is both serious work and a calling.

The article also says Kyagulanyi emphasized the need for artists to adapt to digital platforms, citing his own Civic Online Television as an example of using modern technology to share community stories. He argued that creative work should be treated as labor with real value and sustainable pricing, and suggested the sector can help address youth unemployment in Uganda by functioning as an economic opportunity as well as an outlet for expression.

The story adds personal context, noting that Kyagulanyi is a father of three and a relative of the writer through his mother. It presents his advice to younger creatives as a call to discipline, purpose and service, with the article’s broader message centered on the role of arts in society and the need to professionalize Uganda’s creative industry.