TAKEAWAYS

• Winnie Nwagi says she told her daughter she is both her father and mother.
• The singer opened up about the father’s absence and his later attempts to reconnect.
• Nwagi says she allowed her daughter to explore a relationship with her father but objected when he tried to dictate her schooling.

Ugandan songbird Winnie Nwagi has opened up about raising her teenage daughter and why she has always reminded her that she is both her father and mother.

Speaking during a conversation with fellow musician Sheebah Karungi on the Let’s Talk About It podcast, Nwagi said she deliberately chose to be honest with her daughter about the absence of her biological father.

According to the Swans Avenue singer, she did not want her daughter growing up believing that her father would suddenly appear and take responsibility after years of being absent.

Nwagi said she has always told her daughter that she is the one who has played both parental roles in her life.

She also opened up about the difficult relationship with her daughter’s father, whom she said walked away during their struggling days and later attempted to reappear in their daughter’s life.

At one point, Nwagi said, the man showed up around the time their daughter was sitting UNEB examinations, reportedly bringing success cards. The singer viewed the move as an attempt to provoke her, especially given his long absence.

“I always tell my daughter that I am her father and her mother because I don’t want anyone to mislead her.”

Nwagi also revealed that her daughter once went behind her back and began communicating with her father’s brother.

When it was time for her daughter to join secondary school, the teenager told Nwagi that her father wanted to contribute towards her school fees. Nwagi said she did not object, reasoning that perhaps the time had come for her daughter to establish a relationship with her father.

However, she said the situation became complicated when the father attempted to dictate which school the daughter should attend.

Nwagi questioned his authority to make such decisions after years of being absent from the child’s life.

“If you trigger someone, expect the rain to come back to you.”

The singer said she believes people sometimes deliberately provoke others while knowing how they react, only to later blame them for the consequences.