Aiko (shortened from Ayiko meaning "Happiness" in Lugbara) is the penname of a committed Black Ugandan Artist (blogger, editorial cartoonist, illustrator, logo designer, muralist, sign painter, football writer, translator and video editor). His preferred artmedia is pencil, ballpoint pen and paper plus computer though he also enjoys painting which is more labour intensive. "Tra-digital inktooning" is how he describes his art style.
Thierry Henry at Arsenal drawn by Aiko in Y2K entirely using a blue ballpoint pen only; no pencil nor rubber... |
Born in Jinja (Uganda) on 7th January 1984 to Lugbara parents (Ndezo + Dramani), the name "AikoGraphics" came to him on Sunday 2nd February 2003 while walking back home on Mt. Wati Road (in Arua during Senior 6 Vacation) as though it descended from Heaven into his head. As the second-last sibling, Aiko has one brother (10 years older than him) and five sisters (though never met his 2nd) all of whom influenced him in their own unique ways. Baptised in Bugaddu Church of Uganda (Busaana Subcounty, Kayunga District), Aiko also refers to himself as "Sanyumugulu" and a brand ambassador of Walkswagen™. He speaks mainly Lugbara, English and Luganda but knows basic Lusoga, Swahili, German, French and very little Filipino, Japanese plus Chinese. While on campus, he tried to learn Rukonzo from a hostel neighbour because of his classroom crush until they grew apart; he also sampled Runyankole-Rukiga and Ateso. In March 2022, he test-drew illustrations for an Ac(h)oli book written by an OG from P7 and learnt new words.
Having failed to clinch government sponsorship nor private admission to his dream campus (Makerere University) with 18 points out of 25 in Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE), Aiko almost gave up on school. Nevertheless, his parents who had relocated to Arua convinced him to continue and he allowed the sister he follows to apply for him to Uganda Christian University where she was a sophomore. At UCU Mukono, he focussed on his studies and prayed very hard day and night in 1st Year, 1st Semester until he topped his class with 4.22 GPA alongside Veronica Kitonsa (who got the supplementary Scholars and Friends USA Bursary for Buganda Region while Aiko won the one for the whole of West Nile awarded for his 2nd and 3rd Year worth a total of 1,200 US Dollars; the third recipient in his class was Ronivich Humura from Western Uganda). Aiko worried that he would die by 2nd Year and faced mysterious attacks on his health (including a migraine during his first exams, boil on the head, typhoid, gonorrhea, etc) but thanks GOD he escaped that dark cloud and also experienced his best semesters in terms of performance despite warnings (from scholars ahead) of decline as you approach graduation.
Time Shield (& Colour Circle) by Aiko... |
Twenty21 Tradigital Inking by Aiko, a Ugatoons rendition of Johannes Vermeer's Painting... |
"Now is the time..." - VICTORIA NILE SCHOOL (Motto)
"It's not how hard you pushed along the way; it's having something in you to finish..." - MICHAEL JORDAN
"When you lose, improve..." - PEP GUARDIOLA
"Kampala si bizimbe, naye bantu [Translated from Luganda: Kampala is not buildings, but people]..." - OLUGERO
"Kaka ni ka 'ba sikokori ni indi [Lugbara Translate: Maize ripens for people without teeth too]..." - E'YO O'BEZA
"The Palest Ink is better than the Sharpest Memory..." - CHINESE PROVERB
"Give us today our daily food... Forgive us our sins... Deliver us from Evil..." - LORD'S PRAYER
"Aiiko..." - ROBIN KASINDA, one of his Best Friends from Jinja whom he would visit on some weekends inspired him to use his current moniker in 1997, studied in the same school from 1990-5 (Victoria Nile School), then 1997-2000 (SMACK); only sat in the same stream for one term (1995), his last in Jinja
"Always been talented..." - JOHN KATENDE, his OB from VNS
"Writes like a computer..." - AGNES KIBONE, P6 Classteacher
"A good artist... Showed us how to read... Always Number 1 in class..." - DOROTHY AMURON, Old Girl from Kalinabiri Primary School (1995-6)
"Impressive... Dr. House..." - MAUREEN APIO, OG from Kalinabiri plus UCU
"Headboy..." - DENIS OLUPOT, an Engineer/ EMMA BONGOMIN who taught him Acholi language; both were his fellow Pupils at KPS
"Genius..." - BRIAN SAMULA, OB from Kalinabiri
"Timekeeper..." - ISAAC SSEMAKADDE, Ugandan Lawyer and Old Boy from SMACK
"Artistic acumen..." - Ssalongo ALLAN LWANGA aka Balugu
"High work rate..." - ARSHAD AHMED, whom he acknowledges for reviving his artlife at Macos after dropping out of the Fine Art class and being rejected from joining the Technical Drawing class where he was
"Something else..." - PATRICIA KELLY KOBUSINGYE who asked him to illustrate her book which won 200,000 UgX during the 2001 National Book Week
"Gentleman..." - LYDIA NANYOMBI MUKASA, OG from Advanced Level who was his moral support
"Atelier... Socialist..." - ANDREW MUHIMBISE, OB from Macos
"Good handwriting..." - HELLEN MAYELE, his Favourite Female Presenter on Arua One FM
"Eddie... Kind with words..." - ALICE MBAYAHI, his first Campus crush since Saturday 22nd November 2003 whom he nicknamed "Megabyte" as a standard measurement for romantic love inspired by the first two letters of her surname
"Gigabyte..." - RESIDENTS at UCU Honours College since he called his crush Megabyte
"VIP... Let my GOD crown (him)..." - HELLEN ALUPO, Itesot-Indian halfbreed studying SWASA since 2003 whom he regarded as Miss UCU because of her beauty and J. Lo curves, nicknamed her H. Lo pronounced Hay. Lo (stylised Halo or halo)
"Yasoma [He read]..." - MOSES ALIBHAI
"Substance..." - PAUL AMORU, MP who introduced Aiko to a makeshift flipflop squeegee at UCU
"Hajji..." - JAD JOHNSONS TABULE, his 2nd maternal uncle who made him Editor-in-chief of Kargo Magazine in 2006 which was Aiko's first job after campus
"Should harden heart and start a studio..." - KEVIN AJIDIRU (maternal aunt) in 2010 during the World Cup game between England (1) v Germany (4), so Aiko started his electronic Facebook studio called AikoGraphics
"Painting advertising on walls is his work..." - RICHARD ODA, cousin
"Painter..." - ARFAAN AHMED, brother to Arshad who got him KADS gigs
"Can do it..." - MR. KIKOLOKOMBA, his Last Art Teacher in S5 when he found Aiko painting his first KADS Uganda backdrop six years later
"Awesome..." - JENNIFER HENGSTENBERG in 2007 who paid Aiko his first 1 Million UgX post-graduation after training how to paint for 23 years; Aiko's giant "Kampala Skyline" painting was valued at 5 Million by Xenson (Samson Ssenkaaba), a Ugandan High Art maker whose work he admires
"Senior... (Respect)... Akon..." - EDMUND ASINGWIRE, his Art Manager from St. Michael Royale Hostel (Mukono)
"Ballistic..." - IAN KATEREGGA, one of his Favourite Campus Classmates
"Art..." - BRIAN SEMUJJU aka Don Zamo (singer)
"Clever..." - JOHN SEMAKULA, Newspaper editor and supervisor
"Funny..." - FRANK OBONYO, Journalist
"Boyfriend... Naturally bright..." - EMILY AMPAIRE (MUGYENYI), Campus classmate whose name he found out in 2005 after two years attending the same lectures, he labelled her "galfi" and his remedy for heartwreck
"Kind friend, gentle soul... 36 out of 40 marks..." - ANGELA KIGOZI, who inspired him to start the 55 Foundation
"Sugar... Inner man... Pastor..." - MARIAM NAKAFU
"Wuuuuuuu... My Secret Admirer..." - STELLA MAYOKIA, a Lugbara workmate he fancied in 2010 because of her sassy personality and admirable intelligence, her surname spelled backwards means a lot to him
"Creativity..." - RON PHILLIP BEEHAMYA, one of only two yearmates in three consecutive institutions from Ordinary Level to Campus though left before S4, met again in S5
"Skills..." - MICHAEL MWEHITSYE, his only yearmate from Senior 1 to University but never sat in the same stream
Tumu + Tumi (Ugatoons Family Portrait by Aiko in 2020).. |
"Double Happy-iness..." - MARTHA CHEMUTAI nicknamed Chummy who recommended him to International Alert for a 2008 documentary in Kasese (his immediate first after Maisha Filmlab); he calls her a "Powerpuff Woman"
"Done a lot in documenting Lugbara..." - CHARLES KIRIKIRI BUA
Lili (by Aiko)... |
"Cartoonist..." - LOICE EPETIRU, who recommended him for a comics gig in Nakulabye
"OMG..." - CYNTHIA LETASI, Lugbara Woman he considers very superfly like a pearl since 2001
"Akiri [Lugbara Translate: Skill]..." - STELA
"Neat..." - EUGENIUS, Arua-based artist
"Amazing..." - MAUREEN NANKYA aka Mona, The Office (TV series) director who gave him an assignment that sparked back his mojo like an epiphany while drawing the third portrait of several characters in 2020 and inspired the "Ugatoons" portmanteau
"Mr. Aiko..." - AZAR in Kansanga (KLA City)
"Going to be famous..." - HOPE SARAH MINDRERU, East African Lawyer
"Solid... Lapiz [Pencil]... Concentrates on his computer..." - WANYAMA WANGAH, his Advanced Newswriting lecturer and 1st Supervisor at The Standard (UCU) Newspaper who advised him to use less words in his cartoons
"Bwana... 100 words..." - SAMUEL APEDEL, Lecturer and Sunday Vision Editor who told Aiko to write content for Letters to the Editor after failing to get internship at New Vision in 2005
"No excuses... Smooth operator..." - BEN BELLA ILAKUT, Dean of the Mass Communication faculty at UCU
"Best Cartoonist..." - THOMAS FROESE, German-born Canadian newspaper columnist and author
"Ayiko 'bua..." - DAVID BANDUYO, invited Aiko to Gmail in 2008
"Swagger..." - SHARPE COLE NIMUSIIMA, one of his Favourite Classmates at UCU who inspired him to start blogging, always revised together on the night before the semester's last examination day (alongside Kim)
"My G, still dope..." - JOHN MUCHINA KIMANI
"Pentium processor..." - DANIEL KYAZZE aka Golig Bronze, one of his closest classmates at campus
"Ongo..." - KEN ANDREW LUBEGA, a technician he relies on in Arua
"Dedication..." - JORGE LYNCH, Panamanian procurement consultant who paid him 80 and 100 US Dollars for two different logos
"Nice..." - KRISTOF TITECA, Belgian Lecturer who paid him 25 Euros for an "Arua Boys" portrait/ MAUREEN GUMA KIRUNGI, added the Most Endorsements for Aiko on LinkedIn/ MUSTAFA SUHAIL, led Aiko in reciting the Shahada behind the Makerere University Kampala (MUK) Ivory Tower on MAPA Day 2002 plus sponsored him during his first Ramadan
"Lugbara-locating GPS..." - JOEL OKUYO ATIKU, King of Ugandan Cinema
"(Should) try again... Can do great on the international market... Blessed with talents... GOD wants to take (him) places... A lot of greatness coming (his) way... Champ..." - ALLEN HARRIET GAZARIANO, whom he regards as the Red Princess
"Poet..." - LINDSAY HAMES, mother and believer from Great Bend, Kansas (USA) who inspired him in 2020 to use layers plus brushes while colouring digitally
"Gifted..." - CHRIS CLARK, Ukrainian in America
"If everyone was like him, the world would be a better place..." - DAPHINE, Art student in Lira
"One of the Best Cartoonists I know..." - RACHAEL NAKANWAGI NSAMBA, a woman he considers very stylish in fashion commenting on Patrick "Salvador" Idringi's Facebook post asking his friends to suggest a cartoonist for a certain project (1st September 2020)
"Still got it..." - JOSEPH ALUBA, former schoolmate at Macos
"Draftsman..." - CYNTHIA SHARRON AMANIYO, a Cousin's niece while in Kyebando
"ED... Aiko..." - DOREEN NYAKATO, twin from Kigezi
"Google films... Hard-working Ugandan..." - MARK MUTAHI, hilarious Kenyan playwright
"Hero..." - ANGELA WAMAI, Kenyan filmmaker
"Kaibigan [Friend]... Mentor... Loves Art..." - JOSEPHINE CANONIZADO MUNGCAL, Filipino in the UAE
"Unique art style..." - YUNUS SEBYALA (Animator)
"Creative..." - JOHN STEFFEN
"Man of GOD..." - JOSEPH KATIMBO, Old Boy in Jinja and Mukono
"Artista..." - ALEX TAREMWA
"That artist is a winner..." - OSCAR KEVI
POKO POKO [NEGATIVE CRITICISM/ TRASH OCEAN/ KASASIRO/ GASIA/ JUDGEMENT/ DIRT THROWN ON HIM/ ROTTEN TOMATOES/ JIBES/ ISH-UES/ CRUCIBLE/ DARTS/ DEFAMATION/ SHELLS/ NOISE INTERFERENCE/ GOSSIP]:
Stubbornest Child...
Doesn't know Luganda...
Hypocrite (1994)...
Proud (1996)...
Shy...
Dirty mind...
Did not deserve to be Headboy...
Quiet, stinky mouth...
Psycho...
Escaped from Butabika Mental Hospital...
Bedwetter...
Demon-possessed...
Going to Hell...
Stupid, daft, fake and boring (2001)...
Cassava-stem legs (2002)...
Doesn't know how to draw...
Horny, Casanova, Playboy...
Poor handwriting...
Mad...
Controversial...
Young, naive, baby, has not lived...
Ashames the family when he wears shorts...
Poverty-stricken...
Living in a Shell, reserved...
Slow...
Devil-worshipper, Kibwetere, Pagan, Atheist...
Kony Rebel (2003)...
Just existing and not living...
Wannabe...
Punk...
Shabby...
Everything he wants to give me I'll get from another man, not impressive (2005)...
Red card...
Gigolo...
Ape, monkey, nigga...
Unreliable...
Ugly...
Twakowa [Translated from Luganda: We got tired]...
Tewali ky'amanyi [There is nothing he knows]...
Talina mukisa [He has no favour]...
He has a sugarmummy in Ntinda (2007)...
Starving, hungry...
What will he do with 10 Million?
Disappointing (2008)...
Still living with his parents...
Fired (2009)...
Lonely...
Toyboy...
Lazy...
Lousy (2010)...
Cannot afford a beer...
Coward...
Uncircumcised...
Child-molester, Defiler, Rapist...
Weak...
Sick...
Wife-snatcher...
Will die young...
Shambaboy...
Mufu [Deadbeat]...
Ava Kotido [He's from Kotido], Katala...
Scrub, not in her league...
Pauper...
Destitute, homeless...
Doesn't know what a Swift code is...
No bank account, no NSSF pensions (2011)...
It's like he does not want money...
He imagines things that cannot come true...
Selfish...
Leaves home early and returns late...
Earlyman, no car...
Doesn't even know how to ride a bicycle...
Cannot dig...
Pussy mind to believe Arsenal can beat Chelsea...
Earns money like a girl...
Small small boy...
No customers...
Skinny...
Sleeping, needs to wake up...
Edioti, idiot, wise fool...
Fala, yala...
Jobless, unemployed, bum, where does he work, no job...
Peter Pan...
No game...
Depressed, suicidal...
Uneducated...
Cannot read Lugbara...
Not important in society...
Sende yo [Lugbara Translate: No money]...
Marijuana still in his head...
Amateur (2017)...
Asi onzi [Bad heart]...
Dependant...
Onzoroko [Dirt]...
Knows how to draw but parents are poor...
There's nothing he can teach us...
Weak sperms...
Despicable intelligence...
Always indoors...
Poor skills of art (2018)...
Eddie Bosiko...
Eats at the wrong time, malnourished, poor feeding...
Loser...
Useless man, no importance on Earth...
Wasted school fees...
Learner...
Only knows how to spend money, not make it...
What's wrong with Edward?
Is he really okay?
Does not talk to people...
Ungroomed...
No future...
Spent 20 years in Arua but has no car (2020)...
Cannot make money from home...
Not prepared enough, not ready, (has) not gotten to (his) purpose, too disorganised, not branding work well, in the wrong place, has a wrong team, still in bondage (witchcraft or spirits)...
Nagging...
Needs psycho-social help...
Cursed, should be admitted to a mental institution (2021)...
Sits on his bed all day...
Adds no value to people...
Vulnerable...
No friends...
Needs to interact with the public more...
Irritating way of life...
Inactive...
Always told what to do...
Has no lover...
If you bring him a wife, he will run away...
No game...
Senior slut...
Fasts food every week and starves for nothing... (2022)
Musiru [Ignorant]...
Low life...
Where is the money? He should become a bodaboda rider...
Doesn't know paints...
Registers people into Illuminati...
His mother gave birth to a girl not a boy...
Smelly bedroom...
Connects people to sugarmummies...
Poor, should become a Station Presenter...
Doesn't know how to paint...
Not funny anymore...
CAVEAT EMPTOR (MENTAL NOISE CONTROL (ANTI-PHASE)/ MINDSHIFTING/ DEPRESSION IS A CHOICE/ THE ROAD TO EMMAUS): Only GOD the Creator alone is holy, holy, holy and worthy of worship; hallowed be HIS name, yesterday, now and forever ever, forever ever, forever ever, amen!
"Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have taken my instruction to heart: do not fear the reproach of mere mortals or be terrified by their insults..." - ISAIAH 51:7
Worship GOD!