Ssali, aka Bebe Cool
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Ugandan musician Bebe Cool and media personality Douglas Lwanga have publicly defended Baba TV’s decision to hire Pretty Nicole, a young social media influencer who dropped out of school, as a television presenter.
The move sparked controversy online, with some critics questioning why a school dropout would be given such an opportunity over formally trained journalists. However, both Bebe Cool and Douglas Lwanga argued that skills and talent matter more than formal qualifications in today’s media landscape.
“Ugandans should be happy that a poor girl’s life is going to change,” Bebe Cool said, adding: “We should appreciate Baba TV for giving Pretty Nicole a chance to earn money authentically. She now has work and can stop relying on bad publicity or scandals to survive.”
Bebe Cool also highlighted Pretty Nicole’s difficult past, including viral videos and public scrutiny, which forced her to seek unconventional means to make a living.
Pretty Nicole
Douglas Lwanga echoed similar sentiments, pointing at the evolving nature of the media industry. “The sad reality is that the media space, like most jobs today, is more about what you can do than what you studied,” Lwanga stated.
He added that with social media and technology, the key question is: “How many eyeballs do you bring to the media channel?’ not ‘What degree do you hold?’”
Both figures stressed that opportunities like this provide young talent with a platform to develop skills, earn a living, and contribute positively to the industry.
Pretty Nicole is set to leverages her online popularity into a more sustainable career, since talent and determination can sometimes open doors where traditional qualifications cannot.
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