Renowned Ugandan songwriter Yesse Oman Rafiki has opened up about long-circulating claims of unusual spiritual practices in the music industry, revealing that he once faced direct pressure to join secret cults during a difficult point in his career.

Yesse, known for writing some of Uganda’s biggest hits and occasionally performing his own music, says the experience happened when he was struggling to gain stability as an artist. He began receiving strange phone calls from people urging him to join spiritual groups that claimed they could offer him fame, influence, and success.

“There was a time the pressure in the industry became too much,” he recalls. “They kept calling me, telling me what I had to do. But I found peace under God’s grace. I strengthened myself in prayer.”

He acknowledges that rumours about musicians seeking supernatural powers, some allegedly through underwater rituals, have circulated for years and are sometimes rooted in real experiences.

“It is true people go underwater looking for extraordinary powers,” he says. “They want fame, they want influence. But they forget there is real power in prayer. In calling the name of Jesus and asking Him to guide you.”

To remain spiritually grounded, Yesse says he and several fellow artists have formed prayer circles of 40 to 50 members who meet to pray, share scripture, and support each other.

“We do this because even those who depend on dark practices are not resting,” he explains. “So we also have to stay spiritually strong. I pray, I fast, and I read the Bible a lot. The journey hasn’t been easy, but that is how I keep moving.”

Yesse’s revelations offer a rare glimpse into the inner struggles some artists face behind the glamour of the entertainment world, reminding fans that the pursuit of stardom often comes with unseen personal battles.

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