You can be a good musician without using drugs-Fr Opio

By Bonny Otim Ogwal (bonny.otim@vol.co.ug)

Lira City

The Chancellor of Lira Catholic Diocese also the rector of Uganda Martyrs Cathedral, Fr Emmanuel Opio has said artists and musicians can create meaningful impact and touch lives of many people without necessarily intoxicating themselves and using drugs.

According to Fr. Opio, many musicians think they can only nurture their talents well and become celebrated artists when they use drugs, plate their hairs and wear chains which he says is a myth and bad belief.

In his homily, during the requiem service for the fallen northern Uganda RnB singer Bernard Paul Munu aka Beepee at Uganda Martyrs Cathedral Church Lira City, Fr Opio asked musicians to always be sober because drug misuse can cause mental illness.

Fr. Opio says Beepee was a very decent man, lived a humble life, had a family and even though he was a popular musician, he never plated his hair like his fellow artists.

“Beepee was a very descent young man, never plated his hair, studied and graduated with a degree but still he used his talent to inspire many people”

He challenged artists to create time for God and attend prayers because God never forgets about his children and we should also never forget about him.

“We should pray at this time especially at this time that many people do not want to pray”

The priest also challenged people whom God has gifted them with different talents to use it to influence the lives of the people positively not negatively.

Fr Opio asked parents to mentor and nurture their children with proper values.

The chairperson of the chapel pastoral council also a lira based businessman Christopher Dao Aweki says the biggest cause of death for many people is stress. He says people should learn to manage things that cause stress to them.

Ronald Apunyu, Beepee’s brother said the singer lived a humble and simple life.

Maros Atine, who spoke on behalf of the artists says people should never procrastinate the time for doing good to people like the way Beepee did.

Beepee succumbed to head injuries at Lira Regional Referral Hospital following an accident he got about 3Kilomoters on Lira-Kampala road on Thursday last week.

He is survived by a wife Irene Munu and one child Annabel.

He will be burried at Inget,Okwalongween, Dokolo District on Saturday.