Lifestyle
Sheebah Officially Receives ODA Award Won in Addis Ababa
KAMPALA – Ugandan music star Sheebah Karungi has officially received the Outstanding Artistry and Cultural Influence Award from the ODA Awards, months after the honour was accepted on her behalf during the 9th ODA Awards ceremony in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The award was formally presented by Ambassador Charles Ssentongo, Uganda’s Chief of Protocol, on behalf of the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that the ceremony marked the official handover of an award that had already been conferred upon Sheebah at the continental event. The accolade was initially received on her behalf by Uganda’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ambassador Rebecca Amuge Otengo, during the 9th ODA Awards in Addis Ababa.
The Embassy of Uganda in Addis Ababa welcomed the official presentation, noting that the recognition reflects the growing role of Uganda’s creative industries in strengthening African integration, promoting cultural diplomacy, and advancing Uganda’s image and partnerships across the continent.
Sheebah was recognised for her outstanding artistry and contribution to projecting Uganda’s cultural identity across Africa and beyond through her music and influence.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said culture remains a strategic pillar of Uganda’s foreign policy, advancing people-to-people relations, economic diplomacy, tourism, trade and investment, while strengthening Africa’s shared heritage.
One of Uganda’s most accomplished contemporary musicians, Sheebah has built a successful career spanning music, entertainment and entrepreneurship. Her discography includes the Ice Cream EP (2014) and the studio albums Nkwatako (2016), Karma Queen (2017) and Samali (2020), featuring hit songs such as Ice Cream, Nkwatako, Twesana, John Rambo, Weekend, Automatic, Mummy Wange, Enyanda and Ninda. She is widely regarded as one of Uganda’s leading cultural ambassadors, using her music to showcase the country’s creative talent across Africa and internationally.
