TONY OTOA : A Journey Forged in Hustle, Humility, and Mentorship
Like Dr. Milton Obote before him, Tony Otoa’s leadership spirit got him into trouble early. He was expelled from Busoga College Mwiri during his S.6 for leading a student strike. Known as a vocal and fearless student leader, he often found himself at odds with authority. Yet, on grounds of clemency, he was allowed to sit for his UACE exams in 1998—reporting from home under police escort.
During his S.6 vacation, Tony took on menial jobs to make ends meet. One of those jobs was working as a truck turnboy, ferrying fish from Masese to Mbale and other towns. This hands-on exposure to business and cash flow at just 20 years old altered his perception of life. With money in his pocket, he decided against joining university, reasoning that he was earning more than the average vacist at the time.
It was in this grind that opportunity came knocking.
After capturing footage of a UPC protest outside Uganda House, Tony landed a freelance gig with Daily Monitor. It was his first real step into the world of journalism, and it paid off. His confidence, charisma, and communication skills propelled him to become Secretary General of the Press Journalists in Parliament—a role he held for two years.
But Tony wanted more. Yearning for change and a better future, he moved to the UK, hosted by his aunt. There, he started from scratch—first washing cars, then working as a dishwasher in a restaurant. The money was modest, but he saved every coin with a bigger plan in mind: education.
After six years of blue-collar work, in 2006 he applied and was accepted to several UK universities—Middlesex, Greenwich, and Oxford Brookes. He chose Oxford Brookes and pursued a Bachelor’s in International Relations. He graduated in three years and went on to complete an LLM in International Law from the same university.
Spoiler alert: He had no scholarship. Tony worked up to three jobs simultaneously to pay his tuition and living expenses. His routine was grueling:
9 AM – 2 PM: Classes
3 PM – 9 PM: Cashier at a betting center
9 PM – 2 AM: Waiter at a restaurant
3 AM – 5 AM: Post office shift
5 AM – 8 AM: Sleep, then back to class
He carefully rotated his weekly schedule to allow at least one day off per job, but for three years, that cycle was his reality. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was honest—and it got the job done.
This story is a sharp contrast to what we see among many young people today. There’s a growing generation that carries, for lack of a better word, a lousy sense of self-importance—dismissing hard work under the guise of “pedigree.” But being self-important and broke is a painful combination. You can’t eat pride. You can’t pay bills with entitlement. Money is money—whether it comes from a carwash or a statehouse. The customer at the uptown restaurant doesn’t care where your money came from. To them, it’s all the same.
When Tony returned to Uganda in 2009, he initially turned to farming. But after a loss of nearly $10,000, he pivoted again and founded Great Lakes Public Affairs, a consultancy that provided research and advisory services for companies entering Uganda’s oil and gas sector.
It was during this time that Tony met Dr. Eli Karuhanga, one of the godfathers of Uganda’s oil and gas industry—and a man who would become his mentor.
In Tony’s own words, “Dr. Elly Karuhanga gave me visibility, exposure, and opened doors for me.” He made sure Tony would emcee most of the industry engagements he spoke at—a move that not only amplified Tony’s public profile but also helped him refine the communication skills he first honed as a young journalist.
Mario Puzo once wrote, “Italians have a little joke: the world is so hard, a man must have two fathers to look after him. That’s why they have godfathers.”
The Bible has a similar principle. Paul the Apostle calls it “being a partaker of a man’s grace.” Whether you call them mentors, godfathers, or sponsors, they are people who leverage their own influence and credibility to keep you in the game.
But here’s the truth: mentorship isn’t a one-way street. It’s not just about receiving. As a mentee, you must give something back—whether it’s loyalty, effort, gifts, time, or gratitude. It may seem small, but it matters.Tony Otoa’s story is not just one of hustle and survival.
It’s one of humility, adaptability, and a deep appreciation for opportunity. It’s a reminder that while talent opens doors, character, consistency, and work ethic keep you in the room.
