When this woman’s wedding photos went viral, everyone couldn’t stop laughing. While she looked very beautiful, her husband, Godfrey Baguma, was the opposite. Many people called him ugly and told the girl she would never be happy with him. But years later, something happened, and no one could believe it.
Everyone loves babies because they are cute and cuddly. In fact, their parents never want to let them out of their sight for a second. When Godfrey Baguma was born, it was the same. His mother loved him so much, and everyone just wanted to spend time with the sweet boy. Unfortunately, when this boy turned 10, something really frightening happened to his face. A growth suddenly appeared on his cheeks. While everyone was hoping the swelling would vanish, something quite petrifying ensued. The tumor-like growth continued to increase in size until it left Godfrey completely disfigured and unrecognizable.
It was during this period that his mother’s love was put to the test, and she failed. She couldn’t understand why her son had to suddenly look the way he did. She now thought he deserved to be hidden in a dark room and never to see the light of day again. So she abandoned him, leaving him to the care of his grandmother. From that moment, Godfrey’s life took a miserable turn. Because of his condition, the young boy was denied certain privileges. He wasn’t allowed to go into crowded places like supermarkets and playgrounds. In fact, other parents sent him away from their children when he tried to play with them.
“I knew I was different because of the way kids stared at me. They would point fingers at me and laugh. Then, as I grew, I started checking the mirrors more frequently until I became scared to even do that,” Godfrey said. But that was only a little of the hardship he had to endure while growing up. Morning and night, Godfrey would lock himself indoors because he didn’t want to hear discouraging words from others. “I was scared to go out and mix with people. People would say I wasn’t a human being, that I looked like a strange creature.” All of these words got to Godfrey, and it was even more painful because he had no friends but an old grandma who couldn’t even stand up for him.
However, by the time Godfrey turned 15, he discovered his passion for shoemaking, and this was the beginning of his success story. “I realized I had to do something for myself. It’s already bad that I looked this way. I didn’t want to be at the mercy of others, so I decided to take on the shoemaking job so I could earn.” Godfrey was so good at this craft that he began making money. Soon enough, he married his first wife, much to everyone’s displeasure. This marriage was beautiful at first, and Godfrey even had two children with this woman. Unfortunately, it ended after she started having an affair with other men.
“I think she let the words of the crowd get to her. They told her she didn’t deserve me. They said I was too ugly for her. When I learned she was with another man, I was heartbroken and couldn’t look into her eyes. Everyone deserves faithful partners regardless of their looks,” Godfrey said. After Godfrey’s failed marriage, everyone felt he deserved it. What was he thinking, that he would have a happily ever after with such looks? They mocked. But something soon happened that made everyone regret their words.
One day, Godfrey was in his shop when two men approached him. They told him they had an event that they wanted him to be the chief guest. At first, Godfrey was hesitant when the men told him about the event. By then, only a few people knew him, so he was certain if he attended the program, his pictures would go viral and he would receive a lot of criticism. These men wanted Godfrey to participate in a contest for the world’s ugliest man. Eventually, after a lot of pondering, Godfrey agreed to attend the event, and that was the single decision that changed his life.
“I was ready for whatever came with this step, but most importantly, I was determined to use it to my advantage. I felt within me it was time to turn my shame into glory,” Godfrey said. These men took Godfrey’s photo in different poses, then he entered into the contest, and guess what? He won. This victory earned him the nickname “Sababi,” which means “the ugliest of all.” Godfrey’s story soon went viral, and his pictures received positive and negative comments. Everyone wanted to see him, so different companies and businesses started organizing events and invited Godfrey to the show just so people could meet him in person. And, of course, they rewarded him handsomely for his presence.
Now that Godfrey was in the spotlight and making a lot of money, those who didn’t associate with him at first deeply regretted their actions. Some even wanted favors from him but couldn’t go to him because of the way they had treated him in the past. Regardless of what anyone thought, Godfrey had more tricks in his hat, and all these made him more successful.
Golden opportunities come once in a lifetime, and Godfrey never let any one of them slide away. Utilizing his local celebrity status, this talented man commenced a career in African pop music. He released various songs that have grasped the attention of his fans. In fact, his music videos on YouTube have garnered millions of views. For instance, his Godfrey Baguma music video for the song “Abigalla Sibabi,” released in 2014, has attracted over 13 million views.
But now that his life has changed for the better, there were still some concerns. Would Godfrey find love again after his first marriage failed? What exactly is the reason for his deformed looks? And would his children also inherit his condition? You’re about to find out all these and more.
Godfrey decided to marry another wife, but friends, family, and even strangers didn’t welcome this idea. Many people mocked him. Hadn’t he learned from his first marriage? She is just going to leave him because no woman would ever love him, they thought. But soon, all these people would chew their words. In 2013, Godfrey married a very beautiful woman named Kate Namanda. Their wedding was colorful, with friends and family present.
Most people thought their union would fail within six months, but it’s been years already, and this duo is still standing tall. Godfrey adores his wife, and Kate would do anything to make her husband happy. Their union has also been blessed with six children. In one interview, Kate said, “Godfrey’s not so handsome on the outside, but he has a good heart. I wish people would see him the way I see him.”
For many years, this man didn’t even know why he became deformed. “Sometimes I feel like it just happened overnight. For many years I didn’t know why my looks changed, but later I decided to think maybe it was all part of God’s design,” Godfrey said. During this period of ignorance, Godfrey was very scared that he would pass his looks onto his children. One of his daughters looked like him, and he even wished she would stop growing. He never wanted a day where he would wake up and notice a strange swelling on any of his children’s faces. “When I look at her, I see a clone of myself. I worry about my children because they are still so little. I am concerned about what would happen to them if I pass away.”
In 2016, Godfrey’s health started to deteriorate. It was at this point that Dr. Tony Wilson and Bara Hospital finally decided to carry out a medical diagnosis of Godfrey. Six weeks after carrying out the MRI scan, Wilson said Godfrey had a rare condition called fibrodysplasia, which affects the growth and placement of cells and body tissues. The good news is with the right treatment and medication, Godfrey’s health can be managed, and even more importantly, his children wouldn’t inherit his condition.
“That day when the doctor told me my children wouldn’t suffer the same fate was my happiest. I’ve never felt so much joy in my life. I felt like I was finally free,” Godfrey said. So what has Godfrey been up to? Unlike before, where he was living from hand to mouth, this man now has a beautiful house and makes a fortune from his music career.
One lesson to be learned from this story is no matter how you look, you can still chase all your dreams without any hindrance. So don’t get down on yourself because you’re having difficulties. Use your flaws to redefine and redirect your life. And remember, your weakness should be the reason you want to succeed. Trust me, you’ll be fine. How did you overcome a challenging situation?
