Burundian Kenyan singer Kidum has learned invaluable lessons from his life experiences. Remarkably, he tasted alcohol for the first time at 40 years old.
In an interview with Dr. Ofweneke on "Lessons @30," Kidum shared that this happened in 2014. "I was afraid of alcohol; seeing how it has destroyed families, I just hated it," he said.
Kidum's fear of alcohol stemmed from his father's struggles with alcoholism, which led to frequent accidents. "He was always in the hospital, losing his teeth. It made me despise alcohol," he explained.
When he finally decided to drink at 40, he felt confident in his ability to handle it. "I realized it couldn't do anything to me. I can control it now. I drink just for fun," he said.
Kidum has had two failed marriages and is now married for the third time. He has seven biological children.
"Don't call it a first marriage. We had children. You see how I look? Even now, I could still attract women, but I won't because I'm committed to Christina. I had my first child while still in school. My oldest son is 30 now—he's like Schwarzenegger, a real terminator. Kidum, the high priest," he joked.
Reflecting on his marriages, Kidum shared, "I met a Congolese woman here while I was a refugee, then another one. That's three. Then I got involved with a Burundian—it was a movie, drama, you know, those who love drama."
He attributes his tumultuous relationships to the lack of a father figure in his life, though he has no regrets about his experiences with multiple wives.
Kidum has also adopted an 8th child. "I lost my dad early, so I missed out on guidance. I was alone in a foreign land. Don't lie to people that you love them if you don't. If you don't love, don't commit," he advised.
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