31 Mar 2016

Lekgotla Radikara, known as WaSekai in the music industry, has dared to find his purpose in life. 

The 28-year-old Ramotswa man believed that there was more to his life than being just a design and technology teacher.

His love for Rhythm and Blues (R&B) led him to a My Star audition in 2010. 

The audition was one of his most terrifying life experiences, as he got to perform in front of an audience for the first time.

Due to nervousness and lack of experience, he did not make it past the audition stage. 

The experience motivated him to try something new.

He started scribbling down rhymes in both Setswana and English and recited the work publicly.

He then Christened himself WaSekai because he wanted to inspire the youth. 

He says he could only do that by being exemplary, which is the essence of the meaning of his stage name.

 He spent most of 2010 writing, recording and presenting his work to audiences.

In 2011, he finally caught the public’s attention. WaSekai is the grandson to the village’s famous poet, Dithobane Motsumi. 

He is WaSekai’s favourite poet along with Ntirelang Berman, who happens to be his mentor and South Africa’s KeYa Mmoki.

All the men have two things in common; their work is in their mother tongue and based mostly on culture and life lessons.

 The year 2012 was WaSekai’s most stressful as he struggled to secure funding for the release of his long awaited album. 

He was an unemployed fresh graduate then. 

WaSekai says he wants to change people’s lives through music. 

Juggling music and teaching design and technology at Boswelakgosi Junior Secondary School in Manyana was a challenge WaSekai encountered in 2013. 

He had six classes to teach and was the only teacher in the department.

He says his music suffered as he focused more on his students than writing music. 

He also focused on helping some underprivileged students. He started a group called Youth of Great Adoration (YOGA) with students at the school. 

The group gave motivational talks to help build the confidence of other students and raise funds to donate to their underprivileged peers.

Wasekai is also part of a group of artists that have formed Music for Charity. 

The group organises concerts and donates proceeds to the less privileged. 

The young man says he wishes to start a charitable foundation.

He has performed in various shows locally and in South Africa. ENDS