The country’s most celebrated social media star, self-made comedian and singer, William Last KRM, better known as Motsetserepa may seem to have it all. But the jester grew up lacking something so special: the love of a father. This is a blue reality that he knows he can’t joke about, even if his life depended on puns.

William Last KRM had a rock-strewn relationship with his father. Even though he is the one who raised him, or he grew under his care, the two were barely on the same page. This left Motsetserepa shuttered, downhearted and always craving for his father attention, and or love.

“Because of our differences, it was always hard to talk to him about certain personal issues. These are the issues that he needed to hear as my father because its tradition that a young male learns from his father or uncles. I lacked that growing up and it broke me,” said William Last KRM in an exclusive interview this week.

He said this occurred primarily because the father was dead set. He did not, now that the two have buried the hatchet, have an accommodative, friendly face. Living with someone so strict like that, according to William Last KRM, was uncomfortably wrong.

In psychology, strict parents are defined as parents who place high standards and demands on their children. Authorative parents couple high standards with warm and responsive support to their children, and this generally produces the best outcomes in children. Unfortunately, most strict parents are not authorative; they are harsh parents.

Counselor based in Gaborone, Esnaty Obetile, said in an interview that these strict parents normally follow a traditional style that was applied to them especially in a patriarchal style.

“There is only black and white. A child is voiceless because they are minor. Such parenting style undermines the autonomous individuality of the child. The rights of the child are often overlooked thought the true intentionality of the parent is to raise their child in a perfect, flawless way.”

Strict parents have many strict rules and are demanding, do not allow their children to question parental authority and demand that their children adhere blindly to their expectations. Some punish severely for violation of rules and are cold, unresponsive to their children.

Wiliam Last KRM further said he did not talk to his father for almost two years. This breakage had an emotional toll on him, as he started being suicidal and having constant pains, thinking about the father.

In a new song dubbed a Song for Papa, William Last KRM is vocal about this miserable reality. The lyrics of the song can attest to that. He even spoke about how he is living the life, yet his father is racked up in pain.

I’m having suicidal thoughts/ I’m having break downs around 4/ I’m always thinking about my father/ and I wonder if the pain ever going to stop/ I’m living life but my daddy is starved/ Tota my life really messed up/ I remember that we had a fight/ Then you said to me son can you stop/ I wrote this song when I heard that you wasn’t doing well/ I know you always calling trying to borrow money while I’m busy booking hotels/ To think about it/

This is part of the lyrics that the famous jester penned down, telling his relationship with his father. However, the two have since smoked peace pipe and worked on being better persons.

“I reached out to him so we could talk and reconcile, that’s when I came up with this song. The song basically is to appreciate him for the type of person he is and I believe that because no one is perfect, that’s why we had this kind of relationship. I’m forever grateful for this man,” Motsetserepa said.

Always used to take a prayer by my bedside/ Me and pops made peace everything is right/ just give me time soon I’ll make it about you and I/ I swear to God is not a lie/ I’m getting ideas tsa gore I might just die/ I’ve been praying too hard I don’t have time/ I’m really sick haven’t checked up in a while/ Sometimes I just wonder God mara why/

The song features multi award winning poetess, Dr Lame Pusetso, who delivered an exceptional piece of poem. Equally so, the poem gives praises to a father. It acknowledges a father as a supportive structure in all aspects of life.

When quizzed on why she agreed to be a part of this song, Dr Pusetso said “William Last KRM is a great artist. I was so excited about the idea of collaborating with him. It gave me a chance to step out of my comfort zone. But the main reason was the song, dedicating a song in appreciation of his father.”

Poetic Blood, as she is famously known, said her late father contributed immensely to her career as a writer, therefore, it was a good reminder and a nice way of helping someone else appreciate his father by doing exactly what her father had taught her.

She further said absent fathers affects children’s life, something that isn’t felt by mother only. The absence shoots directly to their psychological upbringing and growth.

“They end up looking for their fathers in everyone they come across. If they don’t that, they get disenchanted. Not having much shouldn’t stop a father for being present. The presence itself speaks volume and contributes to the healthy growth of a child. We need to do better now for generations to come,” she said.