Gospel singer Coopy Bly has opened up about how his dreadlocks allegedly cost him a job opportunity despite his impressive academic qualifications, including a PhD.

Reflecting on his experience, the singer criticised what he described as society’s shallow approach to judging people based on their physical appearance rather than their abilities, qualifications and potential contribution.

He argued that in Uganda, a job applicant with dreadlocks could easily be overlooked in favour of someone without them, even if the latter has inferior academic qualifications.

We look on the shallow end of life. If I went for a job opportunity here in Uganda with my dreadlocks and I have a PhD plus a doctorate, and there comes somebody who doesn’t have dreadlocks, very smartly dressed, and they have never even been to school, this person will give the other person the job and leave me out.

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Coopy Bly believes employers should look beyond appearances and focus on what an individual brings to the table, arguing that someone’s skills, knowledge and potential contribution should carry more weight than their hairstyle or outward presentation.