In 2016, Okotp'Bitek's "Song of Lawino", marked 50 years since it was first published. The enigmatic and controversial publication by Okot is still relevant and influential today as it was 50 years ago. In the present paper, we consider "Song of Lawino" not just as demarcating the role of ideology in the manner poetry is composed and appreciated in East Africa but also as being an important model to successive poets from the region. We seek to examine how various East African poets have been influenced by Okot's legacy; how they have variously adapted the "song model" to their contexts and poetic visions. Thus, we examine Okot's influence at two main levels: ideological and aesthetic. Under these, we shall concern ourselves with two main questions: What is the interplay between Okot's original ideology and those of his poetic proteges? To what extent are the linguistic choices within the song spirit helping to grow unique aesthetics in East African poetry?