{UAH} Long ago In Aketa, we also had leaders
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By Omara Guevara Ogaram
Long ago In Aketa, we also had leaders
Thirty four years ago, our people lived very peaceful and descent lives. We had cows. We had granaries. We were prosperous. Every end of year, we enjoyed ajon. Everyone had a home. We never worried about school fees. We had the means to support our children. Whenever, there was a problem, we solved it together. Our challenge was the raiders from Karamoja. Even then, it was not a big threat. Our people knew how to contain such aggression.
However, when the raids intensified, we had to take action. See!! The raiders appeared almost every day and were heavily armed. By 1987, they reached as far as Pallisa, Serere and Ngora in unprecedented level. Our cows were raided. Our sisters were raped. Our children were murdered. Our elders were humiliated. We could not sit and watch. We had to contain such aggression. The raiders had to be stopped. We mobilised our boys. We fought the raiders. We fought the regime handlers.
Later, we discovered that war was expensive. Boys were arrested and massacred in army detaches. Villages were plundered. The more we fought, the more our community was sinking into abyss. The regime handlers were strong. The elders resolved that, the best option was to talk with the regime handlers and end the war.
Bishop Ilukor, a highly respected elder travelled from village to village. He convinced our armed people to give up with the fight. Ilukor was well known for his generosity and prophetic words. He mobilized for donations from the white man's land. He was seen everywhere in Teso distributing clothes, farm inputs and food to our people. Later, Haji Okodel also surrendered unconditionally. Haji was instrumental in the armed struggle against raiders and regime handlers in Kumi. Other leaders like Omeda from Serere also surrendered. Iam not sure if Ecweru also surrendered or he was captured. But he was one of our strong leaders in Amuria fighting against injustice and plunder. Some of our leaders continued on the path of war and were killed. For example, Ikuret a Special Forces commander under Obote government was killed in action in Nyero in 1993. Okoboi was also killed in Bukedea. Eregu crossed to Kenya and is missing in action to date.
Then in 1989, even after we had given up the armed struggle, the regime handlers attacked and rounded up our young people in Mukura. Later in that year, 0ver 60 people were roasted alive in a train wagon. By 1990, the regime handlers pushed us to internally displaced camps in Bukedea, Ngora, Kanyum and Mukura. The conditions in the camps were harsh, hard and horrible. Our people died like flies. Our economic livelihood was reduced to zero. Young people dropped out of school. Famine hit us. We were reduced to beggars. Once again, the fearless Bishop Ilukor faced the regime handlers squarely. He demanded that, the camps be disbanded and our cattle be returned. Around that time, something called presidential initiative for Teso was initiated. Our people started quarrelling amongst themselves on who should be key in following our matters with the regime handlers. We lost our unity. Slowly by slowly, greed begun consuming our leaders.
When I met Haji Okodel in Kumi after he had retired from politics, he told me, "My son, our people are like grasshoppers locked in a bottle. We are busy fighting each other instead of finding a way of getting out of the bottle." A few months later, I received a call from him. He wanted me to write about his life as a leader in Teso. He was sick and had been admitted to Mulago hospital. I told him, I was a bit busy but will get time to talk to him. The following week, I got news at 3:00pm, the gallant son of Teso had passed on.
We were saddened by the death of Haji Okodel. By then, Bishop Ilukor had long retired. He was living a humble and private life amongst our people in Bukedea. Ilukor followed our cultural routine. He woke up early every day and spent time in the garden. In the afternoon, he was seen looking after his few cows along Bukedea Kidongole road. One day, I sat next to him during the burial of a legendary Writer Austin Ejiet in Atutur. A local politician was making an inflammatory statement against the bishop. The humble bishop leaned towards me and said, "Okooka itei ijo adeka ngin?" and simply smiled. This politician has never been elected again. As I write, the said politician is politically struggling. Since then, I continued to interact with the bishop on wide range of issues in Teso.
One morning, I received news the good old bishop had been bitten by a snake and had died. Why did he have to die mysteriously? Here was a selfless person. Ilukor had devoted his life to bring unity and peace to our people. We mourned for him for seven market days. Our people travelled from all the four corners of our community to bury the old Bishop in Kumi.
Today, a new breed of leaders is cropping up in Teso. We expected them to pick up from our elders. Alas!! Instead, they have turned themselves into political conduits. They are busy competing amongst themselves for attention from the regime handlers. There common phrase is 'EBALA PAPA". When we remind them that, our people deserve better services, we are called the rotten mushrooms. Incidentally, these new breed of leaders' hands are soiled with corruption, nepotism, greed, avarice and malice. They are drunk with political power contrary to the wishes of our ancestors.
The interests of our forefathers has never been political power. Our forefathers wanted descent lives for our people and not ministerial posts. They wanted our children to have good education and not to be political underwear of political parties. They wanted our farmers to grow their food peacefully and not to receive food donations. They wanted our elders to retire honourably and not to be humiliated in the corridors of public service. The Ilukors, Ikurets and Okodels of Teso made their contribution. They grew up in a community that valued honour, respect and dignity for human life. When the livelihood of their people was threatened, they spoke and fought. Up to their last moment, they never gave up. Who can forget such gallant leaders of Teso? Who?
Omara Ogaram.
--
-- Long ago In Aketa, we also had leaders
Thirty four years ago, our people lived very peaceful and descent lives. We had cows. We had granaries. We were prosperous. Every end of year, we enjoyed ajon. Everyone had a home. We never worried about school fees. We had the means to support our children. Whenever, there was a problem, we solved it together. Our challenge was the raiders from Karamoja. Even then, it was not a big threat. Our people knew how to contain such aggression.
However, when the raids intensified, we had to take action. See!! The raiders appeared almost every day and were heavily armed. By 1987, they reached as far as Pallisa, Serere and Ngora in unprecedented level. Our cows were raided. Our sisters were raped. Our children were murdered. Our elders were humiliated. We could not sit and watch. We had to contain such aggression. The raiders had to be stopped. We mobilised our boys. We fought the raiders. We fought the regime handlers.
Later, we discovered that war was expensive. Boys were arrested and massacred in army detaches. Villages were plundered. The more we fought, the more our community was sinking into abyss. The regime handlers were strong. The elders resolved that, the best option was to talk with the regime handlers and end the war.
Bishop Ilukor, a highly respected elder travelled from village to village. He convinced our armed people to give up with the fight. Ilukor was well known for his generosity and prophetic words. He mobilized for donations from the white man's land. He was seen everywhere in Teso distributing clothes, farm inputs and food to our people. Later, Haji Okodel also surrendered unconditionally. Haji was instrumental in the armed struggle against raiders and regime handlers in Kumi. Other leaders like Omeda from Serere also surrendered. Iam not sure if Ecweru also surrendered or he was captured. But he was one of our strong leaders in Amuria fighting against injustice and plunder. Some of our leaders continued on the path of war and were killed. For example, Ikuret a Special Forces commander under Obote government was killed in action in Nyero in 1993. Okoboi was also killed in Bukedea. Eregu crossed to Kenya and is missing in action to date.
Then in 1989, even after we had given up the armed struggle, the regime handlers attacked and rounded up our young people in Mukura. Later in that year, 0ver 60 people were roasted alive in a train wagon. By 1990, the regime handlers pushed us to internally displaced camps in Bukedea, Ngora, Kanyum and Mukura. The conditions in the camps were harsh, hard and horrible. Our people died like flies. Our economic livelihood was reduced to zero. Young people dropped out of school. Famine hit us. We were reduced to beggars. Once again, the fearless Bishop Ilukor faced the regime handlers squarely. He demanded that, the camps be disbanded and our cattle be returned. Around that time, something called presidential initiative for Teso was initiated. Our people started quarrelling amongst themselves on who should be key in following our matters with the regime handlers. We lost our unity. Slowly by slowly, greed begun consuming our leaders.
When I met Haji Okodel in Kumi after he had retired from politics, he told me, "My son, our people are like grasshoppers locked in a bottle. We are busy fighting each other instead of finding a way of getting out of the bottle." A few months later, I received a call from him. He wanted me to write about his life as a leader in Teso. He was sick and had been admitted to Mulago hospital. I told him, I was a bit busy but will get time to talk to him. The following week, I got news at 3:00pm, the gallant son of Teso had passed on.
We were saddened by the death of Haji Okodel. By then, Bishop Ilukor had long retired. He was living a humble and private life amongst our people in Bukedea. Ilukor followed our cultural routine. He woke up early every day and spent time in the garden. In the afternoon, he was seen looking after his few cows along Bukedea Kidongole road. One day, I sat next to him during the burial of a legendary Writer Austin Ejiet in Atutur. A local politician was making an inflammatory statement against the bishop. The humble bishop leaned towards me and said, "Okooka itei ijo adeka ngin?" and simply smiled. This politician has never been elected again. As I write, the said politician is politically struggling. Since then, I continued to interact with the bishop on wide range of issues in Teso.
One morning, I received news the good old bishop had been bitten by a snake and had died. Why did he have to die mysteriously? Here was a selfless person. Ilukor had devoted his life to bring unity and peace to our people. We mourned for him for seven market days. Our people travelled from all the four corners of our community to bury the old Bishop in Kumi.
Today, a new breed of leaders is cropping up in Teso. We expected them to pick up from our elders. Alas!! Instead, they have turned themselves into political conduits. They are busy competing amongst themselves for attention from the regime handlers. There common phrase is 'EBALA PAPA". When we remind them that, our people deserve better services, we are called the rotten mushrooms. Incidentally, these new breed of leaders' hands are soiled with corruption, nepotism, greed, avarice and malice. They are drunk with political power contrary to the wishes of our ancestors.
The interests of our forefathers has never been political power. Our forefathers wanted descent lives for our people and not ministerial posts. They wanted our children to have good education and not to be political underwear of political parties. They wanted our farmers to grow their food peacefully and not to receive food donations. They wanted our elders to retire honourably and not to be humiliated in the corridors of public service. The Ilukors, Ikurets and Okodels of Teso made their contribution. They grew up in a community that valued honour, respect and dignity for human life. When the livelihood of their people was threatened, they spoke and fought. Up to their last moment, they never gave up. Who can forget such gallant leaders of Teso? Who?
Omara Ogaram.
--
Allaah gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him."And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is Able to do all things." (6:17)
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