*SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO: Hon Can. John Asiki Yumaa*
"A man who would never give up on himself, belief, resolve and ambitions"
Brief Family History of Origin
The Etoko clan is one of the clans that have lived and survived great tribulations for centuries. Their Great grand father was YEKI, who gave birth to JAKI, who gave birth to DROMBU. Etoko like Mali were considered the smallest clans or ( Amunip) but there were bigger clans (AREI). The Great Father of Etoko is AYIBA, who was buried alive by the Arei people, who were encouraged or engineered by Amaripi people. The Etoko then left the area after the killing of AYIBA and settled in DRANYA in Koboko. After this tragic incident one of the sons from Arei (Amaripi) went to look for a wife in Buramali. There was a furious fighting between on whom he wanted to take revenge. The Etoko people who had fled, came back from Dranya through Congo to fight alongside their relatives the Amaripi, and they defeated the Buramali, in this fight Etoko proved stronger. After this successful victory the Etoko and Amaripi sat down and eventually made peace, where they agreed and came back home. And since then they have stayed together as brothers though sometimes engage in fights, but the Etoko have since then remained stronger and bigger in number.
ASIKI YUMAA LINEAGE
His Great, Great, Grand Father was TAA, who married from LIKO in Buramali, and the wife was called AYI. AYI's other son was ADIRA.
TAA and AYI gave birth to EJIGO, who married a wife called ONYARV from Okapi in Congo. They gave birth to ASIKI DEBO and OJAA ( OJIGA) - John Asiki Yumaa's grand father. Ejigo the only son of TAA went to live with his maternal uncle in Bivaandra and died from there. This was because the Etoko people never liked Jim because he was alone without brothers and was therefore buried in Bivaandra. AYI was left in Etoko, with the wife of EJIGO and their children, and one day when she had gone to the garden with the children a daughter, together with Asiki Debo and Ojaa (Ojiga), same slave traders happened to be looking for young children to take with them. When she heard, she hide the children in the garden under hips of soil, covered with grass. The slave traders asked her what she had hidden in the garden, claiming they had seen it with the binoculars. They then opened the dry grass and discovered the children, they took the boys and left the girl behind. The concubine of the chief of Gulumbi in Sudan, who was in company of slave traders took the children with her, since she could not give birth.
The boys were put on donkeys and AYI was left crying for her grandchildren, she relocated to NYALA, her grandmother's clan. The two boys were taken over by the concubine as the chief's children, and one day when colonialists were having a tour of the territory, they happened to met OJIGA at the chief's home, a very handsome boy and they took him to ONDURMAN near Khartoum as a house help.
Asiki Debo was left with the Bangale chief and his concubine where he grew up from. The colonialists started the program of recruiting Africans into the army for World War I, and Asiki heard about it, he asked the chief for permission to join but was however refused, as he never wanted him to die in the army. Asiki secretly joined the army, where he excelled and was promoted to the rank of Sergent along the whites. But one day his uncle who was in the army misbehaved and Asiki was made to punish him. He put him a small cell, rolled him over as well as beatings without food as a punishment. During the night time his uncle began to sing OKAPI clan from Congo songs of sorrow. Asiki then remembered one of the songs which his mother used to sing, yet now his uncle was the one singing the same song. He removed his uncle uncle from the cell and asked him where he was coming from. He told him he was from Okapi, and Asiki remembered that his mother used to say she was Okapi.
They planned together and left Sudan to Okapi, where Asiki was introduced to the Okapi people and asked them to led him to where his mother was married ( Etoko). He was introduced as EJIGO's son who had earlier been taken by the slave traders to Sudan. The clan leader of Etoko, called E'yaa (saava's father) was so excited with tears of joy. He slaughtered a bull to celebrate the return of Asiki. Both Asiki and his uncle returned to Sudan, and he decided to look for his brother OJIGA from OMDURMAN and told him all the stories of him discovering their roots in Uganda. During another holiday, he took with him his brother OJIGA back to Etoko. OJIGA settled back and became one of their leaders. Asiki went back to Sudan working in the army where he had been given two wives from Aringa (Kuluba) called Betty, and another called Apaa Drakaru from Turupa in Koboko. When World War I was over Asiki went back to Bangale and got his wife in Gulumbi. He decided to go back home, the Bangale organized able bodied men from Sudan who escorted him back to Uganda. They left him in Koboko with chief Kenyi, who ensured Sudanese return home and organized the Kakuya people ( strong men) to escort Asiki with his wives and property to ALIJA, chief of Maracha.
He settled with ALIJA in AYIKO ( Nyadri) and built houses where his wives stayed. He began business in ornaments- earings, bangles, beads, and his capital increased and he began to buy cows. Chief ALIJA also joined him in business and gave him his capital, they continued to get things from Sudan, bought many more cows. As they ran out of grazing land, Asiki asked his Chief to allow him move to another place. He later settled between Etoko and Buramali and stayed there with many cows, built houses and became wealthy. He later married ENIKI from Machv clan in Congo near River Avi, he later organized a funeral service for his late parents EJIGO and ONYARU.
Asiki gave birth to Luchia (Aaa) Driciru, Samuel Nyakun from Ezatiru, Rakeli Odou, John Yumaa, Silas Adrabo, Olevu, Rebecca, Abiriga Stephen, Ejovu, Esteri, Dratee and Suzana.
OJIGA THE HERO
When he was in Etoko, a clan called Nyatika killed one policeman with a spear. The chief sent the information to Arua and many policemen were brought to Nyatika and started killing and burning houses of Nyatika, Dumani, Wudu, Paranga and they went on heading to Etoko. OJIGA got the information about the destruction of villages and got a white handkerchief tied it on a long pole and ran towards the police leader. The police commander asked his men not to shoot him and he was asked what he wanted. He pleaded with the commander that his people are not the ones who killed the policeman, and he was asked to name those who never killed the policeman, he told them that Paranga, Gudu, Nyaala, Odravu, Etoko and Kitri were not involved, and the colonialists made him Chief. The government divided the clans into Paranga and Etoko. OJIGA was made Chief of Etoko and Sopaa was then made Chief of Paranga, whose son called Wilson Agoo married Rakeli. OJIGA married many women- Cukvu from Omiba who gave birth to Etoma.
ASIKI'S FAMILY
Ludia was married in Guddu to Saul a preacher,
His first born son Samuel Nyakuni was educated as a vanecular teacher at Paranga primary school. John Yumaa and Advabo Silas were just cattle keepers and the girls got married.
TURNING POINT
One day while looking after cows, a one preacher called Yekoma Amandu from Wandi in Terego, but preaching at Paranga Church, met the boys playing on amboroko in Etoko near their home. He called them together and began to to preach to them.
He asked them whether they know about school, they said that they have never known it. He told them that the school is where someone goes to read and write. They had never attended school, he advised them to go to school, so that in future they can work for government. This disturbed the young boys and they decided to go to school the next morning at Paranga primary school, and those who had enrolled earlierin school like Amos , Asea, Grism, Yele, Aguoke etc knew low to read and write. They were asked to teach the new ones. Amos Asea was to teach John Yumaa.
BROTHER SACRIFICES FOR JOHN YUMAA
The parents of these boys refused to allow them to be in school as the animals had no one to attend to them. But Silas accepted to go back and look after animals as his brother Yumaa stayed at shool to learn how to read and write.
His elder Brother Samuel Nyakuni a vernacular teacher at Paranga Primary School, always described John as a clever but lazy boy. So one time he put hard questions for him to decide to if to be in school or go back to look after animals, while Silas comes back to school, he chose to remain in school but caused for being lazy and stubborn as he was always disappearing from school and home to go to maternal uncles. After the beatings he proved a serious boy and always on top of his class.
FROM A VILLAGE SCHOOL TO ARUA
After performing well, he was taken to Arua in Mvara in primary three from Paranga, and started living with the late Erinayo Kule who was a clerk in Bwana Vola's office. He had many children brought from Paranga and Etoko learning in Mvara and staying with him. They always had the challenge of food, and being a clever boy from Etoko, Ayub Geria, a son of Esaya who was having in a small hut built for him for studies in Maracha quarters could always call him for food.
CHANGING OF PLACES AND SCHOOL
Ludia an elder sister of John Yumaa, married to a church teacher working at Are (near Oriajini) in Terego about 7kms from Mvara, decided to take him to live there while attending school in Mvara. He did this upto mid P.5 when a new school was started in Chilva near river Enyau in Aiivu s/c for children who could not go to Mvara.
Ludia was then transferred to Akua-Katrini C.O.U which was again 4kms from Chilva primary school, where he did P 5 and P 6 and sat for national examinations and topped his class in performance.
BUDO OPPORTUNITY BLOCKED
Owing to his good performance in national exams, the head teacher at Chilva Mr Samson Kolea from Wandi, offered to pay for his Junior Secondary School in Budo, but Mrs Loid who had just opened a new secondary school in Mvara stopped him from going to Budo, but to join Mvara Junior and in 1948 he joined Arua Junior Secondary School, Mvara
After continued excelling in school, Mrs Loid and Bwana vola decided to take him to teacher's training school of Buwalasi in Mbale, other than going to higher secondary, yet Sir Samuel Baker had admitted him. They wanted him to come back and teach with Mrs Loid in Mvara. By the end of his course as the best student he was sent back to teach with Mrs Lod in Mvara. And after four years of teaching in Mvara Junior, he requested to be allowed to go for upgrading in Kyambogo to grade III Teacher, to train as a secondary teacher in Uganda. He was refused to go and as events unfolded, Mrs Loid had to leave for Britian, leaving behind Bwana vola who got Benet to act as a headteacher. This worked for John, who privately asked Benet for permission to go upgrading, exams and without consulting Benet accepted, but later rebuked by Bwana vola for fear of asking their best teacher. He had little time to prepare unlike his colleagues and in 1954 he sat the exams with his other two colleagues but the only who passed. Aluma from Moyo District was the second with John to be admitted to Kyambogo.
CHANGE OF COURSE
While in Kyambogo, one Mr Glive the Director of Education by then decided to take same students including John to BUKALASA Agricultural College to train as a tutor for Agriculture to also train primary school teachers. John topped the selected students and were admitted to train for one year as agriculture tutors. At the end of the course he was ready to go to Arua T.T.C, but Bwana Vola again sent him to Nyangilia S.S as the head teacher
BOYCOTTING CLASSES
There was a day, when he had brought school fees to Mvara from Nyangilia, the Clerk to Bwana Vola's office a one Simeo Osoa told him of the letter for him to go for further studies in America, which was also blocked. He decided to boycott teaching for 3 month and was only counseled by late Erinayo Kule, Rev.Silas Adroa, Elikana, Yoana Ewa and Yosam Orindri to go back to class. He was paid his full 3 month pay and posted to Ringili Technical School. But Ringili had a lot of issues as the white man head teacher nicknamed "ABURUCAKO" was hard to work with, mistreating children and not giving then food. He was again transferred to start Arua Demonstration, a Junior Secondary where he taught for three more years.
LIFE LINE BY CHIIEF MINISTER BEN KIWANUKA
As Uganda was preparing for her independence, Benedicto Kiwanuka as Chief Minister announced that government had an opportunity and wanted for 300 Ugandans to apply for higher studies abroad to prepare them for takeover after Independence. Again BwanVola had refused to endorse his forms, simply because John had mobilized fellow teachers and piped water had been connected to teacher's houses, something BwanaVola thought was not good for Africans. This had happened after the teachers striked earlier in 1961. But Bwana Volas assistant Guard Dribia from Logiri – Anyavu) rebuked for always blocking people, he there and then endorsed the forms for John to go for interviews.
This was also after a letter to BwanaVola about the need to tell church about his behaviors. Benedicto Kiwanuka had revised the teacher's salary, so John got 700 shillings in arrears of which he used 200 shillings which he used to book a air ticket from Arua to Kampala, where he landed at Kololo Air strip. The balance he used it to buy a bicycle. He spent the night with late Minyani Wilson, who received him.
The interview panel was chaired by the late Prof Yusuf Lule honored president who asked him what he wanted to study, of which he said BIOLOGY and insisted on it. With support from P/S Grey a provincial education office bared in Gulu. He was told after some time that he had passed the interview, the only person to be told so about his result. He traveled back to Arua using a bus train and steamer (Kampala – Namasagali by strain, Namasagali Masindi port by steamer, Masindi port – to Butiaba by Big trailers. Butiaba to Pakwach by steamer) and Pakwach to Rhino-camp by steamer and where he boarded a lorry to Arua. After a fortnight, he was informed he was going to UK picked his ticket from the education office and flow to UK in September of 1962, where he was oriented by British Council and taken by train to Worcester University college of Birmingham. He studied intensive Biology for three academic year and got a certificate and was flown back to Uganda in June 1964. He was Mr. R.B Gilma had secured for him a place for further studies in Ontario University in Canada, but because of family problems had to return. He was posted by Ministry of Education to Arua Teachers College as Head of Science Department from 1964-1967.
THE DRAMATIC 1970S
After the over throw of Obote's government there were many dramatic events.
1972- During the explusion of Indians, those in Arua who had started Arua public secondary school –(Joshi, Kaba and the school headmaster) reached out to him to take over the school, they handed him with all the school documents, requesting him not to allow it collapse. He became the proprietor of Arua Public Secondary School, But teachers and students had left the school, except only three African students. He embarked on the recruitment drive for teachers and students. He recruited a graduate headteacher called Nyalvo Raul an Alur by tribe. He surprised the school, while working at Arua T.T.C.
In 1976 the government took over all private secondary school by force. He was removed from Arua T.T.C to become the first head teacher of Arua Public S.S as government. He recruited trained teachers to replace those who were not trained.
In 1973 he happened to have gotten himself a printing press business as government was giving out Indian businesses on Ben Kiwanuka Street called NYAJIA Printing Press next to cooper motors. He asked for leave of absence to reorganise his business for one year, which was granted by Ministry of Education.
The late Lt Col. Micheal Ondoga was allocated a big factory (soap. Cooking oil, maize floor, candles) in Kampala, but an ambassador to Russia. He requested John to run it for him. It was called ANGURUMA Soap factory. He worked there until 1974 when Ondoga was assassinated by the government. He was killed after BBC run a story praising Lt.Col. Ondoga as a suitable person to replace president Amin. He was dismissed and later closed out of the government house. He shifted to Yusuf Lule, but one day as he was dropping his children to Nakasero Primary was forceful switched from his car and disappeared. When news of brutal killing spread the president alleged that John and the Ondoga's young brother had killed him in an announcement on radio over business. Which wasnt true. After pressure from Russia and UK on Amin to produce his body, the news changed that Amins external enemies had killed Ondoga to tarnish his government.
Many people including the late Brig Wilson Toko who was in Nairobi refused to pick the body , late Drarima Simeiwa also refused. John Yumaa was accompanied by simei Osoa and Tom Buruko to pick the body from Jinja with IGP Luke Ofumbi, the body in Jinja had decomposed with Margots, covered in torn blanket and put in a bad coffin. They failed to recongize the body, but was assured by the doctor that he was the one. He attempted to open the mouth of Ondoga to see his broken upper teeth but never saw it. Back all this time State Research Bureau operatives were following them from Kampala to Jinja. It was the minister of state in the President's office Mr. Shekanabo who reported to Amin about John's refusal to take the body.
John didn't attend the burial as Ondoga's relatives were uncomfortable with him after the first announcement, and after two days he ran away from Mvara (Arua) to his village in Etoko, driven by his close friend Mr Oromcan, the then principal of Arua TTC at 1:00am. The operatives of State Research Bureau trailed him to the village as one Odria Philimona of Mvara had taken them there, the people closed them with bows and arrows asking them what and their son (John) take from government. He came out and told the agents to go and tell Amin to find him in his village
1974. Wilson Drate a tutor requested the principal to bring back John to Arua TTC to secretly teach the students. It was Fr.Solcier who drove the lorry to get him and taught for one year.
1975 Amin was diverted after rebels from Tanzania attacked, Uganda, he invaded kagera-destroy a sugar factory looted property, and this forced president Nyerere to start organizing forces that over throw Amins government.
CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT
In 1979 The combined forces of Tanzania Army and Ugandans overthrew the government of Amin. Yusuf Lule become President, but was removed within days. Godfrey Binasa who also took over from him but was also removed after a short period.
And in 1980- Paul Mawanga took change as chairman of military commission assisted by Yoweri Museveni and Tito Okello as Army commander, tasked to organized 1980 elections. The elections were to be held under multiparty that was UPC, DP and UPM . Dr Milton Obote become President, and UPM was disgruntled and took to the bush, alleging that elections were rigged.
JOINING PARLIAMENT
After the 1979 war most of the people in West Nile had ran to exile in DRC (Zaire) as of them. There was a decision that had to be taken on election in west Nile either to participate in the near future after the war. Paul muwanga, Yoweri Museveni and Tito Okello decided the people of West Nile shouldn't be left behind, and had to participate in the elections of 1980.
UPC, DP and UPM started mobilizing their supporters and candidates where chosen by each party. UPC and DP had candidates, but UPM failed to field any candidate in the constituencies. Central (Ayivu and Vurra party), South (Madi Okollo and Vurra),North (Aringa and Koboko), Terego, North western (Maracha).
Part II to be continued.
Comments
Post a Comment