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Adoko Nekyon: Man who announced DP’s 1980 ‘victory’ that caused chaos
Nekyon, a first cousin of former President Apollo Milton Obote, held leadership positions in both Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) and Democratic Party (DP). COURTESY PHOTO
To political historians, Akbar Adoko Nekyon is blamed for the announcement of Democratic Party (DP)’s victory in the 1980 general election that forced then chairman of the Military commission to pass a decree giving him powers to have the final word on the election.
Nekyon, whose candle has been burning for the past 87 years is described by people in different walks of life and in various ways, but one thing that stands out is that he was an industrious man.
Born to Chief Jekeri Akaki and Abisagiri Koli in August 1931 in Akokoro, Lango District, the then young Nekyon started his education at Ibuje Primary School before joining Ngora High School for junior school and later to Kings College Budo.
From Budo, the illustrious Nekyon continued with his education at the University of Kerala in India, where he graduated with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in economics and political science, respectively.
Joining civil service
He joined the Uganda civil service during the colonial days as an interpreter in his home area.
As the political wave started heating up in the country, he became an active member of Uganda National Congress (UNC) Lango branch.
Being a first cousin to former president Milton Obote, he easily joined Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party when it was formed.
In 1961, he joined the Legislative Council (LEGCO), where he was spotted by then minister of Public Service, the late Boniface Byanyima, who selected him to go to London for training in democratic governance.
Thereafter, the two men formed a lifelong friendship.
When he returned from London, Nekyon got involved in politics.
However, according to Aggrey Awori, former presidential aspirant in 2001, there developed rivalry between Nekyon and Obote over the UPC leadership.
“Being a first cousin to Obote and son of a chief, Nekyon saw himself as superior to Obote and wanted to take the party leadership. The sibling rivalry stayed until when Nekyon left the party to join DP out of spite for Obote,” says Mr Awori.
At independence in 1962, Nekyon was part of the first Cabinet serving in different ministries until when he quit his ministerial post over allegations that he had taken a kickback in a deal to introduce Television in Uganda during his tenure as the first Information and Broadcasting minister.
To make the TV sets cheap for Ugandan, he wanted them assembled in Uganda.
“The assembling was done at a building on the Entebbe-Nkrumah road junction. But it was not really assembling sets, they were being repackaged here for the Ugandan market,” Mr Awori says.
Born in a Christian family, Nekyon converted to Islam….. and in 1965, he teamed up with Sheikh Obedi Kamulegeya to champion the Muslim cause and the two formed the National Association for the Advancement of Muslims (Naam) with Nekyon as its president, with a base in Wandegeya, Kampala.
Despite the politics and religious work, Nekyon was a sports lover and loved football in particular, a game he took on from an early age from his brother Erifazi Odur.
In 1968 after the change of name from Uganda Football Association from UFA to FUFA, Nekyon was elected the first president of the association.
While serving as minister for Planning and Community Development in 1964, he appointed then Leader of Opposition in Parliament Basil Bataringaya, to head the National council of sports.
During the appointment, Nekyon said: “The appointment was sign of maturity in politics.”
Role at independence
Nekyon was a member of the Ceremonies Committee at Independence that chose the Uganda National Anthem and other national symbols.
Those who had a chance to work with him talk of the late as an open-minded man who spoke his mind.
“He would tell you what he thinks and what he does not agree with, hardworking and selfless. Ministers would tour the country not to talk politics but telling people what they need to better their societies. When he was minister of Planning and Community Development, I was District Commissioner Hoima,” says Edward Ochwo a clerk to Parliament.
“He came and I remember him calling on people to wake up to their responsibilities. He told them ‘the leadership is there to show people what to do and not to work for them, people look for guidance from their leaders, I think he was a great asset to this country” he adds.
Joining DP
When he left government, he later on left the UPC party and joined DP. By the 1980 general election, he was an assistant to the party’s secretary general.
Mr Henry Makmot, the former deputy minister of Finance in the Obote II regime, describes the late as a very controversial man politically but a rallying point and an elder back home in Lango.
“He is the man who caused the 1980 chaos when he announced that DP had won the 1980 general elections,” Mr Makmot says.
He adds, however, that as a member of the Lango community, he is going to be remembered as an incorruptible leader.
“His role among the people of Lango is going to be very much missed,” he says.
Nekyon was set to be buried at his home in Chegere Village in now Apac District yesterday.
MANY FIRSTS
Political leader. After Uganda attained independence, he was in the first Cabinet serving in different ministries until he quit.
Uniting Muslims. Born in a Christian family, Nekyon converted to Islam….. and in 1965, he teamed up with Sheikh Obedi Kamulegeya to champion the Muslim cause and the two formed the National Association for the Advancement of Muslims (Naam) with Nekyon as its president.
Sports. Nekyon was elected the first president of FUFA, having changed the name from UFA.
TRIBUTE TO LATE AKBAR AKAKI ADOKO NEKYON
Late Adoko Nekyon, who passed on last Friday, who was the first Muslim to serve in Uganda’s post-Independence Cabinet, was a close friend of Late Hon Shaban Kirunda Nkutu. Late Kirunda was the second Muslim to be appointed a minister in Uganda in the Obote One government.
Together with Sheikh Obedi Kamulegeya and the Late Mufti, Sheikh Abdulrazak Matovu, the two Obote One Cabinet ministers founded the nascent National Association for the Advancement of Muslims (Naam).
President Idi Amin renamed it the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council. Ugandan Muslims did not have a national church structure until Nekyon and Nkutu founded Naam.
Sheikhs Abdulrazak Matovu, Obedi Kamulegeya and Hussein Rajab Kakooza headed the religious wing of NAAM while Adoko Nekyon and Shaban Nkutu headed the development arm.
Nekyon was Vice Chairman of NAAM while Nkutu was National Chairman until his murder by President Amin in 1973.
With the support of donor funding from Islamic countries and President Milton Obote, Adoko Nekyon and Shaban Nkutu started Umea (the Uganda Muslim Education Association), an affirmative action network of schools for children of the largely illiterate Islamic community which had been locked out of the educational system by the British.
Umea set up dozens of schools across Butambala, Bombo, Jinja, Iganga, Mbale, Lango and West Nile. Among the most famous of these Muslim schools are Kawempe Boys Muslim School and Nabisunsa Girls.
During his tenure as Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism, Hon Adoko Nekyon started Uganda Television (UTV, the precursor to UBC), Uganda’s first TV network.
He founded a public company, Uganda Hotels Ltd, and built several hotels and game lodges across the country.
These included Apollo Hotel (Sheraton), Tropic Inn Masaka, Agip Motel Mbarara, White Horse Inn Kabale, Hotel Margherita Kasese, Mweya Lodge, Mountains of the Moon Fort Portal, Hoima Hotel, Masindi Inn, Paraa Lodge, Chobe Lodge, Pakuba Lodge, Arua Hotel, Acholi Inn, Lira Hotel, Soroti Hotel, Elgon Hotel Mbale, Rock Hotel Tororo plus the Crested Crane Hotel and the Uganda Tourism Training Institute in Jinja.
As Minister of Planning, he led the team of UPC leaders who drew up the first five-Year National Development Plan.
By Conrad Nkutu
