Wails, cheers greet chopper carrying Oulanyah remains

Reality set in last evening when a Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces helicopter carrying the remains of former Speaker of the 11th Parliament Jacob Oulanyah landed at Lalogi Primary School in Lalogi Sub-county, Omoro District.
The slowly landing greenish spotted helicopter, at around 6pm, was greeted with wailing from the thousands of local residents, who had waited for the remains of their gallant son, who succumbed to cancer about three weeks ago in Seattle in the USA.

School children waved the paper flags and banners bearing portraits of Oulanyah, while women and men performed the funeral dance.
The body was received by Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Thomas Tayebwa, third Deputy Prime Minister Rukia Nakadama, State Minister for Northern Uganda Grace Freedom Kwiyucwiny, MPs from Acholi Sub-region, among other dignitaries.

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A short prayer that lasted for one minute, was said by Northern Uganda Diocese Bishop Godfrey Loum. 

The UPDF brass band then played the national anthem.
Oulanyah’s remains were then wheeled to a waiting black hearse of A-Plus Funeral Service to drive them to his unfinished house that is about 10 kilometres away.
Bwola dance troupes performed their dances and songs up to Lalogi junction near Omoro Town.
Likewise, mourners performed funeral dances while holding a procession ahead of the hearse that was carrying their son’s remains.
At home, mourners spread clothing on the path leading to his unfinished house, while a team of religious leaders welcomed his body with a service held in front of the building.

The religious leaders included bishop Alfred Olwa (Lango Diocese), Loum, (Northern Uganda Diocese), Julius Caesar Nina (West Lango Diocese, among others.
Mr Milton Omara, the family elder, and also Oulanyah’s uncle, told mourners of how Oulanyah’s body would spend the two nights of Wednesday and Thursday in his unfinished storied house ahead of burial tomorrow.
“The house is in shape to house his body and that is where the body is meant to lie at night until Friday,” Mr Omara explained.

The major activity today will be the holding of district council meetings at nearby Ajuri Primary School. All districts in the sub-region will participate.

Mr Douglas Okello, the chairperson of the local organising committee, said the other activity will be the public viewing of the body at the same venue.
“There are several tents that have already been set up at the school there, while the joint-council will sit on one side, the other activity (paying of respect by the public) will be going on the other side,” he explained.

Mr Ambrose Olaa, the Acholi Chiefdom prime minister, said in an interview that all was set to bury Oulanyah and that no rituals will be performed during the funeral.
“Until now, we have not found any exceptional circumstances regarding the death of Oulanyah, so we cannot bury him in another way since medical reports say he died of natural causes. His burial will be a normal one,” Mr Olaa explained.

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Mr Olaa added that they had been in touch with the family and that it had been agreed that the State funeral goes alongside the traditional burial rites.
Before the body was flown to Omoro, it was driven to Kyambogo University playgrounds from Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, where a State funeral was held, with President Museveni being the chief mourner.

Poison claims

Earlier yesterday morning, former Uganda Peoples Congress party president Olara Otunnu called upon the Acholi people to desist from speculating the cause of Oulanyah’s death, but leave it to the family.
“Words came straight from the mouth of the deceased’s father, Mr Nathan Okori, who said many times that his son had told him that he was poisoned, allegedly resulting to his death. But it is disastrous for those of us to start carrying the same message without evidence,”  Mr Otunnu said.

He added that even if Mr Okori wishes to repeat the same accusations, he should not be blocked by anybody since he is Oulanyah’s father.
“Let no body come in to block Oulanyah’s father from saying what (probably) he has basis for and we should also, in the same vain, not add anything to his claim because no one has any other evidence,” he said.