West Nile honours its luminaries
Aringa South MP Alioni Yorke Odria (left) hands over a certificate of commendation to Prof William Worodria, a senior consultant at Mulago Hospital, during an award ceremony in Namugongo, Wakiso District, on Saturday. Next to them is senior consultant pathologist Dr Sylvester Onzivua and other professionals from West Nile. PHOTO/STEPHEN OTAGE
It was initially planned to be a small event: a few friends converged for roast goat washed with a few drinks.
But evaluated against the feats of the luminaries, the modest dining would be incommensurate. So, the West Nile Foundation’s Achievement Awards Committee chaired by Mr Robert Ejiku opted for something bigger, better and more befitting.
And all the different pieces fell in place seamlessly on Saturday when mainly Arua’s crème de la crème gathered at Gold Rock Hotel in Namugongo, Wakiso District, to celebrate the high achievements of their two sons and a daughter.
Ms Laura Orobia was honoured for becoming the first full Professor of Makerere University Business School (Mubs), and the intelligentsia celebrated Mr Alex Obatre on his appointment as the clerk to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
Dr William Worodria, the first head of national Covid case management, scaled the heights with his appointment as an honorary professor of Medicine of Makerere University.
Mr Ejiku said the awards, which included glass plagues and certificates, were a “thank you” to the achievers and to inspire others from West Nile and demonstrate that meritorious rise to the highest levels is possible.
In recorded message relayed from South Africa, West Nile Foundation president Caleb Alaka lauded the luminaries and noted that their achievements, in the context of where they hail from and today’s Uganda, means they were of an exceptional pedigree that could not be suppressed.
He challenged intellectuals from the region to be West Nile’s forward thinkers and transformational community actors by translating their knowledge for grassroot benefit. Citing the results of the 2019 Primary Leaving Examinations, Mr Alaka raised questions about the future of education and manpower development in West Nile.
For example, he said the number of first graders in Mbarara City alone eclipsed similar scores in the entire northwestern region twice.
Prof Orobia in her acceptance speech, underlined the power of dreaming, “running my own race” and never giving up. She said, together with some friends, plan to set up a virtual institute in West Nile with branches in Lira and Gulu to offer courses that are not easily accessible to majority natives.
Prof Worodria urged the sons and daughters of West Nile to spearhead influential leadership in all spheres and transform their villages.
