Obuntubulamu programme by Her Royal Highness Nnaabagereka is timely

On September 20, I was privileged after the heart of the Archbishop of Kampala, His Grace Paul Ssemogerere, to attend Obuntubulamu Programme launch organised by Her Royal Highness Sylivia Nagginda’s Nnaabagereka Development Foundation (NDF). It was impeccable, socially and economically impactful. Congratulations NDF!

Today, the world is grappling with immense plights including health epidemics, economic uncertainties, environmental degradation, climate change, poor social constructs, moral evils et cetera, which have ravaged the patriotic symbolism, resulting into huge expenditure and debt. Africa of which Uganda is part, is also plagued with increased lawlessness, belligerent behaviour, dependency syndrome, dwindling communitarian demeanour, among others and all these need a unique assuring response.

The Obuntubulamu revival by the queen, is holistic in addressing the current challenges of religious, cultural, social, economic, political and moral sub normalities. The value system denotes in composition, a sense of self respect and shame, civility, humility, empathy, hygiene, responsibility, self-reliance, justice, leadership, transparency, selflessness, integrity and truth. The Obuntubulamu dictum stems from the humanistic African philosophy (Ubuntu) implying a high sense of community and concern for one another.The notion is universal in nature because it scrutinises and inspects human values in every facet of life. 

The universal definitions of obuntubulamu in the different languages are with clarity; Acholi (Kit Martir), Alur (Kura Matira), Buganda (Obuntubulamu), Busoga (Obuntubulamu), Bunyoro (Obuntu), Tieng Adhola (Kura Maber), Teso (Iponesio lu ajokak), Rwenzururu (Obundu), among others. The universality of the values espoused in Obuntubulamu dictum is the unique response to the many world’s problems thus moral self-governance and social responsibility for national consciousness.In the Obuntubulamu phenomena, there is a patriotic obligation of refraining from constitutional abuse and human rights violations. 

The debate whether or not Obuntubulamu can be translated into justiciable principle turns not only the definition one gives to Obuntubulamu, but also on how and why Obuntubulamu is a value. It represents a key ethical principle in African philosophy and through qualitative participatory methods, the Obuntubulamu proposition will be an embrace.

According to the body of anthropological literature, Obuntubulamu exemplifies how individuals, families, communities and society should co-exist-an Afrocentric embodiment of values of compassion, reciprocity, dignity, humanity and mutuality in the interest of building and maintaining justiciable mutual love.In Africa, life centres around the group, not the individual. The exercise of an individual right is understood in the context of a community and individualism is absolutely foreign to Africa. In perspective, persons owe their existence to a larger group. 

The feeling of belonging to a community is identical with the African culture which forms obuntubulamu value. This principle has promoted mediation and conciliation in African jurisprudence through the settlement of disputes rather than courts of law.The obuntubulamu principle is based on African value system that is, the need for understanding not vengeance, reparation not retaliation (victimisation), which invites all Ugandan communities to promote human dignity, integrity and cooperation.In order to animate, the heart of maama Nnaabagereka, with obuntubulamu programme, the religious and traditional leaders are perfect icons of obuntubulamu vitality, given their moral and spiritual authority.

There is urgent institutional collaboration with the NDF to encounter the maladministration of organs and sectors, climate change, environmental degradation, repression and reprisal, gluttony, poor service delivery, civil dissensions, terrorism and radicalism, kleptocracy, moral and spiritual decadence. These are negative energies to the realisation of human peace, dignity, social transformation and inclusive sustainable development.

Fr Joseph Mukiibi, Director Communications and Public Relations, Kampala Archdiocese