The year 2024 began with high hopes that it would end on a positive note, keeping Lango [families] together.
Unfortunately, the nearly-ending year did Lango no favors by claiming some of its most notable, distinguished, and adorable men and women.
These people were well-regarded across borders.
With only four days until the end of 2024, tndNews looks back and profiles some of the notable Lango men and women who died.
Dr. James Eyul
Dr. James Eyul, born in Apac district, was in charge of epidemics at Entebbe International Airport. He died on January 6 after he was hit by a speeding truck around Migyera around 1 a.m. while on his way to Kampala.
He had spent the previous few hours in Lira City with his fellow golfers.
Dr. Eyul, born in Imocal village, Ibuje, Apac, handed over the mandates as captain of Lira Golf Club prior to his death. His term as Club captain had ended.
In February 2014, Dr. Eyul began working for the Airport and Civil Aviation Authority as a public health and aviation medical specialist. He passed away in January 2024 at the age of 54.
Cecilia Atim Ogwal
Cecilia Barbra Atim was married to Lameck Ogwal, a prominent Lango businessman. She was a politician and businesswoman who served in parliament until her death, representing Dokolo women.
She was one of Lango’s longest-serving MPs, as well as Uganda’s overall. As a legislator, she served on various Parliamentary committees and as a Commissioner of Parliament.
Born in 1946, she died at the age of 77 on January 18 in an Indian hospital in India.
Her death shocked everyone in Lango, especially because few people knew she had been ill. She was an inspirational icon, and her leadership and spirit of “women can” inspired dozens of women to pursue political careers.
She was laid to rest on January 27, 2024 in Doggudu, Alito sub-county, Kole district.
Benard Paul Munu, aka Bee Pee
He was a talented singer and songwriter known throughout Northern Uganda and beyond. Bee Pee, among his many achievements in the music industry, won the Northern Uganda Music Awards in 2022 and became known for hit songs such as Makmot, Amuge, and Par Pira, among others.
While his songs were becoming popular on the radio, he tragically died on January 24 in a motorcycle accident in Odokomit, Lira City.
Dr. Erizali Opio
He was Lango’s distinguished son. Born in 1941, the former national football team doctor for Uganda Cranes died on April 15 at Nakasero Hospital in Kampala.
Before fleeing to Kisumu, Kenya, Dr. Erizali worked at Mulago Hospital from 1968 to 1974, while also serving on the Uganda Cranes national team.
He was a consultant physician who, after fleeing to Kenya, worked for the Ministry of Health Kenya and was assigned to Kisumu Provincial Hospital as provincial physician from 1977 to 1983.
In 1983, he established a private practice clinic while also working as a visiting physician at the Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu. He treated dozens of Lango in Kisumu and surrounding areas, as well as those who traveled from Lango to seek his medical expertise.
When Dr. Erizali returned to Uganda in 2013, he worked as a consultant physician at Lira Medical Centre, providing unwavering medical care to his patients.
Lameck Ogwal, his only surviving brother, is the husband of Cecilia, the late Lango senior politician. Dr Erizali died at the age of 83 and was buried in Alito, Kole.
Gideon Omony
Gideon was a long-time Radio Wa presenter and teacher at Fatima Aloi Girls Comprehensive School. Many people in Lango were deeply affected by his death. He was a mentor and source of inspiration for many people in the media industry.
Gideon, who had kidney complications, died on August 15 at Kirudu Hospital in Kampala, where he had traveled with his dear wife Jane for dialysis. He was buried on August 23 in Bar sub-county, Lira district.
Dr. Abura Jaspher
Dr. Jaspher Abura, the senior education officer for the Lira City Council, died on September 27. Abura, 53, died in a fatal road accident in Adwila on the Lira-Soroti highway.
A trailer hit the car he was in, along with Komakech Emmanuel, town clerk of Lira City West Division, and driven by Jacob Okello. Abura and the survivors were travelling from Kampala to Lira City.
North Kyoga Region Police PRO SP Jimmy Patrick Okema described Abura’s death as “an unfortunate incident that has deeply impacted the community.”
His sudden death stunned the Lango sub-region and education departments across borders.
George Angulo
In addition to being Awitong of Okarowok Wibye Acel’s advisor, he was the chairman of Lango College’s board of trustees and directors.
He has been passionate about Lango culture since he was a child. For example, he and his late schoolmate and classmate, Aman Dugudugu, taught the Ikoce and Abuda cultural dances to students at Virika in Fort Portal Lango.
As an elder, he continued to provide progressive advice to his clan’s leaders and the entire Owitong of Lango. He consistently preached the values of peaceful hesitance, unity in diversity, truth telling, Lango welfare, and hard work as the foundations of our cultural identity and progress, which every Lango leader must openly demonstrate in their private and public engagements without exception.
George Angulo was born in Chegere, Apac in April 1937 to the late Jago (chief) Petero Wacha of the Okarowok Wibye Acel. He passed away at Lira Regional Referral Hospital on October 3.
Ekuka Morris
He was an absolute legend. The legendary folk artist, better known as Morris Sirikiti Ekuka Ogwal Adongo, died on November 16 at Lira University Teaching Hospital, where he was being treated.
Among his many songs, Can Omaku Ayoo, Acoc Acoc TwoL Iye Akayi, and Tekwaro a Lango, which he performed at one of the Nyege Nyege festivals, are among his everlasting legacy.
George Mawa
He was not just a politician. George Mawa began his humanitarian work in Lira Municipality (as it was then known) by establishing the Obanga Tek orphanage. He later founded British Hygiene Care Limited, a company that empties cesspools and provides hygiene services.
As a politician, he represented the people of Barogole on the then-Lira Municipal Council and later attempted to become Mayor. Mawa, a staunch NRM member and mobilizer, was also close to the church, where he worked as a senior minister for the National Fellowship of Born Again Pentecostal Churches of Uganda, overseeing Lango until his death on November 18.
He passed away at the age of 49.
Lt Col (Rtd) Abenego Orech
On the night of October 1962, Abenego, the director of Uganda’s military band, was one of the people everyone was looking at.
On that historic day, and later, he and Apollo Milton Obote put Lango on the national and global map, just as the country was gaining independence.
Idi Amin “promoted Abenego to be the director of the Uganda Army Band since he was the best performer in the entire East Africa countries in terms of playing military parade songs,” according to the Daily Monitor, which quoted Major (Rtd) Rufino Akena.
He died at Lira University Teaching Hospital at the age of 94.
Benjamin Olwa
Benjamin Olwa, better known as Olwa Cabun, was born on June 2, 1946, in Amwa village, Baramindyang, Ayer, Kole.
He was an administrator, politician, and trailblazer who founded Uganda’s first private soap manufacturing “factory” in Lango.
The former Apac district LC5 chairperson died on Christmas Day at Mulago National Referral Hospital, aged 78.
Dr. James Richard Okwir Acana
While tndNews is still gathering information about him, the deceased, born in Amolatar, died on December 24 in Naalya, Kampala.
tndNews sends words of comfort and strength to the families and relatives of the above-mentioned loved ones, as well as all families whose relatives died in 2024 and could not be featured. Eternal Rest for All.
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