His Grace, Dr. John Baptist Odama, the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gulu embarked on a journey to uplift the status of Education in all the Catholic-founded schools under the Gulu Archdiocese by staging an official fundraising drive from November 13th to 18,2023 at Acholi Inn Hotel in Gulu City with a target of raising UGX 2.5 billion in the long run.
One of Northern Uganda’s celebrated peace icons for the role he played during the insurgency in the Region, the Archbishop decided to keep coming to Acholi Inn until the 18th as he appealed to everybody to support Education in the land, and on the last day of his fundraising drive open, Lt Gen.Charles Otema Awany, the Commander of the Reserve Force of Uganda Peoples Defense Forces and the Director of Acholi Inn, led a guest inside the fundraising room on Saturday evening turning the drive upside down.
The guest, Mbadi Wilson Mbasu ‘Olara’, the Chief of Defence Forces of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces called the act of Gen.Otema an ambush, but when he grabbed the microphone his testimonies about education were humbling.
“You only hear about General Mbadi; do you know about my family? No-No-, It was just nothing, my father never went to school, even to ask him when I was filling the examination form, I said ‘Daddy they are asking how old am’, He said ‘Haha, I think you were born in the year we got Independence’ –that one from my studies, I knew was 1962 but which Month?” Mbadi told the crowd.
According to Mbadi, he worked hard to study and be where he is and said his story is a testimony that from nothing someone could be great. He thanked the Archbishop for the initiative adding that leaders in the city and districts in Acoli should ensure all government initiatives like the Parish Development Model among others are implemented with sanity so that the people move out of poverty since the government has a goodwill of socio-economic transformation.
“But today we have started with Education, I want to be part of those who would also go naked for the sake of Education because I hear some people here want to go naked because of some factors of production like land like what -but on education, I want to go naked with you-but on the other ones, would be Public Order Management now”. Gen Mbadi Joked as he gave UGX 10 Million during the fundraising dinner.
Gen.Charles Otema Awany and his wife, Omoro Woman Mp, Catherine Lamwaka gave UGX 5 million in cash at the function. There were other contributions too from other Old Boys and Girls Like Layibi Collge and Scared Heart Girls School among others.
To Gen.Charles Otema Awany, it was embarrassing that the house was not full yet the Archdiocese is drumming a very important matter.
“They said there is fundraising, and when I asked my staff here, how many people are expected, they said between 400 and 500 and I wondered if it were the Acoli I knew”. Gen Otem submitted.
The Vicar-General, Monsignor Mathew Odong announced a pledge of UGX 3 Million from the Chief Justice, Alfonse Owiny–Dollo.
Rev.Fr. Robert Odong, the Secretary of Education at the Archdiocese by press-time said the team would count the money collected over the week and give updates to the public adding the week was just an open to the initiative expected to run longer.
The Archdiocese’s major target of UGX 2.5 Billion include rehabilitating the office of the Education Sector in the Gulu Archdiocese, recruiting more staff at the Education Department of the Archdiocese, and Scholarship for needy children to finish their studies at secondary and tertiary institutions starting in 2024.
The Archdiocese is the founding body for most of the influential schools in Northern Uganda like Layibi College, Sacred Heart Girls School, and Bishop Angelo Negri Primary and Secondary schools among others with current deteriorated performances in the National Examination.
Ends.
Audio File One: Gen.Mbadi on Going Naked for Education -Eng
Audio File Two: Gen.Otema talking about Poor Attitude towards Fundraising -Eng
