Tororo mourns TACI Prime Minister emeritus Owere Onyango

Tororo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Tieng Adhola Cultural Institution (TACI) has paid tribute to the pioneering role of Jago (Prime Minister) emeritus Raphael Owere Onyango, who passed on this week. He will be buried at his ancestral home in Paya, West Budama, on Saturday.

“The leadership of Padhola, and its subjects led by His Royal Highness Moses Steven Owor have lost one of its icons, decent and illustrious sons,” current Jago (Prime Minister) Richard Josel Obbo said in a condolence messages on behalf of TACI.

Owere Onyango was a founder member of Tieng Adhola, where he rose through the ranks from Minister of Culture, to later become the third (Prime Minister) of Tieng Adhola.

“He will be remembered as a great leader who mentored many and was not shy to share progressive ideas, led Tieng Adhola as the third Jago to commencement of construction of her Palace. He was one who desired the best for Padhola through education, infrastructure growth, talent growth, preservation of environment, customs, norms and values,” said Jago Obbo.

Tributes poured in from across the world, with TACI 1st Deputy Jago  Owor Jag Adrian saying Padhola has lost a walking encyclopedia.

“Very sad, the late Jago was an inspiration on scientific, educational,  environmental,  socio-cultural matters in Padhola development. Many years at TGS and Mahanga SS where he left good infrastructure. Always willing to share and learn  from any person or at any opportunity,” said Febian Olweny, TACI’s 2^nd Deputy Jago

Geresom Okecho, Chairperson to the Tororo Broadcasting Network (TBN) fundraising committee, said their efforts to have the radio set up by August has got a setback with Owere’s passing on.

“If death had respect it would not have taken Rt Hon  Raphael Owere Onyango at this point in time. Jago emeritus Raphael was a valuable asset to padhola and humanity in general. Humble and full of wide range of  knowledge. In his person we have been robbed of myriads of developmental ideas. May the Creator grant his soul a befitting rest,” Okecho said.

MP Dr. Emmanuel Otaala described Owere Onyango a great mentor, educationist, a practical botanist, and a down to earth leader with a rare sense of humility.

He proposed that in order to “keep the legacy of this gallant son of the soil alive, and in order to multiply many more Raphael Owere Onyangos and in recognitions of the virtues that he stood for, we should immediately come up with a Scholarship fund in his honor to be run by Tieng Adhola. It would not be so difficult to raise say 100M to kick start this fund and to keep his legacy alive.”