Feb
15
Akena p’Ojok
It has been a long time coming, Barack Obama said on election night. He was right. The US President-elect has roots in a long line of African kings and leaders of the Great River Nile Basin.
The world woke up to a great occurrence in modern political history. Is it or is it not to be? The world watched and waited with tears of joy and hope as well as tears of lost dreams.
It revealed itself fully on November 4. The United States of America, the most powerful state in the world, was to have its 44th president, and this time with a bang, with a difference. The 44th president was to come from a different race, a race that has known nothing than endurance, slavery and spoliation; and he was to be called by a strange name ‘Barack Obama’.
The people of the US elected its first African-American President. The subject of African resistance and heroism has at last assumed its rightful historical place.
It has been long coming. Obama’s roots in Africa can be traced to goat-breeders, yes! (But how many great and excellent leaders have had very humble beginnings?) Obama’s roots can be traced further to a cluster of a sub-set of African peoples who have social and ethno-linguistic similarities called ‘Luo’ or ‘Lwo’.
The Luo-speaking peoples inhabit the Great River Nile Basin which extends over 2,500 km from Gezira in the Sudan to the eastern shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya and Tanzania; and 2,000 km from Gambella in Western Ethiopia to Bahr-el-Ghazal in Western Sudan.
The Luo-speaking peoples have long produced some of Africa’s great leaders in the past and in modern times in the Nile Basin that might have been neglected by history. The Great Warrior King of the Nile, Rath Nyikango of the Chollo (Shilluk) peoples at Pachodo whose kingdom was ravaged by Turko-Egyptian expansion, slave trade and the Mahdist wars is survived by his lineage Rath Kwongo Dak Padiet (1992) who leads his people today.
The Great Warrior King Nyie Gillo, Ocwudho, who founded the Anywaa (Anuak) Kingdom on the Nile tributary rivers Sobat/Baro/Akobo, whose lineage is Nyie Akwei-wa-Cam and Agwaa Akwon, and others have led their people to modern times. The kingdom’s people eventually migrated southwards into present day Uganda. The Anywaa Kingdom was devastated by wars, livestock raids and slave trade through Ethiopia and colonialism.
At the same time there was a Great Migration of the Luo-speaking peoples southwards along Bahr-el-Ghazal and through Wau/Rumbek in the Sudan up the Nile outlet from Lake Albert at Pa’Kwach in Alurland, where some sections established the Kingdom of Ukuru/Atyak (in Uganda/Congo) and the royal lineage there was manifested in the late Rwoth Ubimo Jobi II.
From settlements at Pa’Kwach, a royal clan calling itself the ‘PaBiito’ crossed into Bunyoroland and made a subtle entry into the leadership and established the ‘Ba’Biito’ Dynasty over Bunyoro-Kitara. The first king of the Biito royal clan is remembered as ‘Rwoth’ Omukama Isingoma Mpuga Rukidi l Nyatworo.
The Biito Dynasty abolished the primitive and backward caste system then practiced and established a society based on egalitarian principles in which human beings were considered to have equal birth rights. The people married freely and mixed and the population increased rapidly. It introduced agriculture side by side with pastoral livestock keeping.
It abolished the barbaric practice of slaughtering princes at coronations and introduced the politics of structured segmentation as a means of diffusing political tension in the palaces; and expanding the kingdom.
As a consequence the Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara grew into a powerful and prosperous dynasty that ruled over an area that stretched from Lake Albert to the shores of Lake Victoria. The Royal Biito Clan lineage is survived in the modern times by Omukama Kamurasi; the great warrior king Kabalega who fought the British for 22 years; Tito Winyi II and the incumbent King Omukama Gafabusa Iguru I.
The royal Biito clan established many separate royal villages in the various communities, each with a core membership made up of a particular sub-lineage of the ‘father royalty’ and a replica administration of the ‘mother’ kingdom. They sent out royal princes to live among the people they learnt to lead.
Prince Kimera Rukidi was sent out to ‘Entebbe’ in Buganda from where he succeeded in building a powerful kingdom for himself, accumulated wealth, built an army and eventually declared himself the King (Kabaka) of a separate kingdom known as present day Buganda. This royal lineage is survived by King Kabaka Mwanga who also resisted British colonisation, Sir Fredrick Mutesa who became the first President of independent Uganda and the incumbent King Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Kimera Mutebi II.
Another royal Biito Prince, Mukama ‘Namutukula’ of the ‘Baisengobi was sent to Busoga and established himself on Kagulu Hill with the Balamogi. That line is survived by the incumbent Mulookis.
In the modern times, the young and ambitious royal Biito Prince Kaboyo was sent to live in a royal village on the mountains of Tooro.
He quickly pronounced himself King Kaboyo Olimi I of Tooro Kingdom, surprising his loving father Omukama Kyebambe III of Bunyoro-Kitara. Omukama Kaboyo Olimi I is survived by the youngest King in Uganda; King Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, son of the late Omukama P. Kaboyo Olimi VII.
Rwot Abok Awic of Payira lost his Rwotship to the British.
The structured segmentation form of governance was at once the strength of the Biito Dynasty but also its weakness and undoing.
The bulk of the Great Migration of the Luo-speaking peoples proceeded east from Pa’Kwach and on the way established settlements of the ‘Kidibane’, Lira, Kokolem, Jo’Padhola and finally settled as Ja’Luo on the eastern shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya and Tanzania where they multiplied in great numbers. This is the place where you may trace Obama’s nearest relatives.
The Luo-speaking peoples have been progenitors of these superb kings and leaders, and have of recent times also provided modern religious leadership. Three of Uganda’s Anglican Archbishops, were/are of Luo-speaking. They are; the Most Rev. Janani Luwum (martyred), the late Most Rev. Yona Okoth (RIP), and the incumbent Archbishop the Most Rev. Henry Luke Orombi.
Kenya’s first Kenyan Anglican Archbishop, the Most Rev. Festo Olang’ was of fine Luo stock.
There is also a good array of Luo leaders in modern politics. Dr A.M Obote was the first Prime Minister of post-independence Uganda. He then became the second President after President Kabaka Frederick Mutesa. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the well known freedom-fighter, became Kenya’s first Vice President at independence. Other distinguished leaders are Tom Mboya (assassinated), Argwing K’Odek (murdered), Robert Ouko (murdered), Oceng Oneko and now the Prime Minister of Kenya, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga.
Until the close of the colonial era it was fashionable to portray Africans and their descendants everywhere as passive and generally grateful recipients of the benefits of European authority and systems. The struggle for freedom and equality in the Americas and the Caribbean influenced events in the liberation movements in Africa and all had the cumulative effect of decolonising the African mind and historiography. It is worth invoking the spirit of some of Africa’s greats in the liberation and freedom struggle; Kwame Nkurumah, Sekou Toure, Abdel Nasser, Patrice Lumumba, Augustino Neto, Ahmed Ben Bella, Mwalimu Kabarage Nyerere, Jomo Kenyatta and Nelson Mandela and more.
Given those prevailing conditions of struggle, this arrays of leaders would tell you that to be a leader you must be strong and courageous, have dignity in the face of adversity, benevolence in place of cruelty, but also be charismatic, inspirational and spiritual. These are some of the qualities that Obama, the ‘child of destiny’ exuded at all times beside his natural compelling intelligence and oratory. He is an heir to the struggle.
For the African-Americans, nothing could be nearer a miracle than an African-American President of the USA. It has been a process, a struggle in their new found land of collaboration without submission. It is a change; it is a fresh hope for the future. It is a fulfilled dream. High up in his mountain-top-of-hope, Martin Luther King Jr may look down in wonderment and whisper to himself ‘Hallelujah, religion should not be incongruent with change’, and return to his grave in peace.
The real ‘march’ has begun from oppression and humiliation to freedom and performance. I can see the day when President Obama would embrace Kabaka Kimera Mutebi and Omukama Oyo and Omukama Iguru I, and whisper to each others ears and say, ‘Yes, it has been a long time coming, brother. We have met, at last’.
The psychological impact of Obama on the African is yet to be fathomed.
Mr p’Ojok was minister of power, posts and telecommunications in the Obote II government
The idea that there was a Luo group that had taken the Bahr el Ghazal route through immigration Southwards i.e the Aluur , is not true . There is only one group that had migrated Southwards and that gorup is the Jonam group who went southwards through the Sue river . Today they are found along the Sue river from near Wau up to Tombura in the Zande land . They still speak Luo and acknowlegde this fact , but their featres and physical structure has changed into looking Bantu because of heavy inter-marriage . Though they still speak luo culturally they feel Balanda who share the area with them . The main thrust of the Luo migration cannot be theorized in academia because there are basic facts which had not been forgotten by the elders from any Luo tribe .
Without eception ,all the Luo tribes were led by two leaders who were half brothers . They were Nyikango and Gillo all of them the sons of King Okwa the son of Mool . At the death of Okwa , Nyikango whom his father has anointed to take over was pushed aside by other elder brothers namely Dimo leading to a schism among the brothers as some supported nyikango and others supported Dimo . Nyikango who was very stubborn decided to leave the Luo land with his supporters . He took the Kiir Paluko river ( present day Bahr el Ghazal river ) and went with his people . It took him many years as they were accompanying their flocks of cows and goats and sheep . They were using boats and makeshift large floaters to help them carry their nbelongings as they were migrating for good . The sudds were also formidable obstacles untill they reached the confluence of the Nile with the Bahr el ghazal river at Lake No . A few miles forward they encountered land and decided to settle .
As Nyikango was marching with his people norwards away from the nile, hills were getting prominent and he decided to turn back and began to make settlements when he reached the river shores at Papwojo which is the beginning of Chollo ( Shilluk ) settlements . The Luos continued arriving from bahr el Ghazal and settling . Nyikango continued moving Northwards settling new arrivals untill he reached Mwomo . From the point of settlement up to Mwomo is a distance of 200 miles which was populated by the Luos when they arrived all along the white nile and the Sobat rivers . About ten miles along the Sobat river was settled then .
At the death of King Dimo in the main Luoland in Bahr el Ghazal , the helm was taken over by Gilo also the son of Okwa who , after some time , decided to follow Nyikango . He followed Nyikango with his people and some sons of Okwa who were supporing Dimo . He took the same route as Nyikango and arrived at the place where Nyikango stopped to settle . He again brought up the issue of who is King or Reth . There was some fighting because Nyikango was aggressive . Anyway it is said by the Anuak themselves that Nyikango had told Gilo to explore the river Sobat which comes from Ethiopia ( Both the Chollo and the Anyua call that river Atulpii to this day ) . Gilo went with his people , who were much greater than Chollo, through the Sobat river and began to settle next to Chollo settlements on the Sobat and extended all the way inside what is known now as Ethiopia . Gio gave a new name to his people that they were to be known as the Anyua and abolished the name Chollo or Luo . In Anyua country today . the Luo word is used only to ask about the new born whether it was clean with no disfigurements i.e is it Luo . Meanwhile , in the Cholloland the word Chollo was used as the tribal word to denote the Chollo . The word Luo has fallen out of use .
Dimo the King of Luo in Bahr el Ghazal was supported by a great section of the sons of Okwa . During the migration the sons of Dimo were on the side of Gilo . His eldest son was Ollum he was an old man with ahuge body and height then and that means his father could have been the eldest son of Reth Okwa because he was almost of the same age with Nyikango who was his paternal uncle . The son of Nyikango , Dak came to Ollum at his village and told him my bcousin you have become old and your older children had gone very far with Gilo , it is not good for you to stay in this place alone , come and be with us in the Cholloland . He managed to persuade Ollum and Ollum came and settled with his younger Children and named the place Pakang where his shrine and fighting gear is kept by his descendants who are known as KwaNyikango . His other three sons went with Gilo and from there continued the adventure of discovering new lands . The three brothers divided up the Luos into three groups and went to East Africa leading them . The Southward migratio from Bar el Ghazal is simply not true .
Gordon Obat
Note: This piece is not corrected
Thank you for the contribution for the lou migration( history), thought still doing my own research, I was forced to give my own view which will need further rectification. At this point I would like to encourage all Lou’s sub communities/tribes to put their contribution toward lou movement or migration. I don’t agree with what Gordon Obat had suggested that it not true that no south ward migration if we were to consider not only cholo but also other East Africa Lou.
since there were no direct written history about lou in general and the geographical position of the traditinal historian. Each community tried to give their own view which was partly true. In Sudan alone which is the Lou origin land or homeland; until now, all their history base on oral story and some time on myth or legend..
The famous beads story which is known by all cholo of Nyikang and Dimo can also be heard from Alur and Acholi of Uganda in the same formate but with different names of people and places who were involved. Since there is no smoke without fire I do personally agree that there were south, north and east ward migration if we were to be in present town;Pakwich in Uganda where Alur are found and they believed to be the site were the two brothers separated is the testimony of the their traditional history.