Tororo man buried in coffin he kept for 26 years

By Faustine Odeke  

An 84-year-old man from Tororo died and has been buried in a coffin he bought for himself 26 years ago.

Samson Odem of Amagoro village in Eastern division, Tororo municipality died of prostate cancer at Tororo Main Hospital on Monday and was buried on Wednesday.

Upon being diagnosed of prostate cancer at the age of 58 years, Odem bought two coffins, one for his wife Balizera Adikini and the other for himself and kept applying vanish on them to keep them looking ‘new’.

The coffin for his wife was used for burying their daughter Janet Abbo who died in 2000. He then bought another coffin for Adikini, who is still alive.

Odem is survived by a widow and five children.

Speaking at the burial, the Adhola cultural leader Moses Owori expressed concern that some of his subjects had adapted foreign cultures like getting involved in incest and homosexuality.

He said some of those practices were due to poor parental guidance and appealed to all the clan leaders to ensure that children are properly guided and made to know their relatives.

Speaker after speaker praised Odem for his significant role in shaping the community in the area by mentoring and counseling especially the youth.