18 wives of Lango chief shock mourners

By Patrick Okino and Bonney Odongo

IT took hundreds of mourners who went to bid farewell to Sisiria Ogwangguji, the wife of the late Lango chief, Icaya Ogwanguji, by surprise when the clan leader revealed that the chief had 18 women and several more children.

Charles Olet, the clan chief of Okii-Ogwang Koltum, told mourners during the burial that Ogwangguji married 13 women and inherited five but the children were a lot more.

Mourners shook their heads in disbelief as Koltum narrated how Ogwangguji got the women and the last inheritance he made.  

Sisiria Ogwangguji, the 7th wife and who was the only woman alive, passed away on 28th March after succumbing to breast cancer at their ancestral home in Abedpiny village in Lira district. She had three children.

Olet urged the government to rehabilitate the building and upgrade the place into a tourist destination. Icaya Ogwangguji was born in 1875 and passed on in 1974. the dilapidated house built by the chief in 1928 still exists in the area.

Ogwangguji's house was built in 1928. Photo by Patrick Okino

Ogwangguji is among several chiefs who led Lango during the British regime and other chiefs were Okello Oket, Otim Ben, Owiny Akullo, Bua Atyeno, Odyek Owidi among others. 

“The 88 years Sisira lived in the world were enough,” Olet said.  She was born in 1927. 

Olet said the deceased lived happily with people and also a founding member of Holy Innocent Church of Uganda. He narrated that the first wife was called Alyek Akol and the second was Rhodia Acio.

Lira district LC5 chairman Alex Oremo Alot said the death of Sisiria took them by surprise saying that young people in the area still needed her advice.   

“We shall erect a monument on the site to remember her,” he said before urging people to desist from political intrigue and bickering.