120 years on, it’s still ‘gakyali mabaga’ for Budo

_______________

WHAT’S UP!

The high point of the celebrations to mark 120 years of King’s College, Budo, which were held on Founders Day on Sunday at the school, was when 104-year old Norah Namakula Muyinda went forward to receive her deserved Order of Merit. The King’s College Budo Order of Merit (OM) is an honour presented to Old Budonians for outstanding service to mankind, the school, and the nation.

Some of the previous recipients of the OM include Ssekabaka Mutesa II, Kenya’s former Attorney General Charles Njonjo, former President Godfrey Binaisa and former Vice-President Simon Kisekka.

Muyinda was one of the first girls admitted to the school in 1933, and is the oldest living Old Budonian on record. Everyone rose up and cheered when she walked to the front, assisted by her daughter, to receive the award. She also gave an acceptance speech.

Apart from a quick visit with others during the COVID-19 pandemic days to deliver relief aid to staff, I had not been to ‘the hill’ since the 100 years celebrations, 20 years ago. We knew of the notorious traffic jams on Masaka Road, so we set off bright and early.

I travelled with Ian Nkata, who the previous day at Budo Junior School had launched the book So Little Done – A History of Budo Junior School. His father Daniel Nkata had died before completing work on it, so Ian had completed it. But for some reason he was not allowed to set up a stand and sell copies at the school, but some OBs had made orders and would be there, so he carried along some copies for them.

It was a nostalgic drive along a path I had made so often for such a long time, though of course that old rascal Father Time had made his mark.

We used to know we were close when we saw the ‘Budo First Left’ sign, but it disappeared a long time ago. Maybe some OB would put it up again, complete with the Red Lion, seeing as the main turn off now is crowded with signs of all kinds of upstart institutions. The 2-mile (about 3.2km) drive to the school is all smooth now, though busier than ever before. Halfway is BJS, also known as Kabinja; and just after it used to be the old sign showing one mile to go and warning about the Dangerous Corner. Sadly, the dangerous corner is no longer there, or is no longer dangerous. Recent OBs think the Dangerous Corner is the long loop as you approach the gate. Sigh.

We soon got to the imposing main gate, constructed by the Budo classes of 1987& 1990, and which gave birth to the ‘gatemania’ craze, with many schools and institutions going out of their ways to get gates like that. Yeah, we lead, and they follow (smiling emoji).

To the left is the construction site of the new chapel, but which at different times housed the school zoo and later the farm. There is also quite a spectacular view of the surrounding hills and distant Lake Victoria, which was a safe and comfort space for many troubled students. Once the chapel is built, however, that view will probably be gone forever. But at least the old chapel is still standing, in spite of threats by the outgoing headmaster to break it down. I was not much of a chapel-goer, but it is still an iconic building, and an intrinsic part of Budo history.

The roads are all tarmac now, and have street lights. My old dormitory Nigeria House still looks its imposing self, although a few additions have been made, including some neat bathrooms. For all its hallowed history, the bathrooms at Budo were always a disappointing factor, glad that’s all taken care of now.

My old mate Bill Muyanja, who flew in from Seattle, was impressed, as I was, that the ceremonies started right on time, 10:00am, as per the programme. The marquee where the guests sat was also full by then.

Trust Budonians to keep time, now if the rest of Uganda can tag along (another smiling emoji).

There was also the surprise launch of a book by the school, The King’s Crown. That makes it four books which have been launched to coincide with the 120th anniversary.

I haven’t got myself one yet, so I’m curious what new things they might have in it, after McGregor’s A Centenary History and Dr Edward Kayondo’s Twenty Years into the Second Century. But I will get one, and a review is loading. Watch this space.

For many of us, the most important bit was catching up with old friends and classmates, and exchanging stories of how naughty some of them used to be.

There are many Budo WhatsApp groups, and many OBs belong to one or more. But it is different actually meeting up, in fact some missed lunch because they were too busy catching up, and the lines were long.

After all the formalities, we took a walk around the campus to see the new developments, and were glad the old mess is still standing and still serving students, as it has done since 1908.

Budo is one of the oldest schools in Africa, and celebrating 120 years of supremacy is definitely something worth the traffic jam we got engulfed in on the way back (it was also Visitation Day for the kids).

The very able lady MC of the day kept on referring to the fact that the school was still going strong, but that is something other people do. To Budonians, it is the spirit of Gakyali Mabaga that makes the difference. Even after 120 years, after so much has been done by so many, there is still much more to be done. Gakyali Mabaga.

You can follow Kalungi Kabuye on X: @KalungiKabuye