Rwot Acana dedicates 60th birthday to fresh reforestation campaign
“As the Buruuli Kingdom, we are very happy to be here at Ker-kwaro Acoli to join hands to celebrate the 60th birthday of our senior, the paramount Chief of Acoli, His Highness Rwot David Onen Acana II, here in Acoli. We, the Baruuli, wish him a very happy birthday. And we pray that God gives him many more years in good health and prosperity,” the Isabaruuli Mwogezi said.
The event united several traditional leaders with a " Go Green " campaign to restore forests in Acholi Sub-region. (Credit: Dennis Ojwee)
GULU - Acholi Paramount Chief, Rwot David Onen, on Tuesday, kicked off his 60th birthday fete with a fresh reforestation campaign.
During the events at Ker-kwaro-Acoli palace compounds at Wi-got, Bar-dege/Layibi in Gulu City, Acana was joined by the Buruuli King, His Highness Isabaruuli and several other cultural leaders.
The event united several traditional leaders with a " Go Green " campaign to restore forests in Acholi Sub-region.
To support the campaign, leaders joined Rwot Acana II to plant a historic Abasa Tree seedling at the KKA compound.
The campaign aims at replanting herbal and traditional trees in Acholi Sub-region.
Isabaruuli applauded Rwot Acana for the invite, describing it as glue that binds cultural institutions.
“As the Buruuli Kingdom, we are very happy to be here at Ker-kwaro Acoli to join hands to celebrate the 60th birthday of our senior, the paramount Chief of Acoli, His Highness Rwot David Onen Acana II, here in Acoli. We, the Baruuli, wish him a very happy birthday. And we pray that God gives him many more years in good health and prosperity,” the Isabaruuli Mwogezi said.
The cultural leaders at the event included:
▪️His Royal Highness, Peter Adei, the King of Karamoja
▪️ Prince Joseph Owor, representing the Kwor Adhola Kingdom
▪️ Amb. George Atim, the Secretary General of Uganda Kings’ and cultural leaders
▪️ Dr. Lawrence Ocen, the Speaker Lango Cultural Foundation, Head of Delegation
▪️ The Bunyoro Kingdom Advisor to the Omukama of Bunyoro Kingdom
▪️ Stephen Nyalibo, the Speaker of Ayivu Chiefdom in West Nile.
“It is a historic moment for Karamoja to celebrate with the paramount chief of Acoli, not just a birthday celebration, but a big development for the people of Acoli as a notable tribe in this Country, whose cultural institution is highly respected by other cultural institutions in Uganda”, said Adei as he planted another historic tree.
Okello Okuna, the Spokesperson of the Ker-Kwaro-Acoli (KKA), said the celebrations kicked off with various activities, including a public fundraising event at Acholi Inn Hotel, where over sh90m was raised.
The money will finance construction of Girls’ dormitories at Kitgum High School, Padibe Girls’ Secondary and Paibona Primary School in Paico sub-county in Gulu district.
The chairperson of the local organising committee, Kenneth Oketa, says that the campaign needs sh1b to complete the dormitories furnished with standard beds.
David Otto Labeja, the spokesperson for Kijani Forestry-Uganda, who supervised the tree-planting exercise, said their target.
Is planting over 500, 000 herbal and traditional trees in Acoli and northern Uganda.
“We shall continue to work with the KKA to promote this noble exercise of planting trees to promote afforestation in Acoli land, whose forests were all razed down during the long war by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) when the people were sent to squalid Internally Displaced Camps (IDP)”, said Labeja.
The main function was later held at Kaunda Liberation Grounds.
Rwot David Onen Acana II was born on March 24, 1966, at Payira Clan. Rwot David Onen Acana II was officially installed as the Paramount Chief of Acholi on January 15, 2005.
He was invested in Gulu, succeeding his father, Justine Acana, to lead the Ker Kwaro Acholi (Acholi Cultural Institution) as the 24th traditional chief of the Payira clan.