Busoga mourns Jajja Budhagali

Oct 27, 2019

Budhagali, who rose to prominence ahead of the construction of the Bujagali Hydro Power Dam, passed away at his palace on Saturday.

 Jajja Nabamba Budhagali breathed his last on Saturday. 
 
Busoga is mourning the death of Jajja Nabamba Budhagali, the Oracle of the former Bujagali Falls.
 
Budhagali, who rose to prominence ahead of the construction of the Bujagali Hydro Power Dam, passed away at his palace (Lubiri) located near the former Bujagali Falls on the outskirts of Jinja town.
 
According to Siraje Kinagoidhi, the Chairman of New Uganda n'Eddagala  Lyayo Traditional Healers' Association (NUNLITHA),  the Oracle of Bujagali breathed his last on Saturday at 5.30 pm.
 
"His death is a big blow to both the cultural and tourism industries. Besides being the encyclopedia of Abaswezi (The Oracles) who would recite Busoga's early culture, Jjajja Budhagali has been one of Busoga's tourist attractions," Kinagoidhi told New Vision on Sunday.
 
Muhamad Kitimbo, 65, a paramount Prince from Namasagali in Kamuli district, said burial arrangements of Budhagali, whose hierarchy in  Busoga ‘s cultural institution is compared to "Bishop," are ongoing, adding that the grandfather of the Abaswezi shall be laid to rest either on Friday or Saturday.
 
"There many rituals which we undertake before burying the Oracle," Prince Kitimbo said, adding that in culture, the maximum is seven days and during that time, it is alleged they don't apply any chemical to preserve the body from decomposing.
 
HIS DEATH
 
Budhagali has for the last two and a half months been bedridden in Nile International Hospital-Jinja in Walukuba/Masese Division in Jinja town, having been referred from Kamu Medical Centre.
 
He was suffering from diabetes and bacterial infection, according to Dr. Edrine Mulema.
 
When the medical bills soared to over 7.6m with no clear plans to foot the bills, the family requested that their patient be discharged before relocating back to his Palace, where he died.
 
The family members who saw him join his ancestors included his wife, Masitula Lukoowe Kyonaza and daughter Betty Namande. 
 
UNFORGETTABLE THINGS ABOUT BUDHAGALI
 
The Oracle of Bujagali falls for taking on the government, over the construction of a hydropower dam at the falls, saying that the area is his spirits' habitat.
 
During the endless talks with the government, when asked who the owner of the falls was and the surrounding environment, he said the falls belonged to the spirits. The Government thus couldn't compensate him for the falls.   
 
Earlier, he tried showcasing his power and that of the spirits, when he mobilized for an event of sailing across the falls on a goatskin.
 
On D-day, thousands thronged the area to awe at the rare spectacle as Budhagali smocked a tobacco pipe amidst frenzy drumming, but it didn't happen. The mammoth crowd went away disappointed.
 
RELATED STORIES
 
 
 
 
 
 

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});