Stampede for royalty disconcerting
Sep 30, 2008
EDITOR—Lately there has been in influx of princes and princesses in Uganda. This sounds rather disconcerting in a country that is a republic. Suddenly too many people are claiming to be balangira and bambejja. The emergence of too many princes spells doom for our traditional cultural institutions
EDITOR—Lately there has been in influx of princes and princesses in Uganda. This sounds rather disconcerting in a country that is a republic. Suddenly too many people are claiming to be balangira and bambejja. The emergence of too many princes spells doom for our traditional cultural institutions.
Some may be pretenders; while others are probably genuine. But laying claims on royalty is now a kind of politics. History tells us that in Busoga there were 11 royal clans that came from Bunyoro.
However, Bunyoro itself has only the Luo Babiito as the royal clan. Originating from Bunyoro alone or having a Luo ancestry is not proof of royalty. If that is the case then there are too many princes and princesses. Royalty is a social construction that is now appealing to many in Uganda. Some of the chiefs that were appointed during the colonial days were sons of commoners.
The British claimed that they practised indirect rule, or rule through the traditional rulers. But most of the chiefs were appointed by the British for purposes of administration and have their descendants now claiming royalty. Even in Kenya and Tanzania there were paramount chiefs and senior colonial chiefs.
The descendants of those chiefs have not claimed royalty, unlike Ugandans who are obsessed with royalty. While in Tanzania, I saw only one family that claimed some sort of royalty. But they never called themselves princes or princesses which would have been extremely unpopular in a socialist state. A well-known example was Chief Fundikira.
He never claimed he was a prince or anything like that. My grandfather was also a senior colonial chief, who lived in a typical African palace, built of reeds washed in the pond, roofs made of elephant grass, with many wives, servants, musicians, entertainers, etc. His previous ancestry was in the Bukoli clan of Busoga, but was inducted into another clan among the Jopadhola.
My great grandfather who had been taken to Budama and given a wife from a major clan called Ramogi, also expanded his family by inheriting some of the wives of those who inducted him into the clan when they died. The clan Ramogi might be similar to the Balamogi in Busoga. It might also be related to the clan of Oginga Odinga whose title was Jaramogi.
Oginga Odinga was called Jaramogi because he was a Luo chief who renounced his hereditary powers to participate in the politics of Kenya’s independence. There was also Ramogi Achieng Oneko, a freedom fighter whom the British detained together with Kenyatta for many years. None of those people or their descendants claimed that they were princes. Instead many relinquished any potential claims in order to participate in the struggle for independence which excited them more.
Like those people, none of my grandfather’s descendants would ever claim that they are princes or princesses. Among this group is Eunice Owino who designed Owino Market, but has not claimed royalty even though her achievement is yet to be recognised. Such an achievement is better than many dubious claims to royalty. Some go to court to claim royalty. The numerous princes all over the country must renounce some of these claims because they are not credible, as they look more like commoners than royalty. We are all commoners.
Jenn Jagire
Ontario, Canada
Some may be pretenders; while others are probably genuine. But laying claims on royalty is now a kind of politics. History tells us that in Busoga there were 11 royal clans that came from Bunyoro.
However, Bunyoro itself has only the Luo Babiito as the royal clan. Originating from Bunyoro alone or having a Luo ancestry is not proof of royalty. If that is the case then there are too many princes and princesses. Royalty is a social construction that is now appealing to many in Uganda. Some of the chiefs that were appointed during the colonial days were sons of commoners.
The British claimed that they practised indirect rule, or rule through the traditional rulers. But most of the chiefs were appointed by the British for purposes of administration and have their descendants now claiming royalty. Even in Kenya and Tanzania there were paramount chiefs and senior colonial chiefs.
The descendants of those chiefs have not claimed royalty, unlike Ugandans who are obsessed with royalty. While in Tanzania, I saw only one family that claimed some sort of royalty. But they never called themselves princes or princesses which would have been extremely unpopular in a socialist state. A well-known example was Chief Fundikira.
He never claimed he was a prince or anything like that. My grandfather was also a senior colonial chief, who lived in a typical African palace, built of reeds washed in the pond, roofs made of elephant grass, with many wives, servants, musicians, entertainers, etc. His previous ancestry was in the Bukoli clan of Busoga, but was inducted into another clan among the Jopadhola.
My great grandfather who had been taken to Budama and given a wife from a major clan called Ramogi, also expanded his family by inheriting some of the wives of those who inducted him into the clan when they died. The clan Ramogi might be similar to the Balamogi in Busoga. It might also be related to the clan of Oginga Odinga whose title was Jaramogi.
Oginga Odinga was called Jaramogi because he was a Luo chief who renounced his hereditary powers to participate in the politics of Kenya’s independence. There was also Ramogi Achieng Oneko, a freedom fighter whom the British detained together with Kenyatta for many years. None of those people or their descendants claimed that they were princes. Instead many relinquished any potential claims in order to participate in the struggle for independence which excited them more.
Like those people, none of my grandfather’s descendants would ever claim that they are princes or princesses. Among this group is Eunice Owino who designed Owino Market, but has not claimed royalty even though her achievement is yet to be recognised. Such an achievement is better than many dubious claims to royalty. Some go to court to claim royalty. The numerous princes all over the country must renounce some of these claims because they are not credible, as they look more like commoners than royalty. We are all commoners.
Jenn Jagire
Ontario, Canada