Ocwich: A fountain of love dries up

By Arthur Baguma

HIS life was full of amazing insights. The most fruitful chapters of his life had started unfolding — after a long and challenging voyage from his native village in Ireda, Lira district. Denis Ocwich endured a trying humble childhood. His primary education was often interrupted with the uncertainty of getting school fees.

His secondary education was not any different. Fast forward 2009, all this had disappeared and life was pretty fine for Ocwich. He was well on track to complete his PhD in journalism at Rhodes University in South Africa.

But like they say, God’s ways are not our ways. As he was toiling to reach the pinnacle of his education career, looking forward to a delightful future, disaster struck. He passed on at the tender age of 35, after succumbing to multiple-organ failure at Settlers hospital in Grahamstown, South Africa.
Ocwich, a Makerere University lecturer and reknown journalist died without any relative by his side.

Weeks and months to his death, he had not complained of ill health. He was regularly in touch with his friends in Kampala on e-mail. The only known indicator that he might have not been well a few days to his death, was communication from his lecturer, only identified as Prof. Staude, that Ocwich had complained that he was not feeling well. This was in the e-mail breaking the sad news of Denis’s death.

In 2004, Ocwich worked as a staff writer with The New Vision before he went to Sweden for a Master’s degree in global journalism. On his return, he joined Makerere University as a part-time lecturer in the department of mass communication. He continued contributing to The New Vision.

His uncle, Goodman Okonye, who looked after him from high school, described him as a very humble and intelligent young man. “I found Denis a young and very intelligent boy.”

Okonye remembers Ocwich gradually taking on a very positive view of life and since that time he had not looked back. His first publication in the news paper was a letter.

The New Vision Deputy Editor- in-Chief, Barbara Kaija recalls that from the first letter to the Editor that Ocwich contributed to The New Vision while he was at high school, he grew to be a very courageous, fair, and accurate and extremely fast journalist.
Kaija who supervised Ocwich on and off for almost ten years doesn’t remember ever getting any complaint about his work, an almost impossible feat in journalism.

“Ocwich never refused an assignment and he needed no follow-up to submit his work. He was the type of journalist every editor would like to work with,” Kaija, who was the Features Editor at the time Ocwich started contributing stories said.

Kaija notes that it is not surprising, Ocwich made it in his academics through the non-tradition way by supporting himself through his diploma and degree courses and at the same time working full time.

“Never at any time did Ocwich give his studies as an excuse for not completing an assignment. We shall miss him at The New Vision because as I told him the last time we talked, we very much looked forward to his coming back as a senior Editor in the establishment.”
Ocwich loved a private and humble life style and this was depicted in every thing he did.

Margaret Jjuuko Vice Dean School of Journalism and Communication National University of Rwanda taught Ocwich two broadcast courses while at Makerere University. She says, Ocwich was one of the most humble, respectful and hardworking students.

“He never missed a class and he was always in my office seeking clarification on particular aspects of the course he may have not understood well, even about other courses he was studying that he felt he needed extra support.”

Friends and colleagues described Ocwich as a very well brought up person. He was very respectful, courteous, hard working and resilient. He was also a very fast learner.
In school, he was always among the best in class and, at Makerere, his outstanding performance was noticed early in his first year.
At the department of mass communication, many of his students received the news with shock. Jacobs Odongo, a former student of the deceased, described him as a mentor. “He was not only a lecturer, but a friend. Even if he was not your supervisor, Ocwich was always at call to help any student with their research work,” Odongo said.

In Ocwich, his students had a lecturer, not just versed in the theories of communication and fiction writing, but one tested and proven in the dynamics of living journalism.
The year 2009 started well for Ocwich. I remember his new year’s message to me was full of hope.

Ocwich sent me an e-mail-wishing me the best of luck in the year and hoping that 2009 would be great. He wrote, “Hello brother, hope back home all is well, your family and work. Myself I am great and doing pretty well with life and books.”

Many initially treated the sad news as a rumour, but when it was finally confirmed, it was a sad moment for the journalism fraternity. In his short life, Ocwich had touched the lives of many with as little as he could, including a pat on the back to encourage a friend who was struggling with finishing studies or even one trying to write an article on their first attempt or a student struggling with their research work.

Ocwich was down-to-earth and focused. I remember a personal story he shared with me some time in 2005 soon after he had been appointed staff writer at The New Vision.

In a rather emotional tone, he told me that he was struggling with his salary to put up a shelter for his parents in lira. And for several months, Ocwich lived on a shoe string budget in order to save and put up a small house for his mother. The two-roomed house is now where the parents are living. “Yes he did build that house and that is where his parents are living. His plan was to build a bigger house for parents in future,” said Ocwich’s uncle, confirming the determination and resolve Ocwich had. Breaking the sad news to Ocwich’s parents was one of the hardest things to do. His uncle opted to use an intelligent neighbour to break the news in a way that would not again cause another tragedy. The parents received the news, but are yet to come to terms with the tragedy.

Timothy Makhoha, a former workmate and colleague remembers Ocwich as a young journalist who helped rewrite his first HIV/AIDS story.

“I had asked him to read through, he had the patience and courage to ask that we improve it together. The final piece was not just statistics, but the human face of AIDS.” Makhoha says.

He adds: “While I savoured credit for a story well written from Cathy Mwesigwa, the Deputy Features Editor then, Denis sat a metre or two away, clawing away at the keyboard, perhaps outing another masterpiece. That was Denis, always industrious.”

All those that had a chance to meet him will miss him for his even person and insight. His characteristic gesture was always punctuating his comments with hearty laughter and if you were free, a pat on the shoulder was not so far- that is what will remain vivid in the minds of those who knew Ocwich.

Ocwich was born in 1974 in Ireda village Lira district to Nelson and Florence Olea. He went to Irea Primary School.
He then enrolled at Lango College, where he completed his O’level. In 1995, he enrolled at Aduku SSS in Apac district where he completed his A’level education.

In 1998, he enrolled at Uganda Management Institute (UMI) for a diploma in journalism. Two years later, he joined Makerere University, where he graduated with a Bachelors degree in Mass Communication in 2003. He later went to Sweden for a Masters in Global Journalism.
He later worked as a lecturer at Makerere University, before heading to South Africa for a PhD in Journalism. At the time of his death he was one year into the course.

Amos Zikusooka, who worked with him at Timelines Communication consultancy in Kampala, described Ocwich as an intelligent young man, full of potential.

“He was a promising young man in all aspects of life; professionalism, academics and interpersonal relationships.”