Independence: Were the aims achieved?
Oct 08, 2010
THE Lamogi people resisted British colonial rule because they wanted independence. Nekolao Okojjo, who was born during the Lamogi rebellion in 1911 narrated to <i>Saturday Vision</i> that the Lamogi opened war against the British to resist their rule that characterised levying tax on them.
By Chris Ocowun
THE Lamogi people resisted British colonial rule because they wanted independence. Nekolao Okojjo, who was born during the Lamogi rebellion in 1911 narrated to Saturday Vision that the Lamogi opened war against the British to resist their rule that characterised levying tax on them.
“We never wanted the British. Our fore fathers expressed that through rebelling against them, although they got defeated,†Okojjo, an elder of Boro clan in Lamogi sub-county, Amuru district explains.
“What caused the rebellion was labelling the guns that our elders had and taxation.â€
According to Okojjo, the Lamogi, led by Rwot Onug and Otto, entered a cave in the Guru-Guru hills in Olwal, where they lived for three months without food. The Boro, Pamuca, Koch-Padaca and Pukure were some of the clans in the cave.
In the fourth month, the British poured poison into the cave, which caused diarrhoea, resulting into the death of many Lamogi.
“Rwot Otto complained to his brother, Rwot Onung, that all the people would die if they did not walk out of the cave and talk to the British,†Okojjo recalled.
He narrated that Rwot Onung feared to face the British because he thought he would be killed. However, his brother, Rwot Otto took courage and walked to them, saying: “I am Otto, the son of Rwot Yai. Rwot Otto said they were ready to stop rebelling against the British so that people can stop dying inside the cave.â€
The Lamogi fought the British using arrows and bows, spears and others had Byeda and Tasa guns which they had got from the Arabs in Sudan. The British, according to Okojjo, wanted to mark these guns so that they would tax them.
He said as a result of diarrhoea, the Lamogi accepted to surrender.
Okojjo said the Lamogi were rounded up by the British after their surrender and taken to Gulu town before being camped in Lalem village in Lamogi sub-county.
Mzee Butulumayo Ongo, 82, of Boro clan said though the Lamogi were defeated by the British, they were able to kill a British captain using an arrow. He was buried in Limu village, Gulu town.
He noted that the Lamogi people partly achieved their objectives using their rudimentary weapons.
THE Lamogi people resisted British colonial rule because they wanted independence. Nekolao Okojjo, who was born during the Lamogi rebellion in 1911 narrated to Saturday Vision that the Lamogi opened war against the British to resist their rule that characterised levying tax on them.
“We never wanted the British. Our fore fathers expressed that through rebelling against them, although they got defeated,†Okojjo, an elder of Boro clan in Lamogi sub-county, Amuru district explains.
“What caused the rebellion was labelling the guns that our elders had and taxation.â€
According to Okojjo, the Lamogi, led by Rwot Onug and Otto, entered a cave in the Guru-Guru hills in Olwal, where they lived for three months without food. The Boro, Pamuca, Koch-Padaca and Pukure were some of the clans in the cave.
In the fourth month, the British poured poison into the cave, which caused diarrhoea, resulting into the death of many Lamogi.
“Rwot Otto complained to his brother, Rwot Onung, that all the people would die if they did not walk out of the cave and talk to the British,†Okojjo recalled.
He narrated that Rwot Onung feared to face the British because he thought he would be killed. However, his brother, Rwot Otto took courage and walked to them, saying: “I am Otto, the son of Rwot Yai. Rwot Otto said they were ready to stop rebelling against the British so that people can stop dying inside the cave.â€
The Lamogi fought the British using arrows and bows, spears and others had Byeda and Tasa guns which they had got from the Arabs in Sudan. The British, according to Okojjo, wanted to mark these guns so that they would tax them.
He said as a result of diarrhoea, the Lamogi accepted to surrender.
Okojjo said the Lamogi were rounded up by the British after their surrender and taken to Gulu town before being camped in Lalem village in Lamogi sub-county.
Mzee Butulumayo Ongo, 82, of Boro clan said though the Lamogi were defeated by the British, they were able to kill a British captain using an arrow. He was buried in Limu village, Gulu town.
He noted that the Lamogi people partly achieved their objectives using their rudimentary weapons.