Life, to many, is that period of functional existence preceding the mysterious phenomenon known as death. The reality that starkly distinguishes humankind from other forms of matter is that our lives are a blank canvas when we arrive here on earth. At the end of this arduous journey surfing the echelons of a complicated world, there will be something or nothing to write home about each one.
The nation is mourning the late Jacob Oulanyah. But over and above that, we vigorously celebrate the legacy of an honorable man that he was. A deluge of tributes has poured in, and continues to, from all directions—near and far—and from across political divides. Overall, there has been high commendation for the fallen politician whose sociopolitical pedigree others could only dream of having.
His steady rise to the place of political prominence testified of his distinguished leadership skills. Honorable Oulanyah’s pragmatism and fervent efforts in promoting peace in the Acholi subregion, particularly during the horrendous era of the LRA, as well as within his spheres of influence, were a notable mark of a man of character. Also, his generosity and devotion to taking care of the less privileged painted us a vivid picture of the size of heart he had.
If these accreditations are anything to go by, this gentleman’s Christian values and spiritual inclinations appear to have been at the forefront of all his pursuits. Evidently, appreciating the conviction that the highest level of life is lived from the spiritual standpoint will help guide our focus and ultimately define what our individual legacies shall be.
Additionally, it’s vitally important to recognize that for every natural occurrence, there’s an eternal dimension to it. With the responsibility of maintaining spiritual perspectives resting on men of Prophet Elvis Mbonye’s ilk, it’s virtually impossible to ignore a revelation that he issued on 7th January 2014 concerning Uganda’s legislative body.
In his prophetic utterance, the man of God disclosed that he had seen a “leadership vacuum” at the parliament and this had “interrupted the normal proceedings there” bringing it to a near-standstill for about a week. This, he said, had been the result of a “possible illness” that had hit the leader of the August House.
Eight years on, an eerily familiar event plays out with uncanny precision. Moreover, the peculiarity of this revelation is that it’s the first time in the history of Uganda that a sitting Speaker of Parliament has passed on!
This extremely unfortunate circumstance leaves a bitter taste in our mouths and a slew of difficult questions lingering! What if eight years ago we had simply lent an ear to the emissary of God? Was this a case of fate taking its course, or is it possible that we could’ve actually done something to save our beloved Speaker?
Over the years, it has come to our knowledge that ignoring God is never without risk. A grim reminder of that fact are the several undesirable events that have gone on to take place here in Uganda despite prior cautions. And yet we’ve still remained unwaveringly stiff-necked!
Suffice it to say that a moment’s inattention can literally prove to be the difference between life and death! As we celebrate Jacob Oulanyah’s virtuous legacy, it’s absolutely essential that, as a nation, we’ll learn to give utmost credence to things divine, lest we repeatedly bear the full brunt of the unpleasant consequences of ignoring God.
