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UGANDA: EULOGY FEAR-THEE WELL HON. CANNON ABEDNEGO ABSALOM ONGOM
Second edition and third edition will be run after Christmas
Thousands of sons and daughters of Labongo’s poured tribute, as Agago Bowala Traditional dancers took center stage, academia and scholars, civil societies and top UPDF general, Deputy IPG, and Deputy Prison Commissioner General, and many other colored Awere, Ajan village ancestral burial of Jaka clan.
OMORO-AWERE AJAN VILLAGE, STATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2025.
By Okumu Livingstone Langol, Our Correspondent
Tear of joy struck Awere Ajan village at scorching midday sun became mild, with hymns melody of Christ Church Choir sang from 11:00AM-1:00PM East African local time whisper to the ears of mourners paying their last respect to celebrated the almost 90 years life of Cannon Abednego Absalom Ongom live on earth.
Hon Cannon Abednego Absalom Ongom will be remembered as a man who lived a life of purpose, integrity, and selfless serves. He leaves behind a legacy firmly rooted in education, faith, and exemplary public service. Throughout his life, he remained committed to the values of knowledge, discipline, and moral uprightness, which shaped not only his own journey, but the lives of many he mentored and served.
As a devoted educator, he believed deeply in the power of education as a tool for transformation. He worked tirelessly to uplift others through learning, guidance, and encouragement, always emphasizing excellence and responsibility. His passion for education was matched by his dedication to nurturing character and leadership in the younger generation.
In public service, Hon. Canon Ongom stood out as a clear-minded, principled, and dependable civil servant. He carried out his duties with honesty, humility, and a strong sense of accountability. His leadership was marked by fairness, wisdom, and a genuine concern for the well-being of the people he served. He upheld the dignity of public office and earned the trust and respect of colleagues and communities alike.
As a man of faith, he lived his calling as a Canon with devotion, compassion, and unwavering commitment to God and humanity. His life was a testimony of service anchored in faith, love, and righteousness.
Though he has departed from this world, the values he stood for and the impact of his work will continue to live on. His legacy of education, faithful service, and integrity remains a guiding light for all who knew him.
Fare thee well, Hon. Canon Abednego Absalom Ongom. Your service, wisdom, and example will never be forgotten
Gen. Charles Otema Awany, the first to break an eye, cried to his people of Puranga chiefdom, where A.A Ongom was a respected son, a cultural leader, the former Prime Minister of Puranga chiefdom. Gen. sounded, many people called me an alien, but I am a son of the Bolo clan, although Francis Okello Mawa rejected me.
My clan members are here, Lubolo wutye kwene, we responded watye, literally answer Gen. Otema, nays have it, we are here. He disclosed that when there were tensions in Puranga, the same Francis Mawa and John Opira Akeny, were in disagreement whether the late Jacob Oulanyah Lanywen should stand for Omoro County as a Member of Parliament. I called Hon. Ongom A.A, Francis Mawa and Akeny, it came to pass, the late Jacob Oulanyah he became Speaker of 11th Parliament.
Then came Norbert Mao, the former Member of 6th Parliament who shared the 6th August House with the late. Mao, the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs. Stood up and joined the pulpit.
First attacked politicians who used their platform to attack his wife because she, Muganda, from the Central region, in Mao’s style, says such politicians are single mothers.
“For me I am a married and wedded couple, some of you who have big mouths, In ma itye n inga gi ma obiyiki, literally when you die, who will come to bury you.”
His narrative, when I heard the death of Hon A.A Ongom from his son Mark Ongom, I told him you spare no effort for the late Muzee Ongom. Turning to the widow Dorothy Ongom, there is some propaganda that women have a weaker sex, Dorothy Ongom stood for her husband all through. I have seen from Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny Dollo Cihgamoi when he introduced his wife Landlady
Norbert Mao, turning to politics, election will now let a foolish man to be a wise man. Hon. Ongom Abednego, would not talk while we had our meeting, Ongom his mission was for Ugandan and Acholi. We show Hon Ongom for his good leadership, the regional Acholi MPs, we were 11, Zack Olum, Ongom, were backers, me and Okumu Ronald Regan we were hunters.
The government who were fighting Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), we advocate for the international communities allowed 2006, Juba Peace Talks we were united as Acholi MPs, secondly, when Uganda Government Soudan Government were at par, would not see an eye to an eye, we have advocated as Acholi MPs to have International Diplomatic mission between the two counties.
Thirdly, when over 1,000 people was dying in International Displaced People Camps, (IPD)s, we advocated to let over 2 million people in Acholi Sub Region living under squadrol IPD Camps to settle back to their villages, lastly, we fought to allow Multiparty democracy together with the late A.A. Ongom and finally in 2005, Ugandans voted in a referendum to allow Multiparty democracy now people are enjoying.
“When I joined Gulu Municipality in 1996, at 28 years old, Hon Ongom called me child headed family MP”
Amb. Olara Otunnu, on the lost Acholi cultural heritage
The UN iconic, Amb. Olara Otunnu, narrative discourses settle as follows: because I told you that there are people who may not follow Law, work, thank you. For what you have done my teacher Dorothy Ongom, you are the rock of ages, Ladit Abednego he has committed his journey.
How much he loved education, how much he loved his country, when you got education, you walked on water, he affirmed his mission.
The question, now for 10 years, what honor will he be remembering, our sitting here is to say a good condition. If we don’t not hear what he has left, we have huge gaps.
What can be his foundation to do that our conduct, the value we formed our conduct, his values, what made him, the language he adheres, he is now gone. Rocco kit wa, if we continue, we are heading for catastrophe.
We have to build the DNA of Lou; our character is what made him stand tall. I don’t see my Abednego, people who are straight, hardworking, When the late former Prime Minister of Kenya. Hon Raila Odonga Amollo Odonga died, I went to bury him in Lou land. I show many of the Abednego ages, they are many, this is what Lou stands up, their values.
If we leave here when we are selfish, greedy, the best way we could honor this gentleman giant, we have to prove that this is not too late. Acholi community, we have a winning battle, we have to help him to make it happen.
I have the best teachers in the whole world, Lapwony Mama Kipwala Dorothy Ongom, and Lapwony Okello Kainan who hailed from Awere here, I heard that he died, and he will be buried on Saturday 12, 2025. The best mathematics teacher in my life.
Chief Justice Owiny Dollo Cihgamoi, his eulogy, Jaka clan have you seen hero, we are mourning him, Koch can, I have seen you are here, you are mourning, but you should have resilient, you have been moving with Aula, regalia in your hand. Pacwa clan, you have been celebrating the heroism of Abednego Ongom, when a real man picked a spear, just called the name of his mother.
I just mentioned the Koch clan name, why? A man picks the hand’s girl from the Koch clan for the marriage, if you are oy when you have a wife at your home, you are a man, you don’t have a problem. Because the widow Dorothy has managed and put all her ability to protect the future legacy of Abednego.
The late Abednego Absalom Ongom was Managing Director British American Tobacco, the job he served for many years, among Son and Daughters of Puranga Chiefdom, Nyilwaki ne, his contempary were, Okutto Goerge, former Secretary to the Treasury, Permanent Secretary Finance, Odong George Director Expenditure Ministry of Finance, and Economic Planning, Okwera Solomon, Director Uganda Revenue Authorly in land port, Dr. Okidi former Medical Director Botswana South African, Prof. Nyeko Balaam, Dr. Cwah, Medical Director Uganda Army, (UNLA), Dr. Oneka Alit former Commission Uganda Fishery, Latigo Inyasio, Piercement Secretary Education, Eng. Anthony Oryang, Commissioner of Water, Julius Peter Otto Lalaa Managing Director Uganda Dairy Cooperation, Okidi Solomon Secretary Uganda Development Cooperation, and Jacob Okello Agwar, former Under Secretary UDC and later on served as General Manager Uganda Motor.
If Awere is not developed now, because most of those brains and breadwinners in Puranga died at an early stage. Denied them to develop Awere as other areas in Acholi have seen development.
Other sons of Puranga chiefdom who died, those could have developed home, are Dr. Alfonse Okwere, former Director of Cancer and TB Mulago national referral Hospital, John Onen, former Director of Bank of Uganda Aduit, Odong Mark, former Under Secretary Judiciary, Vincent Opiyo Lukone, former Permanent Secretary Cabinet, Okema Obadia, former Manager Aswa Ranch, Dan Banka, and former Director Cooper Motor
