My great mother Nantongo

Selfless, committed and loving is my mother Owenkima Omukyala Nantongo Mugalasi. While most celebrate their fathers on Father’s Day, I celebrate this incredible woman in my life.

I was in the salon and chanced on one of the local television channels. The beautiful song playing was by one of the new artistes called Nantongo. Nantongo is one of those really special names in my life; in fact when I was expecting my son, I used to call him baby Nantongo in the event that he was a girl. Nantongo is my mother’s name. And what a beautiful name it is! June 19 is her birthday too.
How does one celebrate their mother? And how do you celebrate a mother like mine?

Talking about age
My mother who happens to be one of my greatest inspirations in this life marks a milestone birthday. It is not a good thing to shout your mother’s age on the rooftop, so I will not walk in that direction.

There was a time one of the children very loudly pronounced her mother’s age and the mother almost collapsed! Recently, my young man explained to me how he learnt to be quiet about his parents’ age and told me that so and so in his class had mentioned that her father was a ‘whole’ 42 years old! Wink wink!
There was a time my son could not understand how someone could have been born before the year 2000. He could not even comprehend that such a time existed!

Selfless role model
Anyway, we celebrate the birthday of the great Nantongo and this milestone is a big deal particularly for me. Owenkima Nantongo is significantly soft-spoken. She has lived her life so selflessly that I still struggle to convince her to spend much on herself. It is normally a fight to get her to eat out or to spoil herself because she is used to giving and giving of herself.
Hard worker
My mother still gives me pocket money and contrary to some beliefs, I rejoice over that!
My mother always sends me stuff including the choicest avocado in the whole world, the freshest and sweetest maize as well as the juiciest oranges I have ever chanced upon.
At some point in her life she worked two or three jobs in order to fend for my brothers and I.

Back then she had very little material possessions because our well-being was much more important. Even though she is soft-spoken, my mother influenced me to work hard in school because I never wanted to let her down.
Interestingly, we hold quite different views on many things and yet we can sit quietly and peacefully as I drive her from one place to another.
I thank God for the gift of my mother and I bless Him for having rewarded her with a good life. I thank God because in my mother the children have a dotting grandmother who spoils them with love and pocket change.
Lord, I thank you for my mother!