Luwum’s prophecy and birth of Northwest Ankole Diocese
It all started in 1976 when a former student of the late Archbishop Janan Luwum at Bishop Tucker Theological College Mukono (now Uganda Christian University), invited his former tutor to his installation as archdeacon of the then newly created Ibanda archdeaconry.
According to one of the elders of Ibanda and former head of Laity, 98-year-old murokore (born-again) Mzee Sam Bishaka, the foundation stone for Ibanda archdeaconry was laid by Archbishop Luwum at St. Paul Church of Uganda Ibanda, the pro-cathedral, in 1976.
The late Archbishop Luwum is quoted to have appealed to the few church leaders in a private conversation to extend the church that was being constructed, to cater for a bigger altar.
“In future I see this becoming a very important church centre,” Archbishop Luwum is quoted as saying.
Mr Bishaka replied at the time: “Your Grace we are few and not financially strong.”
It seems this conversation had a lasting impact on the church elders so much that in 1980, according to Mr Bishaka, he went along with Rev George Nkoba, the then Administrative Secretary of Ankole Region and Mr George Kahonda, then Ibanda County Chief, to present a letter to the Bishop Amos Betungura, second Bishop of Ankole Diocese, requesting for creation of a new diocese headquartered at Ibanda.
Archbishop Luwum’s visit to Ibanda seems to have sparked the growing desire to vouch for the creation of a new diocese till recently when the Synod of Ankole Diocese and later the Provincial Assembly of Church of Uganda endorsed the idea.
Earlier, the history of establishment of Christianity in Ibanda, Ankole sub-region, as recounted by Rev Can George Nkoba, dates back to 1899 when Rev Apollo Kivebulaya went through Kashangura in Ibanda and planted a memorial tree as a sign of establishing the Native Anglican Church (ANC).
Citing literature from Uganda Christian University archives at Mukono, Rev Nkoba recounts that the first church was later established by Joseph Balikuddembe, a Muganda from Salama in Mukono.
In 1901, Rev Herbert Clayton whom the Banyankore called “Kirintoni” came to Ibanda from the Church Missionary Society (CMS) station in Mbarara and established the main church in Ibanda.
It became the second church station in Ankole after Mbarara.
One of the most prominent Christians to be baptised in 1903 was Julia Kibubura, a former diviner of the King of Ankole.
Ms Kibubura and 25 other readers travelled by foot to Mbarara for baptism. The first person to be baptised at the Ibanda church as per the old age records still kept intact at St Paul Church of Uganda, was Mr Philip Musororwa.
He was baptised by Rev Nuwa Nakiwafu on 3rd March 1918.
Ms Kibubura, one of the first Christian converts, is perhaps the first high-ranking female political leader in Uganda since she became a sub- county chief around 1904.
Kibubura’s heroic act of holding the body of the slain British Acting Sub-Commissioner for Western Province Mr Galt in 1905 is told in Banyankore folk lore.
It is said that a local man Rutaraaka was hired to kill Galt who was accused of molesting Banyankore who used to carry him in a carriage from Mbarara to Ibanda on foot.
The story goes that whenever he was travelling, his subjects would request to rest a bit and he would retort, “Mpaka Banda” literally meaning,” No resting till we reach Ibanda.”
Ms Kibubura was instrumental in the construction of the first church at Ibanda made of mud and wattle which was later in the 1970s to be replaced with the current St. Paul Church of Uganda Ibanda where the late Archbishop Luwum laid a foundation stone in 1976.
The church was re-dedicated to God after major upgrade works were made on Sunday, August 20.
St Paul CoU Pro-Cathedral is a marvel since the beautiful 1500-seater church is made of Kajjansi wall bricks and roof tiles. The hill on which Ibanda Pro-Cathedral stands derives its name from the word “Ibandura” meaning a place of traditional African worship.
It is this hill that in 1901 became known as “Misani”, which was a pronounciation of the English “Mission Station” to denote missionary activities that started there including the establishment of the renown Kibubura Girls Secondary School named after Julia Kibubura.
The consecration ceremony for the bishop of the new diocese Rev Can Amos Magezi, former Provincial Secretary of Church of Uganda on Sunday, October 1, with the chief guest expected to be President Museveni, is anticipated to be a watershed moment that will fulfil the late Archbishop Luwum’s prophecy in 1976.
Dr Rt Rev Mwesigwa is the Bishop of Ankole Diocese.
