Busoga’s spirits find a new home

In retrospective of Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, one of the characters Obierika remarks; the white man has placed a knife on the things which held us together and we have fallen apart. This is shortly after Okwonkwo returns to Umoufia only to find a church erect on the evil forest land wondering where all the warriors had gone.

Watching the cultural chiefs conduct the relocation rites of their spirits from Bujagali to Namizi village in Budondo SubCounty, paving way for the power dam construction these same words would sting a Musoga ‘Okwonkwo’ hard.

Gone are the days when people from all walks of life trekked the Bujagali route in search for life, wealth, wife, husband and children. Kikubamutwe Island is no more. And no longer shall people flock the Nile river spot to curse away the drought, pray for good harvest or academic excellence for their children.

It was the centre of all activities. It is where the gods in the rock, under water and those on dry land gathered to listen to their “children’s” prayers.
Today, the island has been left bare, minus vegetation, exposing its rock foundation. The right river bank waters were diverted leaving its bed gaping open, the rough rocks stare very rudely at the two high-mighty-gated-spillways made of rock and lime, yet these look down on the rocks so humbly yet confident and proud.

Bujagali Energy Limited (BEL), a company spearheading the construction of the Dam, entered several covenants with the residents especially given that they were giving up too much for the sake of the whole country. Residents asked for a school or two, a health unit but most importantly they demanded their gods are secured a new home.

BEL kept their promise. By June 29, three new shrines had been constructed at Namizi village Budondo subcounty in Jinja for the gods to inhabit. The relocation ceremony was punctuated with speeches especially testimonies from Busoga clan chiefs.

The silent listeners
“This is our ancestors’ new permanent home. Every time we mention the word spirit, many people think about witchcraft but these are our fore fathers who brought us into this life. Though invisible, spirits are people who passed on but still live in our midst. They are the silent listeners in our conversation, the invisible guest at our table,” Yasin Ntembe one of Busoga’s 11 chiefs said echoing some Bible verses.

After the national and Busoga anthems, followed a prayer - not the usual “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.............” No. It went thus; “Our gods, Budhagali, Lumbuye, Lubaale, Mukasa....and all grandfathers come in our midst...”

Various assortments of fetishes, beads threaded together on backcloth in different measures were carefully placed the corners of each shrine one after the other amidst loud chants, drumming and vigorous dancing.

The chief custodian, Benedicto Infudu danced while shaking his head allegedly possessed, kicked hot coals with bare feet and put fire into his mouth as way of demonstrating his might.

Infudu, says those who think these are lies, superstitions have lost their roots otherwise why do they find it easy to believe Jesus was son of God, he walked on water and performed several miracles including healing the sick but can’t believe a thing as Budhagali in their own land. What proof do they have? Mr Stephen Nantamu, the Minister of Culture and Inter kingdom cooperation in Busoga Kingdom said, “Budhagali is Busoga.”

Source of livelihood
“People came from across the country to visit this place seeking solution to individual problems. It gave life; people got children, wealth, wives and husbands from this place. The custodian of the spirits (also called Budhagali) would spread a backcloth on the water, sit on with his grandchildren (those who will have come for healing), sail across the river, help them make their wish and pledges then sail back,” he said. Adding people would bring gifts in form of chicken, goats, money, depending on what they pledged.

It was in June 2007 when the first foundation stone for construction of the Bujagali power dam was laid. This was, is and shall always be a landmark in the lives of people who live near to and far from Kikubamutwe.

Thirty-year-old Aisha Mpango, a peasant at Namizi village says we have a new home for Budhagali and we have a new dam. She is optimistic the new shrines become a source of tourist attraction contending it is all about development.
But to some residents, talk of job creation, economic development is farfetched compared to the attachment they had to this spot on the Nile River. It was a divine island, home to Budhagali, the benevolent god to the people of Busoga, in whom their life’s essence pullulated.

Yusuf Wekesa, a 45-year-old working at the dam construction site says the construction of the dam, particularly at that spot changed everything about people’s life and believes. “The dam has been constructed but relocating the shrines, jeopardises their divinity. Originality has been lost; the clamorous falls, it was alleged were controlled by Bujagali, so what will they say? Myth is a major ingredient of belief. To me one feature has been broken by building of the other.”

The $860 million project is set to generate the first 50mega watts of commercial power in late October this year as the turbines and transformers are in final stages of assembly. By April 2012, 250 megawatts of electricity will be switched on to the national grid. According to Eng Kenneth Kaheru, this will translate into reliable power and lower tariffs. The project is expected to transform lives of millions of Ugandans by boosting the country’s industrial potential.

To conclude the relocation ceremony, mounds of food and chunks of meat were heaped on people’s plates which they described as “a very important phase” in any particular rite.