Covid-19 takes Latin specialist

Rest in peace. His work paid off but Covid-19 took him away. Robert Mugagga pays tribute to Fr Dr Edward Ssonko.

The Rev Fr Edward Ssonko  a teacher of Latin at Kisubi Seminary in Kampala Archdiocese, an ardent classical musician and holder of a doctorate in Latin breathed his last on January 23,  at Kisubi hospital shortly after being admitted.

  Fr Ssonko was the head of the examining body of Latin in Uganda.  At first his health condition did not appear all that serious since he drove himself to hospital. 

During a requiem Mass held at Lubaga Cathedral on January 25, Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga disclosed that Fr Ssonko had died of Covid-19 and urged mourners to take this disease seriously. 

‘Those taking things lightly should now know that this disease is real and recently claimed my friend, an American bishop who was infected after presiding over a requiem mass of a victim of the epidemic .” The archbishop reminded Christians to always go for medical checkup, especially Covid-19 test to combat the spread of the epidemic.

He praised Fr  Ssonko for fulfilling his priesthood calling and referred  to him as friendly and humorous.
 “During the 90s, Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala sent Fr Ssonko and I for further studies in Rome  and we ended up in the same house in San Paolo. He was a humorous storyteller and talented musician who  played several music instruments,” he said.

Later it did not surprise him when  Fr. Ssonko taught at Kisubi seminary while at the same time heading the department of liturgy and sacred music in Kampala Archdiocese. 
Dedicated

The rector of Kisubi Seminary where Fr Ssonko has been teaching, the Rev Fr Francis Sengendo said the seminary had lost a dedicated priest and teacher who always worked hard to educate and transform seminarians into better people of God. 

“As one of the longest serving staff members he was good at discussing seminary issues and we always consulted him for advice on the best way to run the seminary.” The rector disclosed that Fr. Ssonko was multilingual; he spoke Swahili, Latin, Italian and German among others.  

Speaking on behalf of the family Stephen Nawuba, Fr Ssonko’s younger brother,  said the death was a big blow not only to the family but all those that depended on him.

“Fr Ssonko was so generous that he shared the little he had.” 
During an interview with Sunday Monitor, Nawuba dug deep taking us back to their childhood. 

“In his youthful days before he joined the seminary, Ssonko was a jack of all trades at home in Ggoli. He would do everything from milking cows every morning to using a typewriter, then some electrical wiring plus fixing the family car whenever it had a problem.”

According to Nawuba, during his childhood, Fr. Ssonko also spared time to teach his younger brothers and sisters good manners and how to speak good English and because of this,  most of them were above average and better off in that language by the time they started schooling. 

Accommodative
 Nawuba described his fallen brother as a down-to-earth man who hardly wore an angry face even when annoyed.

“He had a special attachment with people of every age group and at times played with children during his free time.”  
Fr Ssonko always sought challenges. “Despite owning a posh car, Fr Ssonko at times preferred to drive ramshackle cars that would break down on the way and give him an opportunity of stopping to fix them,” Nawuba remarked.  

Fr Ssonko was a director at St Edward High School in Bulwa Zone in Lubaga. Together with Stephen Nawuba, Fr Ssonko helped establish this school after realising that most secondary schools in the area were business-minded and expensive for majority of  the parents in the area.  
Philanthropic

Jeff Walukagga, a Senior Two student, says  his death came as a shock.  

“Many of us regarded Fr Ssonko as a parent  who took care of us spiritually. He was the administrator  who always worked round the clock to improve the standard of the school,” Walukagga says.  

Besides St Edward High school, Fr Ssonko is credited with aiding government-owned Sama Primary School at Kamengo in Mpigi District. Some years back, he helped build them new classrooms in addition to providing the school with a clean water system and solar power. 

And  Fr Ssonko’s generosity extended far beyond schools. He was buried at Kisubi Seminary on January 26. 
May his soul  rest in eternal peace.