Prof. Banadda: Icon, mentor and trailblazer

In Prof. Noble Ephraim Banadda’s death, Uganda has lost an icon, a mentor and a trailblazer. Born in Kampala but raised in Kabale, south-western Uganda, Banadda succumbed to Covid-19 on July 1. 

He was only 46 years old. 

Banadda’s parents, a Muganda father and a Mukiiga mother for reasons still unknown to him decided that all their children including himself should pursue their early childhood education from Kabale. 

With all his siblings they packed their bags and left their parents in Kampala, for Kabale where they were put under the care of an aunt. 

He went to Kigezi High School Primary (Lower) and then proceeded to Bugema Seventh Day Adventist School for O-Level and Kyambogo College School for A-Level. 

He was admitted to Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro, Tanzania, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Technology. 

He then obtained a scholarship to pursue a Master of Science degree in Process Engineering and thereafter a PhD in Chemical Engineering both  from  the Catholic University of  Leuven,  in Belgium. 

The many firsts

In 2007, Prof. Banadda was a postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of technology, USA. Prof. Banadda remains the first sub-Saharan African person to graduate with a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the Catholic University of Leuven-Belgium.

In 2007, while in my final engineering year at Makerere University, Prof. Banadda was introduced to our class by then our head of department Prof. Levi Kasisira (RIP) as our lecturer for Process Engineering. Prof. Banadda became a mentor to many especially with his motivational statements such as ‘you can be a doctor before you make 30’.

The majority of us were in our early 20s and knew that most Masters degrees then took two to three years while a PhD four to six years so this looked like an impossible dream. 

We had one or two PhD holders at the then department of Agricultural Engineering including Prof Kasisira who also passed on last month. Prof. Banadda had attained his PhD at 31, becoming one of the youngest PhD holders at Makerere University. 

Prof. Banadda became a full professor in 2012 at 37 years of age, becoming one of the youngest people in the history of Makerere University to attain full professorship. 

Through project consultations and advisory services, we kept in close touch.

On March 30, 2021 I met Prof. Banadda at the African Institute for Capacity Development - AICAD - where he had relocated because the office was specious enough to allow him hold meetings while still social distancing.  

He asked me to sanitise before I could sit. He told me that he already taken his first AstraZeneca Covid-19 jab and was now waiting for the second doze. And we had a lengthy conversation about his extraordinary life and work.  

Prof. Banadda’s many hats

Prof. Banadda was a Laureate of the Next Einstein Fellowship; honoured young scientist at the World Economic Forum; Alumni of the Global Young Academy; Member of the Malabo Panel of Experts; fellow of the Uganda National Academy of Sciences; Council member of the Pan African Society for Agricultural Engineering; Member of the Makerere University Senate; Adjunct Professor at Iowa State University (USA) ;Research Fellow at the  University of Cambridge (UK);college member of the UKRI GCRF programme. 

He also served on various boards including the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, African Agricultural Technology Foundation, and was Country Director for African Institute for Capacity Development (AICAD) since October 2014. He was also the representative for Uganda and Vice Chair of the Consultative Council, Implementation of the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation in Islamic Countries (ISESCO) Rabat, Morocco between 2016 and 2017.

Meeting Pope Francis

Among the many awards he received in the course of executing his duties, he held the Pius XI Golden Medal Award for Scientific Excellence dearest.

With this award,  he became its first African recipient since it was first established by Pope John XXIII in 1961. It was presented to him by He Pope Francis at the Vatican on November 12, 2018.

Together with his wife, Dr Beatrice Banadda, they were given special VIP treatment to the Vatican, and set up in the VIP guest house where they spent three days.  

They were honored to have Holy Mass as Pope Francis’ special guests in St Peters Basilica. 

Prof. Banadda said he was surprised when the Pope shook his hand and told him that he had read his CV and believed he was the best scientist in Africa. The Pope, Prof. Banadda said, was impressed by his scientific research that gave great attention to the values and fundamental goods that are at the basis of the relationship between people, society and science. 

Banadda said: “I am who I am because of the Catholic Church. I owe most of my formation and education to the Catholic Church. Although I am a Seventh Day Adventist, I got my masters and PhD scholarship at the Catholic University of Leuven from the Catholic Church. It is now my time to give back to the Catholic Church that nurtured me.” 

During our meeting, he narrated to me how the organisation and Catholic practices at the Catholic University of Leuven completely changed his behavior and approach to life. 

He further revealed to me that his actual name in Rukiiga/Runyankole is ‘Baryagaruka’ literally translated as ‘they will come back’, a direct translation of ‘Banadda’. 

Prof. Banadda had recently been appointed by the late Archbishop Cyprian Lwanga to lead, as a technical advisor, the establishment of a new   Catholic University in Uganda. 

On October 27, 2020, Prof. Banadda was inaugurated as one of the 10 Oliver Reginald Tambo Africa Research Chairs Initiative (ORTARChI) recipients - a prestigious research award programme for high calibre scientists. 

As the Chair of the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering and as the Chairman of the Makerere University Contracts committee, among other notable responsibilities, he made transformational contribution to our nation. 

Self made man

Prof.Banadda loved young people, treasured creativity and nurtured innovation. He was an open minded and considerate person who shared opportunities at his disposal to everyone he deemed fit. He has been a truly a self-made man. 

But this was not all about building himself. It was about building a family, building a community and building a nation. He saw his mission in life as empowerment; giving those around him, and especially his students, the ability to overcome fear and despair.

At the time of his death, together, we were developing a country wide business model to create value-added sustainable products from solid biowaste resources. Although he has not lived to see all the fruits  of his hard labour and  share his transformation story with all of us  his works and legacy will live to inform and inspire generations to come.

We have lost an advisor, mentor and friend; we will miss you Prof. Banadda; Rest in eternal peace My Friend.

Davis Bariho Bagamuhunda, is a Certified Energy Auditor, Resource Efficiency and Sustainability Specialist