Archbishop Odama preaches peace, end of global wars
The Archbishop of Gulu, John Baptist Odama, hands over a trophy to the team captain of Gulu Archdiocese during the 16th GANAL Provincial Mass at St Jude Catholic Parish in Naguru, Kampala, yesterday. PHOTO | FRANK BAGUMA
What you need to know:
- Archbishop Odama made the plea during the Archdiocese Annual Mass that always comes on the first Sunday after the Uganda Martyrs’ Day.
The Archbishop of Gulu, John Baptist Odama, has asked Ugandans to put aside their differences and work to unite the country.
He also called for an end to wars in Somalia and Ukraine, noting that they are claiming the lives of innocent civilians.
Archbishop Odama made the plea during the Archdiocese Annual Mass that always comes on the first Sunday after the Uganda Martyrs’ Day.
The cleric said northern Uganda has had a sad history of tribal conflicts pitting the people of West Nile against the Acholi community, Lango against Acholi and others. He said it is time to forget those differences and work for a common goal.
“We must forgive one another and reconcile. If God had no mercy on us, we would be finished. In GANAL, we must forgive one another. Those who are elders know our history in Northern Uganda which has not been well. They know how the West Nilers were with Acholi, how Acholi were with Lango and how in West Nile we were not together. That is why GANAL was formed. We must stop these differences and unite as one,” Achbishop Odama said amid cheers from the congregation.
The GANAL region represents the dioceses of Gulu, Arua, Nebbi and Lira that make up the Gulu Archdiocese.
Achbishop Odama said it is not only northern Uganda that needs reconciliation and unity, but the entire country.
“Love the babies including those in the wombs and do not abort them. If all the tribes in Uganda expressed love to one another, then we would be not only the Pearl of Africa, but of the World. Imagine in Uganda, guards are killing each other and those laughing at them are also killed. You go to Somalia over 160 are killed, where is Uganda heading to,” he said. The cleric advised Ugandans to go back to the pre-independence stance where they were all united to defend their country.
“Before independence, we were united, but after independence, we started taking politics and became divided and killing each other, which must stop,” he said.
Achbishop Odama said the region must invest in the future by educating children who will be called the future of GANAL.
Mr Mario Obiga Kania, the State minister for Urban Development, who was the chief guest, asked religious leaders to speak to the youths who do not want to engage in productive activities.
“Youths in the region tend to be lazy and doing irrelevant things. Please talk to these youths because they listen to you. Sometimes when we in the politics speak to them they think we are doing this because we want votes,” he said.
