Nobert Kaggwa: Art icon who mentored many

“Kaggwa was one of the most principled people I have ever met. He was very passionate about art and design. He was an exceptional teacher. He could easily make anyone understand what he wanted to say,” artist Saad Lukwago observes.

To Joan Kekimuri, Nobert Kaggwa was the tutor who held her hand when she joined the Institute of Teacher Education Kyambogo (ITEK) as a graduate fellow from Margaret Trowel School of Industrial Fine Arts, Makerere.

“I had never taught other than the school practice classes. When I joined, I was placed under the tutorship of Kaggwa. From him, I learnt that knowing how to paint is one thing but teaching teachers is another skill and he was good at this,”  Ms Kekimuri, the head of department, School of Art and Industrial Design at Kyambogo University, narrates.

She adds that Kaggwa  taught her to love and be proud of the teaching profession. 
Kaggwa, 84,  a passionate sculptor, painter and tutor, passed away on Wednesday night. 

His journey into the art world began at Mitala-Maria Primary School and later at Kitovu Primary School, in 1945, when he made picture cuttings from magazines.

At St Henry’s College Kitovu, his art caught the eye of teachers leading  Brother Edward Musoke and the late Francis Musangogwantamu to encourage him to pursue art as a career.

However, his focus then was not to become an artist but a medical doctor. 
“I don’t know where I got the courage to write to the department of fine art to give me an entry exam. I also felt bad that I had not done medicine but as an artist, I portray my medicine in art through body physiology,” the artist further narrated.

Upon completion of his studies at Makerere University where he pursued a course in sculpture, painting and graphic and commercial art, he became the first male teacher at Trinity College Nabbingo between 1964 and 1966.

While at Nabbingo,  he inspired students to do art and as such, the school won very many art competitions. This created yearning for his teaching in many traditional schools.

Mount St Mary’s Namagunga and Gayaza High School asked Kaggwa to teach at the schools but because he was a full time teacher at Nabbingo, he could only work in other schools on part-time basis.

Kaggwa’s philosophy was that art was for community consumption. He also encouraged students to do woodwork and clay work.

As he rests in eternal peace, Kaggwa leaves memories with family, friends, colleagues and admirers.
“Kaggwa was a very talented, skilled and hardworking artist. He was not only an art teacher but also a practicing artist. One of the famous pieces he did, is a mural in Jinja Hospital. He also illustrated my former teacher’s, Edward Nalabirawo Kawere (RIP), book titled ‘Zinunula Omunaku’,” Nuwa Wamala Nnyanzi says. He adds: “ He was an entrepreneur and that was clearly displayed successfully during the 1980s when he operated a cosmetics shop on Diamond Trust- very neatly designed and professionally presented. He used to sell dyes there too.” 

Leonard Kateete, a Nairobi-based veteran artist, says Kaggwa will be remembered for inspiring many  people when he won the East African Esso painting competition.

The competition was held annually in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

“He was my mentor during my 10-month stay at Fr Kevin McKee’s, the then Catholic chaplain of Kyambogo College. I exhibited some of my art in his Diamond Trust craft shop in the 1970s before joining his brother’s Associated creative designers. (Mr Gaston Ssemboga),” Kateete recollects.

Kaggwa was a light-hearted man, so gifted yet so humble. His belief was that everyone is an artist, and that it’s only the ability to create that varies. 

Speaking to this journalist in August 2011, Kaggwa explained that his inspiration was divine.
Walking into his living spaces was proof of his exceptionality. It was like taking steps into different sections of an architectural art gallery, one nicely curved sculpture, creatively prototypical effigies in the well mewed compound that is dotted with flowers and trees.

Inside the house, I was wowed by his life-size paintings that embellished his walls along with various family portraits. 

It was little wonder that I learnt that he spearheaded the development and design of the former National Teachers’ College Kyambogo, now  Kyambogo University.

“I wrote a proposal to the principal of the college to make art a fully-fledged subject. I was challenged to start the department of fine art. I worked towards that and in 1968, art became a subject. In 1970, I was funded to build the design centre, which still stands at Kyambogo,” he narrated in the interview.

Kagwa taught at the national college from 1966 and served as head of the department between 1968 and 1978.

Some of his career highlight, include drawing the portrait for Pope John Paul II.

He  also worked on several art projects with United Nations (UN), designed the logos of National Water and Sewerage Corporation and Post Office Uganda, and supervised  students who designed the sculptures on the new shilling notes.

One of his children, Ms Irene Kaggwa Sewankambo, the executive director of Uganda Communications Commission, says her father  loved art and giving lecturers.
She adds that coming from a family where his surviving siblings, Mr Gaston Semboga, Ms Anastasia Nakazzi and Ms Geraldine Bitamazire-were all educationists, the passing on of knowledge was in her father’s blood.

“He was always lecturing people especially younger ones about their life choices. It didn’t matter whether he had just met them or not. He also loved getting to the bottom of things. He always pushed us not to settle for less but instead strive for the best,” Ms Sewankambo, an electrical engineer, reminisces.

Actor and comedian Isaac Kudzu, a former student of Kaggwa, describes  him as a godfather of art and design who inspired students to pursue art from first principles.
Nnyanzi says Kaggwa’s legacy will continue to inspire those who aspire to excel.

Mr David Kibuuka Lumu, a veteran artist, says: “It is indeed very sad news! He was one of the best artists in Uganda, a great teacher and a good soul too! We shall miss him a lot.” 

According to Kekimuri, Kaggwa was a practical tutor and mentor who taught by demonstration.
“He invited me into his classes to watch him teach and sometimes sat in my classes as I taught to evaluate how I was carrying out my practice,” she recounts.

Personal life
Nnyanzi  says  Kaggwa was a cheeky, naughty and humorous friend. 
“I didn’t have the benefit of being his student but I have interacted with many that he taught. He influenced one person, character-wise, whom we lived with in Nairobi,that is Emmy Lubega. I realised their personality is the same,”Nnyanzi recounts, 

Kekimuri reveals that Kaggwa was very meticulous, always smart and  clean. He had issues of his practice at his fingertips, a renowned artist. 
“He was well travelled, loved and drove expensive cars. He did some side hustles and taught us to always have a side income to be economically viable,” Kekimuri adds.

Artist Lukwago says his tutor was kind. “In my final semester, I couldn’t raise my tuition in time for exams. He talked to one of his colleagues (Bill Kavuma) who paid my tuition for that semester. After my studies, I kept going to his home for critiques because he was always honest,” he recollects. Kateete says Uganda  has lost a great art critic.

“He used to critique my work and would give me tips on how to make it better the few times he visited Fr McKee in April 1971. It wasn’t much but got me to do better.”

About Kaggwa
Nobert Kaggwa was born to Desiderio Ssajjabbi Salongo and Rose Nassozi Nalongo in Masakwa Kibugga, Butambala District.

He started his education at a subgrade school at Ssimba before joining  Mitala Maria Primary School in Mawokota County, Mpigi District.

He attended St Henry’s  College Kitovu in Masaka District and in the late 1950s joined Makerere University to study  Fine Art. 

Kaggwa taught  Fine Art in various schools that included Trinity College Nabbingo,  St Mary’s Namagunga, Makerere College School, Kyambogo College School and  Nabisunsa Girls’ School.

He organised art exhibitions in many secondary schools  to motivate students to take fine art as an examinable subject.

He also lectured and mentored many art teachers at the Institute of Teacher’s Education, kyambogo. As a lecturer, he laid the foundation of the Department of Art and Design at Kyambogo University where he taught until he retired in the 1980s.

Kaggwa served as an examiner with UNEB, then known as the East African Examination Council, based in Nairobi, Kenya.

For years he painted and sold pictures and drawings of prominent people, animals and places of attraction, rising to be a popular artist in Uganda.