At zero distance from president Amin

Is it true, or not true, that if you touch me with something right there in your hand, there immediately exists zero distance between us? If it is true, then it is exactly what happened between him and two of us when we came terribly close to His Awesome Excellency Field Marshall Life President Idi Amin Dada of Uganda and he touched us with something he was wielding in his right hand. 

The year was 1975; the arena, Makerere University’s Science Quadrangle - ‘comfort ye, comfort ye my people,’ says your scribe – it was not Arts Quadrangle at the opposite end of the campus. And the year 1975, as it would later retrospectively turn out, was the mid-point of the Life President’s eight-year reign – four years since the capture of power, and four years to the collapse from power. 

The occasion was one of those once-a-year ceremonial gatherings during which the university conferred degree awards of various categories upon its graduands. This time around, to add to the colourfulness of the occasion, there was going to be one more category of graduands, namely, those being awarded Makerere University’s first ever PhD degrees, two in number. 

As per practice long established, the Head of State in the Government of Uganda was the automatic Chancellor of Makerere University. And His Excellency Field Marshall Idi Amin Dada had been functioning in that capacity since 1971, following his dramatic and populist capture of state power on January 25 of that year, while ill-fated President Milton Obote was conveniently away at a Commonwealth Summit in Singapore.

At his investiture as chancellor that year, Amin (a P3 drop-out) had his un-schooled but extraordinary endowments and incomparable achievements eulogised by the university orator duly appointed for the auspicious occasion; and that was none other than the dean of the Faculty of law, Abraham Kiapi (RIP), mercilessly deemed by the university authorities to be the most appropriate choice for the role of orator for the day, simply because he hailed from West Nile! 

But even before 1971, Brig Amin Dada had made his impressive presence felt at Makerere. That was in 1970. That year the University of East Africa (comprising the University Colleges of Makerere, Nairobi, and Dar es Salam) was scheduled to devolve into three independent universities, venue: Makerere University College Freedom Square; in attendance – Presidents Apolo Milton Obote, Jomo Kenyatta, and Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. 

Meanwhile, it was common news that Brig Amin was under house arrest for being a key suspect in the murder of Brig Pierino Okoya of Gulu and his wife; and in the alleged looting of gold and elephant tusks from neighbouring Congo. (Ah, ha ha ha: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be!) But as the devolution ceremony was going on in the Freedom Square – who walked into the tent? It was massive Idi Amin Dada, in army uniform with pips and pistol on hip – to a hero’s applause by many who recognised him! 

Only two years later, chancellor Idi Amin would be privy to the permanent disappearance of vice chancellor Frank Kalimuzo! And he would avenge himself for his rudimentary education – by installing a school drop-out son of his in a resident tutor’s flat in Mitchell Hall, and commanding Makerere to declare him a university student.  

But back to the 1975 graduation ceremony: the two pioneer PhD graduands, coming last, were John Agard of the Faculty of Education, and ‘yours truly here’ of the Faculty of Arts. The only two that walked to the front, we took off our academic hats and meekly knelt before His Excellency the Chancellor. And lo and behold – as he respectively touched our heads with his own ceremonial hat, President Amin magically reduced the distance and the difference between himself and us to zero!

Prof Timothy Wangusa is a poet and novelist.

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