During the late 1960's and early 1970's an excellent student at the prestigious rigorous Medical School at renowned Makerere University in Kampala established himself as one of the top African and Commonwealth of Nations' triple jumpers. Abraham Kwadu Munabi, born on 19th December 1940, was like Uganda 1960's champion sprinter Amos Omolo apparently a late-age entrant to significant sports competition. Munabi was the biggest name and medal hope in Uganda field athletics during the time. The national record that Munabi established in the triple jump, still stands four decades later.
But no, it is not for his athletic achievements that the world has mostly come to recognize Munabi. Dr. Munabi moved to the USA in the late-1970's for advanced studies, where he was involved in specialized experimentation and research in reproduction. In the space of more than thirty years, Munabi's name has appeared on a stream of research papers. Munabi is renowned as a fertility expert, a reproductive endocrinologist. A board certified gynecologist, Munabi founded and is director the Reproductive Science Institute of Suburban Philadelphia in Pennsylvania.
Munabi jumped to a personal best of 16.11m and national triple jump record in September 1969. Here Munabi won gold in the triple jump at the East and Central African regional Games. The annual Games were held the capital city Kampala in Munabi's native Uganda. Munabi's jump-length win of 16.11m far surpassed the competition. At the same tournament, Munabi won gold in the long jump with 7.24m. Munabi would again bag gold in the triple jump at these regional Games in 1972, held in the Tanzania capital Dar-es-Salaam. The winning length was 15.40m.
The next most significant international sports gathering for Munabi would be the Commonwealth of Nation's Games of 1970 that were held in Edinburgh in Scotland. On July 24th, twenty-eight international competitors would interchangeably hop, skip, and jump in the qualifying round for the finals that would happen the next day. Munabi, with a jump of 15.51 meters, was placed ninth out of the thirteen finalists. The top five finalists were Australian Mile McGrath (16.09m), Samuel Igun of Nigeria (16.08m), Mohinder Singh Gill of India (15.90m), Australian Phil May (15.87m), and Tony Wadhams of England (15.80m). Despite his ninth place ranking, Abe felt he would ably grab a medal for Uganda. The finals witnessed Phil Gray (Australia), with a length of 16.72m, take the gold; Mike McGrath (16.41m) also of Australia, bagged the silver; and Mohinder Singh (India) was third after a jump of 15.90m. Abraham Munabi of Uganda was placed, a not too disappointing, fourth (15.73m).
These Commonwealth of Nations Games of 1970 witnessed Uganda emerge, with an impressive collection of medals, becoming the Commonwealth boxing champions. Boxing gold medals were won by Mohamed Muruli (light-welterweight), James Odwori (light-flyweight) and Benson Masanda (heavyweight); and the silver medals were won by flyweight Leo Rwabwogo and lightweight Deogratias Musoke. In athletics, Uganda's William Koskei (silver medal in 400m-hurdles) and Judith Ayaa (bronze medal in the 400m) were the prize winners. John Akii-Bua (400m-hurdles), aged 20, was like Munabi, beaten into fourth place.
At the Olympics of 1972 that were held in Munich, 31 year-old Munabi (out of the competing 6 male and 2 female athletes) was Uganda's oldest participant. At 5'11 (180 cm), Munabi was a relatively light 154 pounds (70 kg). There were 36 internationals for the triple jump competition that took place from September 3rd to 4th. Munabi ended up with a rather mediocre best length of 15.82m, and was placed 22nd ranked overall. Munabi's foul in the Third Round halted his progress. For comfort, Munabi had beaten a third of the field. The Olympic medal winners were, respectively Viktor Saneyev of the Soviet Union, Jorg Drehmel of East Germany, and Nelson Prudencio of Brazil.
Munabi was determined to win gold at the next All-Africa Games that would be held in August of 1973. Munabi was beaten to second place by Mansour Mamadou Dia of Senegal. But of significance Munabi had triple jumped to 16.26 meters, a national record that stands to this day. Gold medallist Mansour Dia had jumped to 16.53 meters, while bronze medallist Moise Pomaney of Ghana had achieved 16.09 meters. Dia also won a bronze medal in the long jump at these All-Africa Games. Also, Mansour Dia had not only represented Senegal at the previous three Olympics, he had also achieved the personal best and national record at the previous 1972 Olympics (16.77m), a national record that would stand for more than 3.5 decades. At the Olympics, Dia who is only a week younger than Munabi was overall 13th in 1964, 8th in 1968, and 6th in 1972.
The overall Uganda performance at the All-Africa Games was excellent, with boxers and athletes winning an impressive number of medals that Uganda has never come close to winning in the Africa Games since the 1973 performance (8 gold, 6 silver, 6 bronze). Uganda was sixth overall. In the next year, Munabi would have competed for Uganda at the Commonwealth Games that were held in Christchurch in New Zealand. One of his impediments were the trying finals he had to attend to in his Medicine program at Makerere University.
Munabi finished 6th in the triple jump at the 1976 Montreal pre-Olympic meet. Joshua Owusu (also Commonwealth of Nations Games' champion) of Ghana here won the gold. In the journal "Africa" (1976: 142) Munabi, now aged 34, is described as having slim hopes of winning an Olympic medal for Africa, but as being a major inspiration for the future of field athletics in Uganda. Indeed, at that time, it was Munabi who was Uganda's field athletics' top hit. At the same pre-Olympic meet, Ugandan boxer, Mustapha Wasajja, later to turn professional and become a top-ranked world fighter, won Uganda's lone gold. Unfortunately, Uganda, as did many other countries, boycotted and withdrew from the Olympic Games that would soon take place in Montreal.
The tradition of sports and academic excellence prevails in the Munabi family. Son Tunji Adrian Munabi was a student and all round-athlete at prestigious Stanford University in Palo Alto in California. Tunji was a top goal-scorer for the Stanford Cardinals, also a triple jump and long jump champion. But the son has not smashed the family triple-jump and long-jump records that the father established. Naikhoba another excellent student and athlete, the sister of Tunji, recently joined Stanford and competes in the triple jump.
As for Uganda, recent accolades and hope in the triple jump competition come by way of Sarah Nambawa (a track and field athlete) who in the last couple of years has become triple jump Africa champion (Nairobi, August 2010), established a Uganda record (13.95m), and was placed fifth at the Commonwealth Games of 2010 that were held in New Delhi. Earlier the 2010 IAAF/VTB Bank Continental Cup held in Split in Croatia in early September 2010, against imposing international competition Uganda's Nambawa finished 6th with her 13.78m jump. Also, earlier, competing for Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, in June 2010, Nambawa's leap of 13.66m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships that were held in Eugene in Oregon placed her as 2nd overall.
There is ample room for Nambawa to ably displace "Abe" as Uganda's greatest triple jumper. Nambawa is certainly the most appropriate athlete to rekindle our memories of the sports achievements of Abraham Munabi.
Jonathan Musere
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Marvelous Marvin Hagler vs. John "the Beast" Mugabi: the Background, Boxing Slugfest, and the Aftermath
Ugandan boxer John "the Beast" Mugabi's professional opponents prior to the encounter with legendary African-American world middle-weight boxing champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler (formerly Nathaniel Marvin Hagler until he legalized his boxing nickname, "Marvelous") were a mixture of weak, mediocre and commendable fighters. Mugabi was born on March 4, 1960 in the Uganda region of Buganda. Mugabi's strengths were speed, intimidation, audacity, strength, and punching power. Mugabi was mainly a fast-stalking head hunter more than a body puncher, and he was not much of a defensive fighter.
In his initial professional boxing career, Mugabi was progressively pitted against opponents of higher quality from the time he became a professional in Europe. Mugabi's first fight was in Germany in early December of 1980. Thereby he knocked out Oemer Karadenis of Turkey who had previously only won a fight out of three and had been knocked out in all the three that he lost. In February the next year, Mugabi was again in Germany in the ring with Italian-born Giampaolo Piras. Piras' record of 4 wins and 66 losses was remarkably unimpressive! By 1984, Mugabi was being matched with opponents with generally good boxing records. The penultimate opponent to the fight with Hagler was Earl Hargrove of the USA who a year ago lost in a bid for the vacant IBF light middleweight title. Hargrove had a record of 26 wins and that only loss to Mike Medal of the United States. The battle with Mugabi was in Tampa in Florida where Mugabi now resided and trained. Hargrove was knocked out in the first round, and by the time Mugabi was scheduled to fight Hagler, Mugabi had racked up a record of 26 wins, no losses, and all the opponents had been knocked out.
But Marvin Hagler's record was by no means a cake walk! With a mean record of 61 wins (51 by knockout), 2 losses, and 2 draws (one of the most excellent professional boxing records in history), Hagler had long been established as an imposing legend and American icon. And he had never, in his lengthy professional career, been knocked out! Hagler was the undisputed world middleweight champion given that he held the title in all the world professional boxing sanctioning bodies at that time: the WBA (World Boxing Association), the WBC (World Boxing Council), and the IBF (International Boxing Federation).
It was in Las Vegas in April 1985, that Hagler had knocked out the legendary Thomas "Hitman" Hearns (whose only loss in 41 fights had been to "Sugar" Ray Leonard by a late TKO while Hearns was ahead in the bout on points) in Las Vegas. The Hagler-Hearns fight is, given the rapidity of hard exchanges, regarded by many as the most significant brutal first three rounds (the extent to which the bout went) in professional boxing history.
In November 1983, Hagler had beaten iconic Panamanian Roberto Duran by a unanimous decision, also in Las Vegas. Hagler had, undoubtedly racked up an excellent and intimidating boxing resume. In September 1980, Hagler after wresting the world middleweight crown from Alan Minter in London by a TKO following horrendous cuts on a badly hammered Minter, a riot stimulated by Minter supporters ensued and Hagler swore he would never fight in London again. There had recently been racist exchanges between the two opponents. It was still a marvelous victory for Hagler, given that it was after several years of being denied a chance at the world title, though he had been ranked the premier contender for several years. The Englishman Minter fought only three more times, lost the last two and thereafter retired from professional boxing.
Given Marvin Hagler's boxing experience and excellent record that included the previous 10 out of the 11 successful defenses of his undisputed world middleweight title by knockout, John Mugabi statistically looked challenging but not one that would beat Hagler. But then, as is known in boxing, surprises happen. And it is common for great boxers to be matched up with inexperienced and mediocre boxers. But Mugabi had the strength, speed, and audacity to challenge any equally weighted boxer on the planet. The "Beast" had racked up the popularity (at least in Europe, USA, and Africa) as the invincible and devastating boxer! Hagler was feared by most, and there was a large chunk of money to be pocketed at the boxing opportunity to meet with Hagler.
On the other hand, Mugabi had not even challenged for any of the minor professional titles such as the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) title or the United States Boxing Association (USBA) title, not even for the considerably mediocre African Boxing Union (ABU) title. Also, Mugabi had mostly contested as a junior middleweight. Hagler was a world middleweight champion! Apparently, it may have been more logical and less grueling for Mugabi to be gradually prepared and matched up for a world junior middleweight title than to suddenly moved up to number one middleweight championship contender in all the sanctioning bodies: the WBC, WBA, and IBF! But apparently, as is implied, there was big money at stick in a Mugabi Hagler match-up, boxing fans were hungry for this battle! Hagler had felled too many, including many living legends and champions. The "Beast" sporting a 100% knockout record seemed to be just the right man at the moment to challenge Hagler for the money!
Also, notably, Mugabi had been the premier WBC junior middleweight contender for several months and had even been scheduled to fight the WBC champion Thomas Hearns in December 1984, and was later (following the Hagler-Hearns fight in April 1985) scheduled to fight Hearns for the title in November 1985. Apparently, the defeating of Hearns by Hagler and, the eagerness for another formidable challenger to meet Hagler was one of the factors that led to the Hagler-Mugabi fight. Hearns would thereafter be expected to fight the winner of the Hagler-Mugabi fight. Things, again, would not go as envisioned! A fight with the eventual winner never materialized! No Mugabi-Hearns fight or second Hagler-Hearns fight would ever happen!
Months prior to the encounter with Mugabi, Hagler responded regarding his level of readiness: "I realize Mugabi has a dream, but nobody is taking anything away from me because I've worked so hard, I've worked so long" (in "Mugabi Fight Should be Very Good," in Lakeland Ledger, March 10, 1986).
Thomas Hearns, looking toward a re-match with Hagler said: "I'd be very disappointed if Hagler lost [to Mugabi]. I wouldn't be disappointed for Hagler. I'd be disappointed for myself." ...[The Hagler vs. Mugabi fight] will be, "...a war. It is going to be a slugfest. They're both going to be in there brawling. It depends on who connects first" (in "Hearns Pulling For Hagler: Mugabi, Shuler stand in way of a rematch," in The Times-News, March 7, 1986)
For the fight, Hagler was guaranteed a gross sum of $2.5 million plus a percentage of other revenues, while John Mugabi was guaranteed $750,000. Hearns would earn between $200,000 and $600,000 for fighting undefeated African-American Olympian and knock-out specialist James Shuler for the NABF middleweight title. A Hagler-Hearns rematch, in light of the spectacular brawl of April 1985 in which Hearns was knocked out in the third round, was expected and planned to follow the Hagler-Mugabi fight.
Hagler, the solid favorite to beat Mugabi, referred to himself as, "A man on a mission," one inching closer to smashing Argentine Carlos Monzon's record of 14 consecutive world middleweight title defenses. The fight with Mugabi would be Hagler's 12th defense of the undisputed title since his London ousting by knockout of Alan Minter in September 1980.
The Mugabi-Hagler bout was scheduled to take place on November 14 in 1985, but because of a ruptured disc in Hagler's back and broken nose, was consequently set for March 10 1986.
The time in the ring came! Comparatively, 32 year-old Hagler looked like the aging seasoned and tough veteran in face of a solid and strong youthful Mugabi. The determination on the face was there, but Hagler did not look as firm and determined as he had been in the fight in April with Thomas Hearns. Maybe, after all, Hagler was at least slightly affected by his back injury that had caused the fight to be postponed. But, since his loss to Willie Monroe in March 1976, Hagler had not been defeated in the ring for 10 years!
Round One: The round involves Mugabi delivering guarded left jabs to the face, while Hagler maintains a safe distance away while occasionally throwing left-right combinations. In the last 30 seconds, Mugabi chases Hagler and briefly delivers a barrage of blows. When the bell rings, Mugabi gestures threateningly to Hagler intimidatingly so. As Mugabi walks to his corner, he raises his arms as if to declare that he is confident that he will win--more sooner than later.
Round Two: Hagler appears to be more confident than earlier on. The two trade punches, Mugabi even rocks Hagler, but Hagler maintains his gladiator stance and is not running. At the end of the fight, Mugabi gently taps Hagler's arm as if to concede, "Man, you are tough!"
Round Three: Mugabi is feeling the pressure. The two are slower and more relaxed, seemingly a evenly scored round. But the exchange of punches is still significant, Mugabi searching to deliver that killer punch. At the end of the round, as Hagler walks to his corner he stares at Mugabi as if to say, "I have got you, I am going to beat you!"
Round Four: Like Hagler has apparently noticed, Mugabi has slowed down. Hagler's blows are harder and more accurate. Though tough Mugabi does not fall, this is a turning point in the fight with the round apparently heavily favoring Hagler.
Round Five: Mugabi comes out charging to the middle of the ring in his signature intimidating way. The two cautiously trade punches. The round is relaxed but the solid blows are still there.
Round Six: The two are tired. But Hagler inches close to Mugabi's body, seemingly having sensed that Mugabi's punches are weaker and that Mugabi (a head hunter from a distance) is not much of a close-contact and body-puncher. Boxing while leaning against Mugabi also helps Hagler relax while delivering. Hagler's tactics and experience, and the fact that he is an ambidextrous boxer who can easily slide from being a southpaw to an orthodox boxer all confuse and reduce Mugabi's efforts. Mugabi ultimately gets a thorough beating from Hagler's combinations, though he bravely hangs on and delivers some at the end of the round. In the flurry Mugabi has tried to hold a warding-off Hagler, indication that he is worn and hurt and might fall. Mugabi was severely rocked. This is another significant turning point heavily in favor of Hagler. The experience of the older boxer has outscored the youthfulness, strength and speed of the younger boxer!
Round Seven: The two are comparatively relaxed, but Hagler confident from battering Mugabi in the previous round aggressively goes after Mugabi. Hagler is hitting Mugabi, but Mugabi is a hard nut to crack. Mugabi counter-punches in response to Hagler's delivery.
Round Eight: Mugabi looks tired but somewhat rejuvenated. He attempts to deliver a killer punch as Hagler keeps on inching towards him. Although Hagler is punching, his punches are not as solid as was in the previous two rounds--he seems to be taking it easy in this round.
Round Nine: The two come out boxing as if they are sparring partners. They are exchanging soft blows. There is not much action in this round apart from mostly Mugabi who delivers some solid shots in the last half-minute of the round. Mugabi seems to be back into the fight, although Hagler gets the better of him when the two are in closer proximity.
Round Ten: The two come out fighting hard. Then Hagler leans in closer to Mugabi's body, now that is well aware that Mugabi is not efficient when at close quarters but quite powerful when the fighters are arms' distance apart. Hagler manages to deliver a thorough beating. Mugabi even tries to hold Hagler as he wards him off, Mugabi is apparently hurt and fatigued. Hagler even taunts Mugabi at the end of the round. Mugabi stares menacingly at Hagler while responding with challenging gestures to communicate that he is undeterred by Hagler's blows.
Round Eleven. About halfway in the round, Hagler rocks Mugabi with a combination of punches. A sharp accurate hook causes Mugabi's head to shoot up, a sign that Mugabi is finished. Hagler follows with a combination that drops Mugabi. A shaken Mugabi sits on the floor as referee Mills Lane counts him out.
Indeed, after the Hagler fight young Mugabi still became more like a docile ferocious fighter of his former self. Notwithstanding, Hagler had also taken a thorough beating such that the fight with Mugabi would be his last victory. Hagler happened to angrily lose in his next (and last ever professional) fight with resurrected "Sugar" Ray Leonard, who eager for a comeback, introspectively watched at the ringside the Hagler-Mugabi fight. Remember, it is only Leonard and Hagler that had ever defeated Thomas Hearns. Leonard, though a couple of years ago medically advised not to fight again because of an injury in the eye area, felt confident enough to tackle Hagler. Many believe that Hagler was a shadow of his former self after the fight with Mugabi.
Hagler was to lose to a characteristically elusive Ray Leonard in a split decision on April 6, 1987. To date, the winner of the fight with Ray Leonard remains a moot question. A disgruntled Hagler who said he had been robbed migrated to Italy to pursue (one of his biggest dreams) a career of acting.
After the fight with Marvin Hagler, a beaten Mugabi would never again be the devastating terror he had previously been known to be. Many years later, Marvin Hagler would comment, "...another huge moment...was the fight with..Mugabi...he didn't give me any respect. He had that big poster in the press conference and he was walking around with that big cowboy hat on and then he punches a hole in my picture... I told him “punching a hole in the picture isn't me, that picture isn't going to be in the ring with you, I am. That really got me going about that fight and you know he was never the same after I was finished with him" (Aladdin Freeman in, "Up Close And Personal With The Legendary Marvin Hagler," July 17, 2004, Doghouse Boxing).
Ironically, though champion Marvin Hagler had racked up a superb boxing record over the many years, it is his last three fights (with Hearns, Mugabi, and Leonard) that really catapulted his name to immortal legend. It is fellow boxers that were scared of and avoided Hagler and for so long reduced his chances at the fame that he deserved. For Mugabi, his fight with Hagler would elevate him to world legendary status but it would in a way spell his demise. Mugabi would never be among the elite skillful and devastating force of world middleweights of the 1980's: Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, and Ray Leonard.
After the fight with Hagler, Mugabi would take more than half a year off in his native Uganda where he was welcomed as a national sports hero. In December of 1986, even without a single tune-up fighter after such a lengthy layoff, Mugabi was back in Las Vegas to fight African-American underdog Duane Thomas for the vacant WBC light middleweight title (vacated by Thomas Hearns). Duane Thomas, a 25 year-old unassuming native of Detroit and one of the Detroit Kronk Boxing Gym managed by coach Emmanuel Stuart (Thomas Hearns was also trained in the Kronk Gym) was relatively unknown but had an impressive record of 28 wins and only one loss. His only loss (in 1982) had been to future IBF light middleweight champion Buster Drayton by knockout. In the fight, Duane was intimidated by Mugabi, but he took his time while carefully studying Mugabi and looking for an opening. Mugabi was far from being the ferocious beast during and before the Hagler fight. Thomas managed to punch or thumb Mugabi in the eye, Mugabi turned in agony turned away as if in submission. Mugabi's eye socket had been dislocated; Mugabi was declared technically knocked out. Protests and pleas by Mugabi's manager Mickey Duff to declare the bout a "No Contest" were rejected. This time, Mugabi took time off for more than a year. His next bout would be in January 1988 against Bryan Grant. Grant was knocked out in the early rounds, and so were the next 7 opponents prior to Mugabi's next opportunity for a world title.
Again for the WBC light middleweight title, Mugabi would in July 1989 in France be pitted against Frenchman Rene Jacquot who had 5 months ago wrested the title from highly regarded Texan Donald Curry. The defeating of Curry was dubbed by Ring Magazine, "The Upset of the Year." Donald Curry had in July 1988 delivered a TKO over Italian Gianfranco Rossi who had previously knocked out Duane Thomas to claim the title.
Mugabi's championship fight with Rene Jacquot was eerie, short-lived, and controversial; and could easily have been declared a "No Contest." Mugabi was declared the winner by TKO in Round One after a retreating Jacquot slipped on the canvas and injured his ankle. Protests by the Jacquot camp did not help. Mugabi had unconventionally, at age 28, become world champion.
Mugabi would defend his title twice in Europe, and thereafter be gruesomely knocked out in Round One by legendary Terry Norris in Tampa in Florida. Two won bouts later, in November 1991, Mugabi would in London be knocked out in Round One by Gerald McClellan for the vacant WBO (World Boxing Organization) middleweight title. Mugabi thereafter went into semi-retirement, and re-emerged in Australia 5 years later in 1996. The sensational knockout power was gone and the bouts he won were mainly by decision. That included the vacant Australian super middleweight title whereby he defeated Jamie Wallace in Queensland.
The illustrious career of John "the Beast" Mugabi would end after his defeating at the hands of Anthony Bigeni in July 1998 in New Zealand for the PABA (Pan Asian Boxing Association) light heavyweight title; and in January 1999 when Mugabi was defeated by Glen Kelly in Sydney in the bid for the Australian light heavyweight title concurrent with the IBF Pan Pacific light heavyweight title.
John Mugabi's professional boxing record stands at an impressive 42 wins (with 39 knockouts), 7 losses, and one draw. The Australians have a fondness for Mugabi. Mugabi lives in Australia where he has been married and has children, and is a national.
Jonathan Musere
In his initial professional boxing career, Mugabi was progressively pitted against opponents of higher quality from the time he became a professional in Europe. Mugabi's first fight was in Germany in early December of 1980. Thereby he knocked out Oemer Karadenis of Turkey who had previously only won a fight out of three and had been knocked out in all the three that he lost. In February the next year, Mugabi was again in Germany in the ring with Italian-born Giampaolo Piras. Piras' record of 4 wins and 66 losses was remarkably unimpressive! By 1984, Mugabi was being matched with opponents with generally good boxing records. The penultimate opponent to the fight with Hagler was Earl Hargrove of the USA who a year ago lost in a bid for the vacant IBF light middleweight title. Hargrove had a record of 26 wins and that only loss to Mike Medal of the United States. The battle with Mugabi was in Tampa in Florida where Mugabi now resided and trained. Hargrove was knocked out in the first round, and by the time Mugabi was scheduled to fight Hagler, Mugabi had racked up a record of 26 wins, no losses, and all the opponents had been knocked out.
But Marvin Hagler's record was by no means a cake walk! With a mean record of 61 wins (51 by knockout), 2 losses, and 2 draws (one of the most excellent professional boxing records in history), Hagler had long been established as an imposing legend and American icon. And he had never, in his lengthy professional career, been knocked out! Hagler was the undisputed world middleweight champion given that he held the title in all the world professional boxing sanctioning bodies at that time: the WBA (World Boxing Association), the WBC (World Boxing Council), and the IBF (International Boxing Federation).
It was in Las Vegas in April 1985, that Hagler had knocked out the legendary Thomas "Hitman" Hearns (whose only loss in 41 fights had been to "Sugar" Ray Leonard by a late TKO while Hearns was ahead in the bout on points) in Las Vegas. The Hagler-Hearns fight is, given the rapidity of hard exchanges, regarded by many as the most significant brutal first three rounds (the extent to which the bout went) in professional boxing history.
In November 1983, Hagler had beaten iconic Panamanian Roberto Duran by a unanimous decision, also in Las Vegas. Hagler had, undoubtedly racked up an excellent and intimidating boxing resume. In September 1980, Hagler after wresting the world middleweight crown from Alan Minter in London by a TKO following horrendous cuts on a badly hammered Minter, a riot stimulated by Minter supporters ensued and Hagler swore he would never fight in London again. There had recently been racist exchanges between the two opponents. It was still a marvelous victory for Hagler, given that it was after several years of being denied a chance at the world title, though he had been ranked the premier contender for several years. The Englishman Minter fought only three more times, lost the last two and thereafter retired from professional boxing.
Given Marvin Hagler's boxing experience and excellent record that included the previous 10 out of the 11 successful defenses of his undisputed world middleweight title by knockout, John Mugabi statistically looked challenging but not one that would beat Hagler. But then, as is known in boxing, surprises happen. And it is common for great boxers to be matched up with inexperienced and mediocre boxers. But Mugabi had the strength, speed, and audacity to challenge any equally weighted boxer on the planet. The "Beast" had racked up the popularity (at least in Europe, USA, and Africa) as the invincible and devastating boxer! Hagler was feared by most, and there was a large chunk of money to be pocketed at the boxing opportunity to meet with Hagler.
On the other hand, Mugabi had not even challenged for any of the minor professional titles such as the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) title or the United States Boxing Association (USBA) title, not even for the considerably mediocre African Boxing Union (ABU) title. Also, Mugabi had mostly contested as a junior middleweight. Hagler was a world middleweight champion! Apparently, it may have been more logical and less grueling for Mugabi to be gradually prepared and matched up for a world junior middleweight title than to suddenly moved up to number one middleweight championship contender in all the sanctioning bodies: the WBC, WBA, and IBF! But apparently, as is implied, there was big money at stick in a Mugabi Hagler match-up, boxing fans were hungry for this battle! Hagler had felled too many, including many living legends and champions. The "Beast" sporting a 100% knockout record seemed to be just the right man at the moment to challenge Hagler for the money!
Also, notably, Mugabi had been the premier WBC junior middleweight contender for several months and had even been scheduled to fight the WBC champion Thomas Hearns in December 1984, and was later (following the Hagler-Hearns fight in April 1985) scheduled to fight Hearns for the title in November 1985. Apparently, the defeating of Hearns by Hagler and, the eagerness for another formidable challenger to meet Hagler was one of the factors that led to the Hagler-Mugabi fight. Hearns would thereafter be expected to fight the winner of the Hagler-Mugabi fight. Things, again, would not go as envisioned! A fight with the eventual winner never materialized! No Mugabi-Hearns fight or second Hagler-Hearns fight would ever happen!
Months prior to the encounter with Mugabi, Hagler responded regarding his level of readiness: "I realize Mugabi has a dream, but nobody is taking anything away from me because I've worked so hard, I've worked so long" (in "Mugabi Fight Should be Very Good," in Lakeland Ledger, March 10, 1986).
Thomas Hearns, looking toward a re-match with Hagler said: "I'd be very disappointed if Hagler lost [to Mugabi]. I wouldn't be disappointed for Hagler. I'd be disappointed for myself." ...[The Hagler vs. Mugabi fight] will be, "...a war. It is going to be a slugfest. They're both going to be in there brawling. It depends on who connects first" (in "Hearns Pulling For Hagler: Mugabi, Shuler stand in way of a rematch," in The Times-News, March 7, 1986)
For the fight, Hagler was guaranteed a gross sum of $2.5 million plus a percentage of other revenues, while John Mugabi was guaranteed $750,000. Hearns would earn between $200,000 and $600,000 for fighting undefeated African-American Olympian and knock-out specialist James Shuler for the NABF middleweight title. A Hagler-Hearns rematch, in light of the spectacular brawl of April 1985 in which Hearns was knocked out in the third round, was expected and planned to follow the Hagler-Mugabi fight.
Hagler, the solid favorite to beat Mugabi, referred to himself as, "A man on a mission," one inching closer to smashing Argentine Carlos Monzon's record of 14 consecutive world middleweight title defenses. The fight with Mugabi would be Hagler's 12th defense of the undisputed title since his London ousting by knockout of Alan Minter in September 1980.
The Mugabi-Hagler bout was scheduled to take place on November 14 in 1985, but because of a ruptured disc in Hagler's back and broken nose, was consequently set for March 10 1986.
The time in the ring came! Comparatively, 32 year-old Hagler looked like the aging seasoned and tough veteran in face of a solid and strong youthful Mugabi. The determination on the face was there, but Hagler did not look as firm and determined as he had been in the fight in April with Thomas Hearns. Maybe, after all, Hagler was at least slightly affected by his back injury that had caused the fight to be postponed. But, since his loss to Willie Monroe in March 1976, Hagler had not been defeated in the ring for 10 years!
Round One: The round involves Mugabi delivering guarded left jabs to the face, while Hagler maintains a safe distance away while occasionally throwing left-right combinations. In the last 30 seconds, Mugabi chases Hagler and briefly delivers a barrage of blows. When the bell rings, Mugabi gestures threateningly to Hagler intimidatingly so. As Mugabi walks to his corner, he raises his arms as if to declare that he is confident that he will win--more sooner than later.
Round Two: Hagler appears to be more confident than earlier on. The two trade punches, Mugabi even rocks Hagler, but Hagler maintains his gladiator stance and is not running. At the end of the fight, Mugabi gently taps Hagler's arm as if to concede, "Man, you are tough!"
Round Three: Mugabi is feeling the pressure. The two are slower and more relaxed, seemingly a evenly scored round. But the exchange of punches is still significant, Mugabi searching to deliver that killer punch. At the end of the round, as Hagler walks to his corner he stares at Mugabi as if to say, "I have got you, I am going to beat you!"
Round Four: Like Hagler has apparently noticed, Mugabi has slowed down. Hagler's blows are harder and more accurate. Though tough Mugabi does not fall, this is a turning point in the fight with the round apparently heavily favoring Hagler.
Round Five: Mugabi comes out charging to the middle of the ring in his signature intimidating way. The two cautiously trade punches. The round is relaxed but the solid blows are still there.
Round Six: The two are tired. But Hagler inches close to Mugabi's body, seemingly having sensed that Mugabi's punches are weaker and that Mugabi (a head hunter from a distance) is not much of a close-contact and body-puncher. Boxing while leaning against Mugabi also helps Hagler relax while delivering. Hagler's tactics and experience, and the fact that he is an ambidextrous boxer who can easily slide from being a southpaw to an orthodox boxer all confuse and reduce Mugabi's efforts. Mugabi ultimately gets a thorough beating from Hagler's combinations, though he bravely hangs on and delivers some at the end of the round. In the flurry Mugabi has tried to hold a warding-off Hagler, indication that he is worn and hurt and might fall. Mugabi was severely rocked. This is another significant turning point heavily in favor of Hagler. The experience of the older boxer has outscored the youthfulness, strength and speed of the younger boxer!
Round Seven: The two are comparatively relaxed, but Hagler confident from battering Mugabi in the previous round aggressively goes after Mugabi. Hagler is hitting Mugabi, but Mugabi is a hard nut to crack. Mugabi counter-punches in response to Hagler's delivery.
Round Eight: Mugabi looks tired but somewhat rejuvenated. He attempts to deliver a killer punch as Hagler keeps on inching towards him. Although Hagler is punching, his punches are not as solid as was in the previous two rounds--he seems to be taking it easy in this round.
Round Nine: The two come out boxing as if they are sparring partners. They are exchanging soft blows. There is not much action in this round apart from mostly Mugabi who delivers some solid shots in the last half-minute of the round. Mugabi seems to be back into the fight, although Hagler gets the better of him when the two are in closer proximity.
Round Ten: The two come out fighting hard. Then Hagler leans in closer to Mugabi's body, now that is well aware that Mugabi is not efficient when at close quarters but quite powerful when the fighters are arms' distance apart. Hagler manages to deliver a thorough beating. Mugabi even tries to hold Hagler as he wards him off, Mugabi is apparently hurt and fatigued. Hagler even taunts Mugabi at the end of the round. Mugabi stares menacingly at Hagler while responding with challenging gestures to communicate that he is undeterred by Hagler's blows.
Round Eleven. About halfway in the round, Hagler rocks Mugabi with a combination of punches. A sharp accurate hook causes Mugabi's head to shoot up, a sign that Mugabi is finished. Hagler follows with a combination that drops Mugabi. A shaken Mugabi sits on the floor as referee Mills Lane counts him out.
Indeed, after the Hagler fight young Mugabi still became more like a docile ferocious fighter of his former self. Notwithstanding, Hagler had also taken a thorough beating such that the fight with Mugabi would be his last victory. Hagler happened to angrily lose in his next (and last ever professional) fight with resurrected "Sugar" Ray Leonard, who eager for a comeback, introspectively watched at the ringside the Hagler-Mugabi fight. Remember, it is only Leonard and Hagler that had ever defeated Thomas Hearns. Leonard, though a couple of years ago medically advised not to fight again because of an injury in the eye area, felt confident enough to tackle Hagler. Many believe that Hagler was a shadow of his former self after the fight with Mugabi.
Hagler was to lose to a characteristically elusive Ray Leonard in a split decision on April 6, 1987. To date, the winner of the fight with Ray Leonard remains a moot question. A disgruntled Hagler who said he had been robbed migrated to Italy to pursue (one of his biggest dreams) a career of acting.
After the fight with Marvin Hagler, a beaten Mugabi would never again be the devastating terror he had previously been known to be. Many years later, Marvin Hagler would comment, "...another huge moment...was the fight with..Mugabi...he didn't give me any respect. He had that big poster in the press conference and he was walking around with that big cowboy hat on and then he punches a hole in my picture... I told him “punching a hole in the picture isn't me, that picture isn't going to be in the ring with you, I am. That really got me going about that fight and you know he was never the same after I was finished with him" (Aladdin Freeman in, "Up Close And Personal With The Legendary Marvin Hagler," July 17, 2004, Doghouse Boxing).
Ironically, though champion Marvin Hagler had racked up a superb boxing record over the many years, it is his last three fights (with Hearns, Mugabi, and Leonard) that really catapulted his name to immortal legend. It is fellow boxers that were scared of and avoided Hagler and for so long reduced his chances at the fame that he deserved. For Mugabi, his fight with Hagler would elevate him to world legendary status but it would in a way spell his demise. Mugabi would never be among the elite skillful and devastating force of world middleweights of the 1980's: Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, and Ray Leonard.
After the fight with Hagler, Mugabi would take more than half a year off in his native Uganda where he was welcomed as a national sports hero. In December of 1986, even without a single tune-up fighter after such a lengthy layoff, Mugabi was back in Las Vegas to fight African-American underdog Duane Thomas for the vacant WBC light middleweight title (vacated by Thomas Hearns). Duane Thomas, a 25 year-old unassuming native of Detroit and one of the Detroit Kronk Boxing Gym managed by coach Emmanuel Stuart (Thomas Hearns was also trained in the Kronk Gym) was relatively unknown but had an impressive record of 28 wins and only one loss. His only loss (in 1982) had been to future IBF light middleweight champion Buster Drayton by knockout. In the fight, Duane was intimidated by Mugabi, but he took his time while carefully studying Mugabi and looking for an opening. Mugabi was far from being the ferocious beast during and before the Hagler fight. Thomas managed to punch or thumb Mugabi in the eye, Mugabi turned in agony turned away as if in submission. Mugabi's eye socket had been dislocated; Mugabi was declared technically knocked out. Protests and pleas by Mugabi's manager Mickey Duff to declare the bout a "No Contest" were rejected. This time, Mugabi took time off for more than a year. His next bout would be in January 1988 against Bryan Grant. Grant was knocked out in the early rounds, and so were the next 7 opponents prior to Mugabi's next opportunity for a world title.
Again for the WBC light middleweight title, Mugabi would in July 1989 in France be pitted against Frenchman Rene Jacquot who had 5 months ago wrested the title from highly regarded Texan Donald Curry. The defeating of Curry was dubbed by Ring Magazine, "The Upset of the Year." Donald Curry had in July 1988 delivered a TKO over Italian Gianfranco Rossi who had previously knocked out Duane Thomas to claim the title.
Mugabi's championship fight with Rene Jacquot was eerie, short-lived, and controversial; and could easily have been declared a "No Contest." Mugabi was declared the winner by TKO in Round One after a retreating Jacquot slipped on the canvas and injured his ankle. Protests by the Jacquot camp did not help. Mugabi had unconventionally, at age 28, become world champion.
Mugabi would defend his title twice in Europe, and thereafter be gruesomely knocked out in Round One by legendary Terry Norris in Tampa in Florida. Two won bouts later, in November 1991, Mugabi would in London be knocked out in Round One by Gerald McClellan for the vacant WBO (World Boxing Organization) middleweight title. Mugabi thereafter went into semi-retirement, and re-emerged in Australia 5 years later in 1996. The sensational knockout power was gone and the bouts he won were mainly by decision. That included the vacant Australian super middleweight title whereby he defeated Jamie Wallace in Queensland.
The illustrious career of John "the Beast" Mugabi would end after his defeating at the hands of Anthony Bigeni in July 1998 in New Zealand for the PABA (Pan Asian Boxing Association) light heavyweight title; and in January 1999 when Mugabi was defeated by Glen Kelly in Sydney in the bid for the Australian light heavyweight title concurrent with the IBF Pan Pacific light heavyweight title.
John Mugabi's professional boxing record stands at an impressive 42 wins (with 39 knockouts), 7 losses, and one draw. The Australians have a fondness for Mugabi. Mugabi lives in Australia where he has been married and has children, and is a national.
Jonathan Musere
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Winston Churchill, Henry Stanley, and Uganda as the "Pearl of Africa"
Ugandans have, for decades, been enamored with the designation "Pearl of Africa," which conferment on their country is commonly attributed by them to Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill. Only some appear to strongly associate the phrase with explorer Henry Morton Stanley. And the Ugandans have reason to be proud of Spencer-Churchill, the universally legendary British adventurer, warlord, writer, traveler,sportsman, orator, artist, literature Nobel prize winner, politician, statesman and prime-minister for generously and exceptionally describing the natural environmental beauty of the then British Protectorate Uganda and her peoples.
In his book "My African Journey" Spencer-Churchill describes Uganda as, "...from end to end a beautiful garden" (1908:88), "...the exuberance of vegetation...scarcely describable" (1908: 151). Spencer-Churchill describes the kingdom of Buganda as, "...a fairy tale..," one endowed with unique environmental attributes, with a remarkably and unexpectedly vibrant, structured and cordial social and political system nestled out of reach of the outside world (1908: 86-87). Compared to the prevalent literature of that time which tended to describe Africans as savagery, backward, disorganized and in need of guidance and civilizing, Spencer-Churchill's book that described Africans as very wonderful beings will always be exceptional. On page 197 of the book, Spencer-Churchill simply remarks, "Uganda is the pearl." I am hard pressed to come across evidence of Churchill writing specifically of Uganda as, "The Pearl of Africa."
So, was the quotation attributed to Churchill's slightly altered to help describe Uganda's uniqueness in Africa, was Churchill merely paraphrasing what others in the past had written and said about Uganda, or have people attributed "Pearl of Africa" to Spencer-Churchill simply because of his outstanding iconic world presence?
Some years ago Jeff Davis Bass a young Rhetoric professor in the Department of Communications Studies professor at Baylor University in Texas assured me that it was Henry Morton Stanley and not Winston Spencer-Churchill that had originally designated the future Uganda area as "the Pearl of Africa." I was surprised but I believed him. I was more familiar with Churchill's book than I was with Henry Stanley. Bass' doctoral thesis, completed at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, when he was 26 is, "The Ideological Uses of Myth: the British and Uganda, 1863-1895." Bass told me that he had wanted to, but it had not been ideal for him to research in Uganda at that time; but that he had greatly relied on archival records that he researched in London. Henry Stanley was born John Rowlands in Wales, then at age 18 migrated to the United States and became employed and befriended by a wealthy New Orleans trader named Stanley. American literature heavily attributes, "Pearl of Africa," to Henry Stanley.
To begin with, Spencer-Churchill, one of the Spencer aristocratic family was born two months prematurely on November 30th 1874. Morton Stanley was already in Africa. In 1871, Stanley had met with explorer Dr. David Livingstone, "I presume." Norman D. Harris implies that "Pearl of Africa" may have been coined by more than one person, or by one out of at three major European adventurers.
"Uganda had been visited as early as 1858 by Captain [John Hanning] Speke and [Richard] Burton and again in 1875 by Stanley, all of whom were enthusiastic over the fertility of its soil and the intelligence of its people. They referred to it as the "pearl of Africa... "(Harris 1914: 90).
Frederick John D. Lugard writes, "Stanley was even louder in his praises of Uganda than Speke had been, and described it as the "Pearl of Africa" (1893: 3). Lugard also suggests that the praises Stanley lavished on Uganda that included that quotation greatly influenced the prompt dispatching of Anglican missionaries that Stanley lauded for. The royal office of Queen Victoria authorized the dispatching of the missionaries to the Kabaka Mutesa Mukaabya's court in Buganda. Notably, the use of gemstone name-words like, "Pearl," reached their apex in the late Victorian era. The ship that carried missionary David Livingstone from Liverpool to the mouth of the Zambezi river, in 1858, was HMS Pearl.
In 1890, teenager Churchill joined the Harrow Rifle Corps (now known as the Combined Cadet Force) and excelled in English, History, and fencing. there are hints to the coining of, "Pearl of Africa." In the same year Henry William Little writes of the northern and western Uganda part of the Anglo-Egyptian colonial province Equatoria under the governance of the Pasha Dr. Mehmet Emin as referred to as, "...'the pearl of the Soudan,' one of the fairest and most fertile, and most populous, of the Central African States" (Little: 1890). Soudan/ Sudan was a generic designation for "Land of the blacks," or the areas south of Egypt that were prevalently occupied by Negroids. There were fleeting considerations, by the General Charles Gordon the governing overlord 'Pasha' of Egyptian-Sudan, to annex Uganda. A military contingent under Mehmet Emin was dispatched to Mutesa's capital in 1876. The proposed treaty with Mutesa did not achieve fruition, the political relationship with Gordon ended and Emin's contingent withdrew. The 'pearl of the Soudan," may have partially been a reference to Uganda.
In 1893, Churchill left Harrow Rifle Corps in the hopes of attending the prestigious Royal Military College at Sandhurst. After three attempts, Churchill passed the entrance exam and went into cavalry other than infantry which required of him a higher mathematical acumen. Spencer-Churchill was not fond of mathematics. In December 1894, Winston commendably graduated eighth out of a class of 150. He became commissioned as a Cornet (Second Lieutenant) in the 4th Queen's Own Hussars in February 1895. He, later in the year, traveled to Cuba as a war correspondent. He would return home in the same year to bid farewell to his nanny, surrogate mother, and "favorite friend" Mrs. Elizabeth Everest who was close to death. She died a week after Churchill returned. Winston's birth mother, Lady Randolph Churchill (Jeanette Jerome), a daughter of an American millionaire, relied on nannies and limited her participation in her two sons' upbringing. And Winston's father, Randolph Spencer-Churchill died young at age 45.
In October 1896, Winston Spencer-Churchill was transferred to British India in Bombay (Mumbai); later in 1898 to Egypt. He resigned from the British Army in 1899, intending to get into British politics.
In 1898, Henry Morton Stanley writes.
"Uganda, the pearl of Africa, discovered by Mr. Stanley, snatched by Captain Lugard from the hands of the French, and now in the throes of a mutiny, is the cockpit of Central Africa. Heathens, Protestants, and Catholics are always struggling for mastery. It is the land of romance and of the unexpected. It commands the northern shores of the Victoria Nyanza and the head waters of the Nile" (Stanley 1898: 63-64).
It was in late 1899 or early 1900 that Churchill arrived in South Africa to act as a correspondent regarding the second Boer War between Britain and the Boer Republics. After capture and imprisonment in a POW camp in Pretoria, Churchill managed to escape 300 miles away to Lourenco Marques in Delgoa Bay. After another series of adventures, Churchill returned to England in 1900.
Meanwhile, published in 1899 is, "...British East Africa, stretching from the Indian Ocean to Lake Victoria, and having within its borders Uganda, 'the pearl of Africa,' discovered by Henry M. Stanley, and now fast developing into a prosperous and modern community, with merchant and war ships aiding its commerce on the lake and railroads connecting it with the ocean and the interior" (School Journal, Volume 59: 1899).
And here is a piece from Samuel Henry Jeyes.
"If Lord Rosebery had certain difficulties to surmount within the Cabinet in regard to Egypt, they were trifling in comparison with the resistance offered to his policy of strengthening British control over Uganda. In June 1892, the directors of the British East Africa Company announced that they had finally decided to withdraw from a region which the late Sir Henry Stanley described as the pearl of Central Africa, but which had shown no indication of paying, or becoming likely to pay, for the expenses of the administration" (1906: 147).
And Henry Stanley writes.
"There were two main motives for which the British nation voted the money for the construction of the Uganda Railway. The first was the suppression of the slave trade, and the second was to effect an uninterrupted and speedy communication between the sea and what was called the "Pearl of Africa," and to-day, as the reader of the paper had said, those two objects had been accomplished (1902: 171).
Also, "The Sleeping Sickness has become so serious in the British Protectorate of Uganda, called by Stanley 'the Pearl of Africa,"'that the English Government has sent a commission to determine the reasons for the spread of the disease and if possible to find a remedy" (Wheeler and Crane 1903: 426).
Here, Norman Harris refers to the late 19th century. "Uganda had been visited early by Captain Speke and Stanley, both of whom were enthusiastic over the fertility of its soil and the intelligence of its people. They referred to it as the "pearl of Africa" (Harris 1909: 207).
There is a section largely implying Buganda and the Baganda in Chambers's [sic] Encyclopaedia; Winston Churchill who had already visited Uganda and written on Africa is not mentioned in reference to the "Pearl."
"Uganda: a British protectorate in East Africa, extending along the north-west shore of the Victoria Nyanza, and lying on both sides of the equator. It was first visited (in 1862) by Speke and Grant, and by Stanley was called the 'Pearl of Africa.' The country is partly mountainous, partly undulating, partly a plain, very fertile on the whole, and well wooded. The climate is mild and singularly uniform throughout the year, the variation being from 50° to 90° F. The Waganda, who may number three millions, are a warlike and highly intelligent people speaking a language of the Bantu stock, with well-developed native industries" (1912: 359).
An interesting colonial view of the Buganda at that time is offered by the American Medical Association.
"The Waganda may be said to be the French of Central Africa. They are people with ideas, and they lead the fashions. A race which prides itself on descent from remote white progenitors, the Waganda stand out, by reason of their elaborate system of autocratic government, their laws and customs which control all the affairs of life, even the amount of bare leg permissible at court; their higher civilization, which is shown in their dress, houses and sanitary arrangements—as distinct and separate from the naked savages which surround Uganda, "the Pearl of Central Africa." The Emperor Mtesa, with his barbaric court on the shores of the Victoria Nyanza, his arrogance and cruelty, his intelligence and eager desire to learn, his vast armies and his huge harem, has been described by Speke and Stanley with such minuteness and brilliancy that his name and character will never be forgotten. The Waganda are extremely intelligent, and the missionaries who followed in Stanley's steps and established a station at Uganda tell wonderful stories of individual converts who quickly learnt to read the Bible in their native tongue, and to write capital letters, and who even suffered cruel martyrdoms for their faith ; but all who have had anything to do with these people agree that, as a whole, they are crafty, lying, murderous thieves. Both men and women are draped in bark-cloth, and immodesty is a crime ; the dwellings are clean, and each householder is obliged to construct a privy away from the house ; the banana and plantains are the staple articles of food, the savory cooking of which is practiced. The Waganda are very skillful with their fingers, and in the making of shields, spears, and canoes they excel all other African tribes; they are extremely fond of music, and have a number of musical instruments; indeed, so fond are all the African races of music, that, in Sir Samuel Baker's opinion, a man who plays the cornet, or an organ grinder, could pass unharmed from one end of Africa to the other; and that a missionary to be successful ought to be able to dance a jig and play the bagpipes. Women in Uganda are mere baggage and all wives have their price" (1890).
The "Pearl," was apparently an interchanging reference to Buganda and British Protectorate Uganda. But yes, Buganda was the nucleus of the activity in the British Protectorate. According to Wyatt Tilby, "Uganda had moved the admiration of Stanley, who called it the pearl of Africa" (1912: 192).
And Burton J. Hendrick writes: "...Uganda, "the pearl of Africa," the land of romance and adventure, which was discovered by Stanley and saved for England by Captain Lugard, is now one of England's richest dependencies" (1900: 176).
This is a piece by American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. "It is a striking illustration of native manners and customs, and it shows how close are the relations between the missionaries and the government of Uganda, which Mr. Stanley calls the 'Pearl of Africa'..." (1891: 28)
Certainly, Winston Spencer-Churchill was not the original source of the term, "Pearl of Africa." The most credible originator of the term seems to be Henry Morton Stanley. Stanley is apparently associated with the phrase, countless times that it is surprising that Spencer-Churchill gets a lot of the credit. Churchill seems to have learned and incorporated into his writing much of what was documented by Stanley about Uganda. Henry Stanley was a major driving force in the exploration and promotion of Uganda to the outside world. He was the bulldozing soldier and adventurer who endured the hostilities of the jungles.
Works Cited
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. The Missionary Herald, Volume 87. London: Samuel T. Armstrong, 1891.
American Medical Association. Journal of the American Medical Association, Volume 15, (1890): 109.
Churchill, Winston S. L. My African Journey. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1908.
Harris, Norman D. Intervention and Colonization in Africa. London: Houghton Mifflin, 1914.
Harris, Norman D. "European Expansion and East Africa." The Forum, Volume 42, (1909).
Jeyes, Samuel Henry. The Earl of Rosebery. London: J. M. Dent, 1906.
Hendrick, Burton J. "Twenty Years of Empire Building in Africa." Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly,Volume 51 (1900): 172-176.
Lippincott Publishers. Chambers's Encyclopaedia: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge, Volume 10, London: Lippincott, 1912.
Little, Henry William. Henry M. Stanley, His Life, Travels and Explorations. London: Chapman and Hall, 1890.
Lugard, Frederick J. D. The Rise of Our East African Empire: Early Efforts in Nyasaland and Uganda (Volume 2), London: W. Blackwood and Sons, 1893.
School Journal, Volume 59, London: E. L. Kellogg and Company. (1899): 709.
Stanley, Henry M. Africa: Its Partition and Its Future. London: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1898.
Stanley, Henry M. "A Great African Lake." National Geographic Magazine, Volume 13 (1902): 171.
Tilby, Wyatt A. Britain in the Tropics, 1527-1910. London: Houghton Mifflin, 1912.
Wheeler, Edward J. and Crane, Frank. "Sleeping Sickness." Current Opinion no. 34 (1903): 426.
Jonathan Musere
In his book "My African Journey" Spencer-Churchill describes Uganda as, "...from end to end a beautiful garden" (1908:88), "...the exuberance of vegetation...scarcely describable" (1908: 151). Spencer-Churchill describes the kingdom of Buganda as, "...a fairy tale..," one endowed with unique environmental attributes, with a remarkably and unexpectedly vibrant, structured and cordial social and political system nestled out of reach of the outside world (1908: 86-87). Compared to the prevalent literature of that time which tended to describe Africans as savagery, backward, disorganized and in need of guidance and civilizing, Spencer-Churchill's book that described Africans as very wonderful beings will always be exceptional. On page 197 of the book, Spencer-Churchill simply remarks, "Uganda is the pearl." I am hard pressed to come across evidence of Churchill writing specifically of Uganda as, "The Pearl of Africa."
So, was the quotation attributed to Churchill's slightly altered to help describe Uganda's uniqueness in Africa, was Churchill merely paraphrasing what others in the past had written and said about Uganda, or have people attributed "Pearl of Africa" to Spencer-Churchill simply because of his outstanding iconic world presence?
Some years ago Jeff Davis Bass a young Rhetoric professor in the Department of Communications Studies professor at Baylor University in Texas assured me that it was Henry Morton Stanley and not Winston Spencer-Churchill that had originally designated the future Uganda area as "the Pearl of Africa." I was surprised but I believed him. I was more familiar with Churchill's book than I was with Henry Stanley. Bass' doctoral thesis, completed at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, when he was 26 is, "The Ideological Uses of Myth: the British and Uganda, 1863-1895." Bass told me that he had wanted to, but it had not been ideal for him to research in Uganda at that time; but that he had greatly relied on archival records that he researched in London. Henry Stanley was born John Rowlands in Wales, then at age 18 migrated to the United States and became employed and befriended by a wealthy New Orleans trader named Stanley. American literature heavily attributes, "Pearl of Africa," to Henry Stanley.
To begin with, Spencer-Churchill, one of the Spencer aristocratic family was born two months prematurely on November 30th 1874. Morton Stanley was already in Africa. In 1871, Stanley had met with explorer Dr. David Livingstone, "I presume." Norman D. Harris implies that "Pearl of Africa" may have been coined by more than one person, or by one out of at three major European adventurers.
"Uganda had been visited as early as 1858 by Captain [John Hanning] Speke and [Richard] Burton and again in 1875 by Stanley, all of whom were enthusiastic over the fertility of its soil and the intelligence of its people. They referred to it as the "pearl of Africa... "(Harris 1914: 90).
Frederick John D. Lugard writes, "Stanley was even louder in his praises of Uganda than Speke had been, and described it as the "Pearl of Africa" (1893: 3). Lugard also suggests that the praises Stanley lavished on Uganda that included that quotation greatly influenced the prompt dispatching of Anglican missionaries that Stanley lauded for. The royal office of Queen Victoria authorized the dispatching of the missionaries to the Kabaka Mutesa Mukaabya's court in Buganda. Notably, the use of gemstone name-words like, "Pearl," reached their apex in the late Victorian era. The ship that carried missionary David Livingstone from Liverpool to the mouth of the Zambezi river, in 1858, was HMS Pearl.
In 1890, teenager Churchill joined the Harrow Rifle Corps (now known as the Combined Cadet Force) and excelled in English, History, and fencing. there are hints to the coining of, "Pearl of Africa." In the same year Henry William Little writes of the northern and western Uganda part of the Anglo-Egyptian colonial province Equatoria under the governance of the Pasha Dr. Mehmet Emin as referred to as, "...'the pearl of the Soudan,' one of the fairest and most fertile, and most populous, of the Central African States" (Little: 1890). Soudan/ Sudan was a generic designation for "Land of the blacks," or the areas south of Egypt that were prevalently occupied by Negroids. There were fleeting considerations, by the General Charles Gordon the governing overlord 'Pasha' of Egyptian-Sudan, to annex Uganda. A military contingent under Mehmet Emin was dispatched to Mutesa's capital in 1876. The proposed treaty with Mutesa did not achieve fruition, the political relationship with Gordon ended and Emin's contingent withdrew. The 'pearl of the Soudan," may have partially been a reference to Uganda.
In 1893, Churchill left Harrow Rifle Corps in the hopes of attending the prestigious Royal Military College at Sandhurst. After three attempts, Churchill passed the entrance exam and went into cavalry other than infantry which required of him a higher mathematical acumen. Spencer-Churchill was not fond of mathematics. In December 1894, Winston commendably graduated eighth out of a class of 150. He became commissioned as a Cornet (Second Lieutenant) in the 4th Queen's Own Hussars in February 1895. He, later in the year, traveled to Cuba as a war correspondent. He would return home in the same year to bid farewell to his nanny, surrogate mother, and "favorite friend" Mrs. Elizabeth Everest who was close to death. She died a week after Churchill returned. Winston's birth mother, Lady Randolph Churchill (Jeanette Jerome), a daughter of an American millionaire, relied on nannies and limited her participation in her two sons' upbringing. And Winston's father, Randolph Spencer-Churchill died young at age 45.
In October 1896, Winston Spencer-Churchill was transferred to British India in Bombay (Mumbai); later in 1898 to Egypt. He resigned from the British Army in 1899, intending to get into British politics.
In 1898, Henry Morton Stanley writes.
"Uganda, the pearl of Africa, discovered by Mr. Stanley, snatched by Captain Lugard from the hands of the French, and now in the throes of a mutiny, is the cockpit of Central Africa. Heathens, Protestants, and Catholics are always struggling for mastery. It is the land of romance and of the unexpected. It commands the northern shores of the Victoria Nyanza and the head waters of the Nile" (Stanley 1898: 63-64).
It was in late 1899 or early 1900 that Churchill arrived in South Africa to act as a correspondent regarding the second Boer War between Britain and the Boer Republics. After capture and imprisonment in a POW camp in Pretoria, Churchill managed to escape 300 miles away to Lourenco Marques in Delgoa Bay. After another series of adventures, Churchill returned to England in 1900.
Meanwhile, published in 1899 is, "...British East Africa, stretching from the Indian Ocean to Lake Victoria, and having within its borders Uganda, 'the pearl of Africa,' discovered by Henry M. Stanley, and now fast developing into a prosperous and modern community, with merchant and war ships aiding its commerce on the lake and railroads connecting it with the ocean and the interior" (School Journal, Volume 59: 1899).
And here is a piece from Samuel Henry Jeyes.
"If Lord Rosebery had certain difficulties to surmount within the Cabinet in regard to Egypt, they were trifling in comparison with the resistance offered to his policy of strengthening British control over Uganda. In June 1892, the directors of the British East Africa Company announced that they had finally decided to withdraw from a region which the late Sir Henry Stanley described as the pearl of Central Africa, but which had shown no indication of paying, or becoming likely to pay, for the expenses of the administration" (1906: 147).
And Henry Stanley writes.
"There were two main motives for which the British nation voted the money for the construction of the Uganda Railway. The first was the suppression of the slave trade, and the second was to effect an uninterrupted and speedy communication between the sea and what was called the "Pearl of Africa," and to-day, as the reader of the paper had said, those two objects had been accomplished (1902: 171).
Also, "The Sleeping Sickness has become so serious in the British Protectorate of Uganda, called by Stanley 'the Pearl of Africa,"'that the English Government has sent a commission to determine the reasons for the spread of the disease and if possible to find a remedy" (Wheeler and Crane 1903: 426).
Here, Norman Harris refers to the late 19th century. "Uganda had been visited early by Captain Speke and Stanley, both of whom were enthusiastic over the fertility of its soil and the intelligence of its people. They referred to it as the "pearl of Africa" (Harris 1909: 207).
There is a section largely implying Buganda and the Baganda in Chambers's [sic] Encyclopaedia; Winston Churchill who had already visited Uganda and written on Africa is not mentioned in reference to the "Pearl."
"Uganda: a British protectorate in East Africa, extending along the north-west shore of the Victoria Nyanza, and lying on both sides of the equator. It was first visited (in 1862) by Speke and Grant, and by Stanley was called the 'Pearl of Africa.' The country is partly mountainous, partly undulating, partly a plain, very fertile on the whole, and well wooded. The climate is mild and singularly uniform throughout the year, the variation being from 50° to 90° F. The Waganda, who may number three millions, are a warlike and highly intelligent people speaking a language of the Bantu stock, with well-developed native industries" (1912: 359).
An interesting colonial view of the Buganda at that time is offered by the American Medical Association.
"The Waganda may be said to be the French of Central Africa. They are people with ideas, and they lead the fashions. A race which prides itself on descent from remote white progenitors, the Waganda stand out, by reason of their elaborate system of autocratic government, their laws and customs which control all the affairs of life, even the amount of bare leg permissible at court; their higher civilization, which is shown in their dress, houses and sanitary arrangements—as distinct and separate from the naked savages which surround Uganda, "the Pearl of Central Africa." The Emperor Mtesa, with his barbaric court on the shores of the Victoria Nyanza, his arrogance and cruelty, his intelligence and eager desire to learn, his vast armies and his huge harem, has been described by Speke and Stanley with such minuteness and brilliancy that his name and character will never be forgotten. The Waganda are extremely intelligent, and the missionaries who followed in Stanley's steps and established a station at Uganda tell wonderful stories of individual converts who quickly learnt to read the Bible in their native tongue, and to write capital letters, and who even suffered cruel martyrdoms for their faith ; but all who have had anything to do with these people agree that, as a whole, they are crafty, lying, murderous thieves. Both men and women are draped in bark-cloth, and immodesty is a crime ; the dwellings are clean, and each householder is obliged to construct a privy away from the house ; the banana and plantains are the staple articles of food, the savory cooking of which is practiced. The Waganda are very skillful with their fingers, and in the making of shields, spears, and canoes they excel all other African tribes; they are extremely fond of music, and have a number of musical instruments; indeed, so fond are all the African races of music, that, in Sir Samuel Baker's opinion, a man who plays the cornet, or an organ grinder, could pass unharmed from one end of Africa to the other; and that a missionary to be successful ought to be able to dance a jig and play the bagpipes. Women in Uganda are mere baggage and all wives have their price" (1890).
The "Pearl," was apparently an interchanging reference to Buganda and British Protectorate Uganda. But yes, Buganda was the nucleus of the activity in the British Protectorate. According to Wyatt Tilby, "Uganda had moved the admiration of Stanley, who called it the pearl of Africa" (1912: 192).
And Burton J. Hendrick writes: "...Uganda, "the pearl of Africa," the land of romance and adventure, which was discovered by Stanley and saved for England by Captain Lugard, is now one of England's richest dependencies" (1900: 176).
This is a piece by American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. "It is a striking illustration of native manners and customs, and it shows how close are the relations between the missionaries and the government of Uganda, which Mr. Stanley calls the 'Pearl of Africa'..." (1891: 28)
Certainly, Winston Spencer-Churchill was not the original source of the term, "Pearl of Africa." The most credible originator of the term seems to be Henry Morton Stanley. Stanley is apparently associated with the phrase, countless times that it is surprising that Spencer-Churchill gets a lot of the credit. Churchill seems to have learned and incorporated into his writing much of what was documented by Stanley about Uganda. Henry Stanley was a major driving force in the exploration and promotion of Uganda to the outside world. He was the bulldozing soldier and adventurer who endured the hostilities of the jungles.
Works Cited
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. The Missionary Herald, Volume 87. London: Samuel T. Armstrong, 1891.
American Medical Association. Journal of the American Medical Association, Volume 15, (1890): 109.
Churchill, Winston S. L. My African Journey. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1908.
Harris, Norman D. Intervention and Colonization in Africa. London: Houghton Mifflin, 1914.
Harris, Norman D. "European Expansion and East Africa." The Forum, Volume 42, (1909).
Jeyes, Samuel Henry. The Earl of Rosebery. London: J. M. Dent, 1906.
Hendrick, Burton J. "Twenty Years of Empire Building in Africa." Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly,Volume 51 (1900): 172-176.
Lippincott Publishers. Chambers's Encyclopaedia: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge, Volume 10, London: Lippincott, 1912.
Little, Henry William. Henry M. Stanley, His Life, Travels and Explorations. London: Chapman and Hall, 1890.
Lugard, Frederick J. D. The Rise of Our East African Empire: Early Efforts in Nyasaland and Uganda (Volume 2), London: W. Blackwood and Sons, 1893.
School Journal, Volume 59, London: E. L. Kellogg and Company. (1899): 709.
Stanley, Henry M. Africa: Its Partition and Its Future. London: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1898.
Stanley, Henry M. "A Great African Lake." National Geographic Magazine, Volume 13 (1902): 171.
Tilby, Wyatt A. Britain in the Tropics, 1527-1910. London: Houghton Mifflin, 1912.
Wheeler, Edward J. and Crane, Frank. "Sleeping Sickness." Current Opinion no. 34 (1903): 426.
Jonathan Musere
Saturday, September 4, 2010
"Everyday Use" and Alice Walker: "Wa-su-zo-Tean-o, Wangero, Leewanika, Kemanjo"
The central character in Alice Walker's "Everyday Use," the beautiful Dee Johnson, breaks away from her Deep Southern American roots to become the heavily educated, urbanized, modernized young woman who despises her cultural setting. She later visits her bucolic dirty southern family of her mother Mama Johnson and unattractive scruffy and scarred sister Maggie. Dee signifies her transformation after stepping out of the car, by uttering to the two, "Wa-su-zo-Tean-o," and declaring that her new name is African: Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo. Debate and dissection continues about the inspiration and significance behind these African terms in Walker's famous short story.
"Wa-su-zo-Tean-o," is pre-noon daytime Luganda language greeting used by the Baganda of Uganda. It directly means, "How did you sleep?" but is a way of saying "Good morning" or "I hope you slept well." The correct wording is, "Wasuze otya nno?" But how would this greeting phrase that is so specific to a Ugandan ethnic group end up in one of Walker's most memorable works? It is worthy to note that Walker an excellent full-scholarship student at prestigious Spellman College in Atlanta (Georgia), transferred to distinguished Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville (New York) in 1963. Some of the reasons cited for her transferring are that Spellman was too conservative and puritanical for her liking.
Walker's roommate and dear friend at Spellman College, which she left in 1963 for Sarah Lawrence, happened to be a Ugandan named Constance. In 1964, after her junior year, Walker traveled to Uganda as a summer exchange student. Interviewed by Amy Goodman during the Organization of Women Writers of Africa conference at New York University in 2004, Alice Walker recounts about her Ugandan roommate as well as her painful journey to discovering her great-great-grandmother's grave:
"So, I went back to pay my respects and to take flowers, ...I was lucky enough to be able to get my Ugandan roommate--when I was at Spellman my roommate was this wonderful woman from Uganda who made me care deeply about Africans and African women. In fact I went to Uganda trying to understand how Constance had been created and produced by this country which before Idi Amin was very beautiful, very tranquil and green. So anyway Constance and I and my entire women’s council--I belonged to a women’s council--went to visit this grave. We sat there--my Constance from Uganda, my friend Belvee from--I mean, so many of us with so many histories that are so painful. Belvee’s mother had been actually beaten to death. So, we had a long time of crying there. We watered those graves with our tears. We were happy to do it."
Further, there is a small place in Uganda that happens to be uniquely named Wangero. The root word "ngero' means "stories" or "proverbs." Wangero can hence mean, "the place of stories" or "the person of stories." Local Ugandan friends may have given Walker the nickname "Wangero" or alluded to it, or Walker may have picked it out from the people of the first area he visited in Africa. Alice Walker, from early in her life, has certainly been a person of "many stories." Some, like Helga Hoel (a Norwegian scholar on Kenya literature), have speculated that "Wangero" is a mispronunciation and misspelling of the common Kenyan Kikuyu name Wanjiru. That theory does not hold water---the two have distinctly different spellings, the Kikuyu live hundreds of miles away east of Buganda, and the "Wa-" prefix is quite common in many personal names of east and central Africa.
The Leewanika is apparently a misspelling or an Alice Walker variant of the name Lewanika who was a powerful king in a region (Barotse Land) of present day Zambia. Under Lewanika, the region became a British Protectorate after colonial enforcement negotiations with Cecil Rhodes. In African terms, the "Le" in Lewanika is pronounced "leh" rather than "liih."
The name Kemanjo is apparently of African structure, but it is hard to prove that it is an African name. Helga Hoel speculates that it is a misspelling of the Kenyan Kikuyu name "Kamenjo" (White: 2001).
References
Goodman, Amy. "Alice Walker on the 'Toxic Culture" of Globalization," in Democracy Now!---The War and Peace Report. 2004.
Hoel, Helga. "Personal Names and Heritage: Alice Walker’s 'Everyday Use'." 2000. Trondheim Cathedral School, Trondheim, Norway. 30 Jan. 2000.
White, David. “'Everyday Use': Defining African-American Heritage," Portals--Purdue North Central Literary Journal, 2001.
Jonathan Musere
"Wa-su-zo-Tean-o," is pre-noon daytime Luganda language greeting used by the Baganda of Uganda. It directly means, "How did you sleep?" but is a way of saying "Good morning" or "I hope you slept well." The correct wording is, "Wasuze otya nno?" But how would this greeting phrase that is so specific to a Ugandan ethnic group end up in one of Walker's most memorable works? It is worthy to note that Walker an excellent full-scholarship student at prestigious Spellman College in Atlanta (Georgia), transferred to distinguished Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville (New York) in 1963. Some of the reasons cited for her transferring are that Spellman was too conservative and puritanical for her liking.
Walker's roommate and dear friend at Spellman College, which she left in 1963 for Sarah Lawrence, happened to be a Ugandan named Constance. In 1964, after her junior year, Walker traveled to Uganda as a summer exchange student. Interviewed by Amy Goodman during the Organization of Women Writers of Africa conference at New York University in 2004, Alice Walker recounts about her Ugandan roommate as well as her painful journey to discovering her great-great-grandmother's grave:
"So, I went back to pay my respects and to take flowers, ...I was lucky enough to be able to get my Ugandan roommate--when I was at Spellman my roommate was this wonderful woman from Uganda who made me care deeply about Africans and African women. In fact I went to Uganda trying to understand how Constance had been created and produced by this country which before Idi Amin was very beautiful, very tranquil and green. So anyway Constance and I and my entire women’s council--I belonged to a women’s council--went to visit this grave. We sat there--my Constance from Uganda, my friend Belvee from--I mean, so many of us with so many histories that are so painful. Belvee’s mother had been actually beaten to death. So, we had a long time of crying there. We watered those graves with our tears. We were happy to do it."
Further, there is a small place in Uganda that happens to be uniquely named Wangero. The root word "ngero' means "stories" or "proverbs." Wangero can hence mean, "the place of stories" or "the person of stories." Local Ugandan friends may have given Walker the nickname "Wangero" or alluded to it, or Walker may have picked it out from the people of the first area he visited in Africa. Alice Walker, from early in her life, has certainly been a person of "many stories." Some, like Helga Hoel (a Norwegian scholar on Kenya literature), have speculated that "Wangero" is a mispronunciation and misspelling of the common Kenyan Kikuyu name Wanjiru. That theory does not hold water---the two have distinctly different spellings, the Kikuyu live hundreds of miles away east of Buganda, and the "Wa-" prefix is quite common in many personal names of east and central Africa.
The Leewanika is apparently a misspelling or an Alice Walker variant of the name Lewanika who was a powerful king in a region (Barotse Land) of present day Zambia. Under Lewanika, the region became a British Protectorate after colonial enforcement negotiations with Cecil Rhodes. In African terms, the "Le" in Lewanika is pronounced "leh" rather than "liih."
The name Kemanjo is apparently of African structure, but it is hard to prove that it is an African name. Helga Hoel speculates that it is a misspelling of the Kenyan Kikuyu name "Kamenjo" (White: 2001).
References
Goodman, Amy. "Alice Walker on the 'Toxic Culture" of Globalization," in Democracy Now!---The War and Peace Report. 2004.
Hoel, Helga. "Personal Names and Heritage: Alice Walker’s 'Everyday Use'." 2000. Trondheim Cathedral School, Trondheim, Norway. 30 Jan. 2000.
White, David. “'Everyday Use': Defining African-American Heritage," Portals--Purdue North Central Literary Journal, 2001.
Jonathan Musere
Monday, August 30, 2010
Uganda Commendably Performs at the 1973 All-Africa Games in Lagos, Nigeria
The second All Africa Games were held in Lagos in Nigeria in January 1973. The performance of Uganda still stands as overwhelmingly her best ever at these Africa Games. In the athletics realm, Uganda ended up with 6 gold medals, 2 bronze medals, and 4 bronze medals, placing Uganda fourth overall behind Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria, respectively. The Uganda female athletes won four gold medals (Christine Anyakun [800 meters], Peace Kesiime [1500 meters], Constance Rwabiryagye [Javelin throw], and the 4 x 400 meters-relay) and two bronze medals (Budesia Nyakecho [100 meters-hurdles] and Christine Kabanda [long jump]. It was the women's performance that elevated Uganda's performance at the Games. The sole Uganda men's gold medals were won by John Akii-Bua (400 meters-hurdles) and Yovan Ochola (hammer). During the 1960's and 1970's era, likely because of educational and employment access, Uganda women were ahead of their neighboring Kenya women in the realm of sports.
Men:
-400 Meters-Hurdles. John Akii-Bua-Uganda Gold medal (48.54 seconds); William Koskei-Kenya Silver medal (50.22 seconds); Silver Ayoo-Uganda Bronze medal (50.25 seconds).
-Triple Jump. Mansour Dia-Senegal Gold medal (16.53 meters); Abraham Munabi-Uganda Silver medal (16.26 meters); Moise Pomaney-Ghana Bronze medal (16.09 meters).
-Hammer Throw. Yovan Ochola-Uganda Gold medal (50.64 meters); Gabriel Luzira-Uganda Silver medal (49.86 meters); Nagmeddin Shaheen-Egypt Bronze medal (47.58 meters).
-4 x 400 Meters Relay. Kenya Gold medal (3 minute, 6.38 seconds); Nigeria Silver medal (3 minutes, 6.98 seconds); Uganda Bronze medal (3 minutes, 7.21 seconds).
Women:
-800 Meters. Christine Anyakun-Uganda Gold medal (2 minutes, 9.5 seconds); Rosalind Joshua-Nigeria silver medal (2 minutes, 10.7 seconds); Helena Opoku-Ghana Bronze medal (2 minutes, 11.7 seconds).
1500 Meters. Peace Kesiime-Uganda Gold medal (4 minutes, 38.7 seconds); Mary Wagaki-Kenya Silver medal (4 minutes, 38.8 seconds); Ruth Yeboah-Ghana Bronze medal (4 minutes, 42.3 seconds).
100 Meters-Hurdles. Modupe Oshikoya-Nigeria Gold medal (14.28 seconds); Emilia Edet-Nigeria Silver medal (14.48 seconds); Budesia Nyakecho-Uganda Bronze medal (15.29 seconds).
Long Jump. Modupe Oshikoya-Nigeria Gold medal (6.16 meters); Margaret Odafin-Nigeria Silver medal (6.07 meters); Christine Kabanda-Uganda Bronze medal (5.73 meters).
Javelin Throw. Constance Rwabiryagye-Uganda Gold medal (47.50 meters); Lillian Cherotich-Kenya Silver medal (41.94 meters); Angelina Chekpiyeng-Kenya Bronze medal (39.12 meters).
4 x 400 Meters-Relay. Uganda Gold medal (3 minutes, 45.42 seconds); Nigeria Silver medal (3 minutes, 45.69 seconds); Kenya Bronze medal (3 minutes, 46.06 seconds).
Additional Uganda gold medal wins were in boxing: James Odwori and Daniel Omolo. Uganda, with an overall medal tally of 8 gold, 6 silver, and 6 bronze medals emerged fifth overall on the continent behind Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana, respectively. This was a milestone for Uganda. The nation has thereafter never got even remotely close to that performance at the All-Africa Games.
Jonathan Musere
Men:
-400 Meters-Hurdles. John Akii-Bua-Uganda Gold medal (48.54 seconds); William Koskei-Kenya Silver medal (50.22 seconds); Silver Ayoo-Uganda Bronze medal (50.25 seconds).
-Triple Jump. Mansour Dia-Senegal Gold medal (16.53 meters); Abraham Munabi-Uganda Silver medal (16.26 meters); Moise Pomaney-Ghana Bronze medal (16.09 meters).
-Hammer Throw. Yovan Ochola-Uganda Gold medal (50.64 meters); Gabriel Luzira-Uganda Silver medal (49.86 meters); Nagmeddin Shaheen-Egypt Bronze medal (47.58 meters).
-4 x 400 Meters Relay. Kenya Gold medal (3 minute, 6.38 seconds); Nigeria Silver medal (3 minutes, 6.98 seconds); Uganda Bronze medal (3 minutes, 7.21 seconds).
Women:
-800 Meters. Christine Anyakun-Uganda Gold medal (2 minutes, 9.5 seconds); Rosalind Joshua-Nigeria silver medal (2 minutes, 10.7 seconds); Helena Opoku-Ghana Bronze medal (2 minutes, 11.7 seconds).
1500 Meters. Peace Kesiime-Uganda Gold medal (4 minutes, 38.7 seconds); Mary Wagaki-Kenya Silver medal (4 minutes, 38.8 seconds); Ruth Yeboah-Ghana Bronze medal (4 minutes, 42.3 seconds).
100 Meters-Hurdles. Modupe Oshikoya-Nigeria Gold medal (14.28 seconds); Emilia Edet-Nigeria Silver medal (14.48 seconds); Budesia Nyakecho-Uganda Bronze medal (15.29 seconds).
Long Jump. Modupe Oshikoya-Nigeria Gold medal (6.16 meters); Margaret Odafin-Nigeria Silver medal (6.07 meters); Christine Kabanda-Uganda Bronze medal (5.73 meters).
Javelin Throw. Constance Rwabiryagye-Uganda Gold medal (47.50 meters); Lillian Cherotich-Kenya Silver medal (41.94 meters); Angelina Chekpiyeng-Kenya Bronze medal (39.12 meters).
4 x 400 Meters-Relay. Uganda Gold medal (3 minutes, 45.42 seconds); Nigeria Silver medal (3 minutes, 45.69 seconds); Kenya Bronze medal (3 minutes, 46.06 seconds).
Additional Uganda gold medal wins were in boxing: James Odwori and Daniel Omolo. Uganda, with an overall medal tally of 8 gold, 6 silver, and 6 bronze medals emerged fifth overall on the continent behind Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana, respectively. This was a milestone for Uganda. The nation has thereafter never got even remotely close to that performance at the All-Africa Games.
Jonathan Musere
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Verses in the Bible on Homosexuality and Other Sins and Vices
If a man practices homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman, both men have committed a detestable act. They must both be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense. Leviticus 20:13
The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching. 1 Timothy: 10
Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin. Leviticus 18: 22
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. Revelation 21:8
Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. Revelation 22:15
...the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21
For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Ephesians 5:5.
...shameful acts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Romans 1:26-27.
Jonathan Musere
The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching. 1 Timothy: 10
Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin. Leviticus 18: 22
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. Revelation 21:8
Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. Revelation 22:15
...the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21
For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Ephesians 5:5.
...shameful acts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Romans 1:26-27.
Jonathan Musere
Thursday, August 5, 2010
"Once Upon a Time in Africa: Stories of Wisdom and Joy"--Review of Joseph G. Healey's Collection
"Once Upon a Time in Africa: Stories of Wisdom and Joy" (Orbis Books, 2004), compiled by Joseph G. Healey, is a unique and intriguing book that remarkably captures the essence of African society in response to and in cooperation with Christianity, other religions, and other foreign influences. But this is not an academic book laden with complex and boring theories. Rather, the book contains close to 100 short stories that convey experiences of east Africans with Christian missionaries from the west. Each story is unique and can convey an African parable, an abridged African story, an encounter with a group of Africans, missionary work in African schools, African response to death and dying, the extent to which Africans compete with each other relative to other world societies, the importance of Africans sharing and running together, how Africans perceive Christianity and foreign behavior, etc. Many of the stories are humorous, but the value message does not become lost. A Maasai moran wonders how great Jesus was. Relating to the Maasai aspect of recognizing greatness and manhood, the moran questions whether Jesus ever killed a lion and how many wives he had.
In a running competition, a nun wonders why the schoolgirls keep crossing the finishing line together. They tell her that they do not want to leave anyone behind, they want to finish together. Many of these stories convey African society as highly cooperative, not heavily dwelling on a person outpointing and crushing the other and taking the spotlight. Africans traditionally do not want to be separated from each other, and will work hard to stay together even when threatened by differences in religious belief. They are far less materialistic than many other societies of the world, they can achieve joy and happiness in the face of poverty and misfortune; they are generally not imbued with that western spirit of materialism, monopoly, and selfishness.
Africans believe in re-incarnation, believing that the spirit of a good person always returns to earth through a newborn, dead ancestors are guardian angels. African societies are shown to have their accounts of creation. African proverbs are numerous and tell a lot about Africans. In the book, Africans are portrayed in their homes, the gardens, in church, in prayer, in hunting, at work, etc. This is indeed a book about African joy and wisdom concisely illustrated with short significant stories, tales, proverbs, encounters and happenings.
Father Joseph Healey, who is originally from the United States and has operated in east Africa for several decades, managed to compile a gem of a book that one never gets tired of reading. Healey's extensive practical familiarization with many African languages and ways of life made him the ideal candidate to compile this heart-warming and objective volume. More than any other text, the book illustrates joy and wisdom in the day-to-day basic lives of Africans and their response to a new world that gets smaller and smaller and becomes more connected. The contents also illustrate how people from other parts of the world practically respond to and perceive African life. The stories in this book are short, but their messages are very powerful. Lessons on Africa are conveyed through aspects of adventure, ministering, religion, folklore, prayer, stories, African culture, poetry, spirituality, and tales.
Jonathan Musere
In a running competition, a nun wonders why the schoolgirls keep crossing the finishing line together. They tell her that they do not want to leave anyone behind, they want to finish together. Many of these stories convey African society as highly cooperative, not heavily dwelling on a person outpointing and crushing the other and taking the spotlight. Africans traditionally do not want to be separated from each other, and will work hard to stay together even when threatened by differences in religious belief. They are far less materialistic than many other societies of the world, they can achieve joy and happiness in the face of poverty and misfortune; they are generally not imbued with that western spirit of materialism, monopoly, and selfishness.
Africans believe in re-incarnation, believing that the spirit of a good person always returns to earth through a newborn, dead ancestors are guardian angels. African societies are shown to have their accounts of creation. African proverbs are numerous and tell a lot about Africans. In the book, Africans are portrayed in their homes, the gardens, in church, in prayer, in hunting, at work, etc. This is indeed a book about African joy and wisdom concisely illustrated with short significant stories, tales, proverbs, encounters and happenings.
Father Joseph Healey, who is originally from the United States and has operated in east Africa for several decades, managed to compile a gem of a book that one never gets tired of reading. Healey's extensive practical familiarization with many African languages and ways of life made him the ideal candidate to compile this heart-warming and objective volume. More than any other text, the book illustrates joy and wisdom in the day-to-day basic lives of Africans and their response to a new world that gets smaller and smaller and becomes more connected. The contents also illustrate how people from other parts of the world practically respond to and perceive African life. The stories in this book are short, but their messages are very powerful. Lessons on Africa are conveyed through aspects of adventure, ministering, religion, folklore, prayer, stories, African culture, poetry, spirituality, and tales.
Jonathan Musere
Proverbial Names of Africans
Though the subject is inadequately explored, many African personal names are associated with African proverbs. Such names stand for words of wisdom, with respect to such aspects as intelligence, friendship, cooperation, trust and mistrust, thankfulness and unappreciation, humility, giving, ignorance, showiness, boastfulness, jealousy, allegiance, alertness, warning, defense, laziness, speed, hastiness, bravery, cowardice, and patience. The Baganda of Uganda have quite a generous assortment of proverbial names. But though there can be slight variations in the message the namer who allots the proverbial name conveys, there exist standard interpretations for the proverbs and the associated proverbial names. However, there can be more than one interpretation of the proverb, and a proverbial name can be associated with more than one proverb. Also, many of the names that are originally proverbial names have become greatly associated with particular clans and families. In this case, the proverbial name becomes more of a kinship identifier, more than what it means in association with the proverb that it denotes.
The personal name Tamusuza "the one not housing the person" is commonly associated with the proverb, "Atamusuza y'amutenda eggonjebwa" 'The one not housing (or looking after) the person, praises this person for being meek, kind, and polite.' It implies that observations are not as praiseworthy as they seem to be, as synonymous with, "Appearances are deceptive."
In the proverb, "Ebigambo tebyasa (~tibyasa) mutwe, nga tebabyogera ku ggwe" 'Words will not shatter your head, just as long as they are not spoken of you,' it is implied that actions and words which appear as trivial to a person they are not directed to, can be significantly hurtful and negatively loaded toward the person the words are directed to. Names associated with this proverb include, Bigambo 'words, sayings, matters, affairs;' Tebyasa/Tibyasa 'words do not shatter' and Mutwe 'head.'
In the proverb, "Enkoko eteefe, etuusa mugenyi" 'The chicken that will not die, would bring fort (or welcomes) a visitor,' the "chicken" represents the would-be victim. The aphorism is subject to several interpretations. In the instance of expecting or getting visitors, the host refrains from killing the chicken for his own meal consumption, thereby giving the chicken the opportunity to live longer. And, the arrival of a visitor can be beneficial, insofar as, the hosts can then turn their attention to the visitor instead of continuing with an ongoing and counterproductive household argument. Additionally, a child who was about to be severely punished, would likely be spared upon the arrival of a vistor. This would be the result of the joy that follows the visitor's arrival; and because the host who was about to mete out the punishment does not want to spoil the occasion by punishing his child, there and then. Similar to this foregone interpretation, a wife-beating or spousal conflict that was about to take place or is going to be severe, is often refrained from or dissolved, upon the arrival of a visitor. Personal names associated with this proverb are, Nkoko 'chicken, hen,' Teefe 'the chicken that will not die,' and Mugenyi 'visitor.'
The personal name Tebujjadda '(lameness) does not come later, in life,' is commonly associated with the proverb, "Obulema tebujja dda" 'Lameness does not come later, in life.' The implication here is that the virtues and vices of a person are displayed early in the person's life; they do not just show up, later in life, from nowhere. The proverb also conveys the message that the young should always be wary and not to think of themselves as invincibly invulnerable to defects and mishaps that are commonly associated with old age.
References
Musere, Jonathan. African Names and Naming. Los Angeles, CA: Ariko Publications, 2000.
The personal name Tamusuza "the one not housing the person" is commonly associated with the proverb, "Atamusuza y'amutenda eggonjebwa" 'The one not housing (or looking after) the person, praises this person for being meek, kind, and polite.' It implies that observations are not as praiseworthy as they seem to be, as synonymous with, "Appearances are deceptive."
In the proverb, "Ebigambo tebyasa (~tibyasa) mutwe, nga tebabyogera ku ggwe" 'Words will not shatter your head, just as long as they are not spoken of you,' it is implied that actions and words which appear as trivial to a person they are not directed to, can be significantly hurtful and negatively loaded toward the person the words are directed to. Names associated with this proverb include, Bigambo 'words, sayings, matters, affairs;' Tebyasa/Tibyasa 'words do not shatter' and Mutwe 'head.'
In the proverb, "Enkoko eteefe, etuusa mugenyi" 'The chicken that will not die, would bring fort (or welcomes) a visitor,' the "chicken" represents the would-be victim. The aphorism is subject to several interpretations. In the instance of expecting or getting visitors, the host refrains from killing the chicken for his own meal consumption, thereby giving the chicken the opportunity to live longer. And, the arrival of a visitor can be beneficial, insofar as, the hosts can then turn their attention to the visitor instead of continuing with an ongoing and counterproductive household argument. Additionally, a child who was about to be severely punished, would likely be spared upon the arrival of a vistor. This would be the result of the joy that follows the visitor's arrival; and because the host who was about to mete out the punishment does not want to spoil the occasion by punishing his child, there and then. Similar to this foregone interpretation, a wife-beating or spousal conflict that was about to take place or is going to be severe, is often refrained from or dissolved, upon the arrival of a visitor. Personal names associated with this proverb are, Nkoko 'chicken, hen,' Teefe 'the chicken that will not die,' and Mugenyi 'visitor.'
The personal name Tebujjadda '(lameness) does not come later, in life,' is commonly associated with the proverb, "Obulema tebujja dda" 'Lameness does not come later, in life.' The implication here is that the virtues and vices of a person are displayed early in the person's life; they do not just show up, later in life, from nowhere. The proverb also conveys the message that the young should always be wary and not to think of themselves as invincibly invulnerable to defects and mishaps that are commonly associated with old age.
References
Musere, Jonathan. African Names and Naming. Los Angeles, CA: Ariko Publications, 2000.
African Personal Names in Religion, Birth Order, and Occupation
A name bestowed on an African child can traditionally depend on birth order in the family, and the occupation the family is associated with. The name can reflect names of deities and other religious entities in the culture. A name can also reflect praise or expectations of the child. Many African names reflect circumstances at birth that can include praise or negative opinion of neighbors or other family members.
Many African names reflect the composition of the family. Hence, they can reflect discontentment over gender imbalances among family offspring, family ancestry, and the family in extended form.
Children are named after their forefathers so as to appease the ancestral spirits, given that dead ancestors of good reputation are believed to have become spirits who protect their descendants. The ancestral spirits are also said to be mediators, whereby they plead to God for protection and mercy toward their descendants. Because ancestral spirits protect their living descendants, they are carefully appeased through carrying out the proper observances and referring to them with respect. In many of the ethnic groups of the Bantu African mega group, the first-born male is named after his paternal grandfather, the second-born is named after his father, and those who follow in birth-order are less specifically named, but are many are named after a variety of forefathers and forefathers' brothers and their other relatives. This allows for ancestors to be retained in history, given that they are mentioned in everyday speech. It is also believed that the spirits of ancestors watch over their namesakes. Many names that are associated with clans are often descendent from ancestors of good reputation or status. Many of the children of the same family line are given names of such ancestors.
Among the Nuba of southern Kordofan in Sudan, the first-born son is called Kuku, the second is Kafi, the third is Tia, the fourth-born son is given the female name Tia in case a daughter has not been born, and the fifth son is named Nalu. Regarding girls, if a daughter is born first she is called Kaka, the second-born is Toto, the third is named Koshe, the fourth is Kiki (or Ngori, or Kikingori), and the fifth-born (regardless of gender) is named Nalu (Seligman 1932: 386-387). Giving a boy a female name, or vice versa, is a displaying of gender preference. A first-born child who is female can thus be given a male name, though she would be given a proper female name upon the birth of a male sibling. Names can therefore also exhibit quantity of births in the family, as well as progeny sequence of birth.
Names have numerous origins. Many began as nicknames, many as proverbial names. Many are derived from occupations and their implements, many are adapted from neighbors' and foreigners' names, while many reflect natural phenomena. It is also common for a child to be given the name of a renowned person who is not related to the family. It was very common, in the past for people to take on names of their neighbors through a variety of assimilation processes. These included conquest and capture, blood-brotherhood rituals, merging of clans into one, marriage, and long-term residence in a clan village.
Names can corroborate the spiritual or religious backdrop of the child. A name can, therefore, reflect gratitude towards the Supernatural for the birth of the child. Among the Baganda of Uganda, despite the extensive conversions to Christianity and Islam from the nineteenth century, the names of the native deities are still honored and they still serve as popular personal names. Names of the Goddesses of the Baganda include Nakayaga, Nalwoga, Nagaddya (Nagajja), Nanziri, and Namirembe. The Gods include Sserwanga (Lwanga), Mukasa, Kyobe Kibuuka, Kiwanuka, Musisi, Musoke, Muwanga, and Kitinda. Names that express gratitude to supernatural agencies for the birth of the child given the name, are common. The Zulu use the names Bonginkosi 'thank the Lord,' Sipho 'gift (from God),' Thembinkosi 'trust the Lord,' Sibongile 'we are grateful,' and Bongani 'be ye grateful' (Koopman 1987: 148-149).
Names can also promulgate an opinion of negative or positive bearing that the namer may direct to neighbors, family and kin, enemies, the newborn itself, or even to ancestral spirits and Gods. The Shona of central and southern Africa have such names as Ruvengo 'hatred,' Hamundidi 'you do not love me,' Vengwa 'the hated one,' Masemani 'you despised me,' Ibvai 'get away,' Mativengerei 'why have you been hating us?' and Chomunorwa 'what is all the fighting about?' (Jackson 1957: 116-117).
A name that embodies the expectations the parents have of their child is intended to serve as inspiration for the youngster. The Xhosa of southern Africa employ such names as Khokela 'guide,' Mxolisi 'peacemaker,' Malusi 'shepherd,' Solomzi 'eye of the home,' Thembeka 'be faithful,' Thozama 'be meek,' Mcebisi 'counselor,' and Monde 'perseverance' (Thipa: 1987: 116-117).
Noleen Turner assembles an impressive field survey collection of names of the Zulu of southern Africa. Tuner points out that many African names have psychological functions, they can express discontentment and censuring within the societal and domestic setting within which the names operate (1992: 42). On the same page, Turner continues about Zulu names.
"...social function in working out stress situations, minimizing friction and providing a means of acceptance or indirect comment in a situation where direct confrontation or even accusation is unacceptable."
Turner(1992: 55-56) summarizes that African names can "express dissatisfaction or vent frustration," and "cast suspicion or level accusation." The names can function to "ridicule, mock, or warn against an unacceptable mode of behavior," and can function to "challenge a person who by virtue of his or her position, precludes normal channels of criticism and censure." Turner also finds that African names can portray the disputing of allegations that were made, as well as informing the party that "has made the allegations, that the namer is well aware of the situation."
Though by and large, one or both of the parents have the precedence in the naming, in many societies the extended family tremendously influences this process which can involve extensive discussion and debate. There are cases, for example, where the combination of the mother, the traditional midwife (during and after the delivery of the child), and the child's paternal grandmother have exclusive powers in the naming. One can therefore imagine why in many African societies, there exists a breadth of names that openly portray negative and even derogatory remarks about one or both of the parents. The African naming ceremonies vary, from society to society.
References
Koopman, Adrian. "Zulu Names and Other Modes of Address." Nomina Africana 1, no. 1 (1987): 136-164.
Musere, Jonathan. African Names and Naming. Los Angeles, CA: Ariko, 2000.
Seligman, C.G. and Brenda G. Seligman. Pagan Tribes of the Nilotic Sudan. London, England: George Routledge and Sons, 1932.
Thipa, H.M. "What Shall We Name Him?" Nomina Africana 1, no. 2 (1987): 107-117.
Turner, Noleen S. "Zulu Names as Echoes of Censure, Discontent, and Disapproval Within the Domestic Environment." Nomina Africana 6, no. 2 (1992): 42-56.
Jonathan Musere
Many African names reflect the composition of the family. Hence, they can reflect discontentment over gender imbalances among family offspring, family ancestry, and the family in extended form.
Children are named after their forefathers so as to appease the ancestral spirits, given that dead ancestors of good reputation are believed to have become spirits who protect their descendants. The ancestral spirits are also said to be mediators, whereby they plead to God for protection and mercy toward their descendants. Because ancestral spirits protect their living descendants, they are carefully appeased through carrying out the proper observances and referring to them with respect. In many of the ethnic groups of the Bantu African mega group, the first-born male is named after his paternal grandfather, the second-born is named after his father, and those who follow in birth-order are less specifically named, but are many are named after a variety of forefathers and forefathers' brothers and their other relatives. This allows for ancestors to be retained in history, given that they are mentioned in everyday speech. It is also believed that the spirits of ancestors watch over their namesakes. Many names that are associated with clans are often descendent from ancestors of good reputation or status. Many of the children of the same family line are given names of such ancestors.
Among the Nuba of southern Kordofan in Sudan, the first-born son is called Kuku, the second is Kafi, the third is Tia, the fourth-born son is given the female name Tia in case a daughter has not been born, and the fifth son is named Nalu. Regarding girls, if a daughter is born first she is called Kaka, the second-born is Toto, the third is named Koshe, the fourth is Kiki (or Ngori, or Kikingori), and the fifth-born (regardless of gender) is named Nalu (Seligman 1932: 386-387). Giving a boy a female name, or vice versa, is a displaying of gender preference. A first-born child who is female can thus be given a male name, though she would be given a proper female name upon the birth of a male sibling. Names can therefore also exhibit quantity of births in the family, as well as progeny sequence of birth.
Names have numerous origins. Many began as nicknames, many as proverbial names. Many are derived from occupations and their implements, many are adapted from neighbors' and foreigners' names, while many reflect natural phenomena. It is also common for a child to be given the name of a renowned person who is not related to the family. It was very common, in the past for people to take on names of their neighbors through a variety of assimilation processes. These included conquest and capture, blood-brotherhood rituals, merging of clans into one, marriage, and long-term residence in a clan village.
Names can corroborate the spiritual or religious backdrop of the child. A name can, therefore, reflect gratitude towards the Supernatural for the birth of the child. Among the Baganda of Uganda, despite the extensive conversions to Christianity and Islam from the nineteenth century, the names of the native deities are still honored and they still serve as popular personal names. Names of the Goddesses of the Baganda include Nakayaga, Nalwoga, Nagaddya (Nagajja), Nanziri, and Namirembe. The Gods include Sserwanga (Lwanga), Mukasa, Kyobe Kibuuka, Kiwanuka, Musisi, Musoke, Muwanga, and Kitinda. Names that express gratitude to supernatural agencies for the birth of the child given the name, are common. The Zulu use the names Bonginkosi 'thank the Lord,' Sipho 'gift (from God),' Thembinkosi 'trust the Lord,' Sibongile 'we are grateful,' and Bongani 'be ye grateful' (Koopman 1987: 148-149).
Names can also promulgate an opinion of negative or positive bearing that the namer may direct to neighbors, family and kin, enemies, the newborn itself, or even to ancestral spirits and Gods. The Shona of central and southern Africa have such names as Ruvengo 'hatred,' Hamundidi 'you do not love me,' Vengwa 'the hated one,' Masemani 'you despised me,' Ibvai 'get away,' Mativengerei 'why have you been hating us?' and Chomunorwa 'what is all the fighting about?' (Jackson 1957: 116-117).
A name that embodies the expectations the parents have of their child is intended to serve as inspiration for the youngster. The Xhosa of southern Africa employ such names as Khokela 'guide,' Mxolisi 'peacemaker,' Malusi 'shepherd,' Solomzi 'eye of the home,' Thembeka 'be faithful,' Thozama 'be meek,' Mcebisi 'counselor,' and Monde 'perseverance' (Thipa: 1987: 116-117).
Noleen Turner assembles an impressive field survey collection of names of the Zulu of southern Africa. Tuner points out that many African names have psychological functions, they can express discontentment and censuring within the societal and domestic setting within which the names operate (1992: 42). On the same page, Turner continues about Zulu names.
"...social function in working out stress situations, minimizing friction and providing a means of acceptance or indirect comment in a situation where direct confrontation or even accusation is unacceptable."
Turner(1992: 55-56) summarizes that African names can "express dissatisfaction or vent frustration," and "cast suspicion or level accusation." The names can function to "ridicule, mock, or warn against an unacceptable mode of behavior," and can function to "challenge a person who by virtue of his or her position, precludes normal channels of criticism and censure." Turner also finds that African names can portray the disputing of allegations that were made, as well as informing the party that "has made the allegations, that the namer is well aware of the situation."
Though by and large, one or both of the parents have the precedence in the naming, in many societies the extended family tremendously influences this process which can involve extensive discussion and debate. There are cases, for example, where the combination of the mother, the traditional midwife (during and after the delivery of the child), and the child's paternal grandmother have exclusive powers in the naming. One can therefore imagine why in many African societies, there exists a breadth of names that openly portray negative and even derogatory remarks about one or both of the parents. The African naming ceremonies vary, from society to society.
References
Koopman, Adrian. "Zulu Names and Other Modes of Address." Nomina Africana 1, no. 1 (1987): 136-164.
Musere, Jonathan. African Names and Naming. Los Angeles, CA: Ariko, 2000.
Seligman, C.G. and Brenda G. Seligman. Pagan Tribes of the Nilotic Sudan. London, England: George Routledge and Sons, 1932.
Thipa, H.M. "What Shall We Name Him?" Nomina Africana 1, no. 2 (1987): 107-117.
Turner, Noleen S. "Zulu Names as Echoes of Censure, Discontent, and Disapproval Within the Domestic Environment." Nomina Africana 6, no. 2 (1992): 42-56.
Jonathan Musere
Jonathan Musere: Major Works of Writing
Southern Californians' Attitudes to Immigrants: Blacks Compared to Other Ethnics
by Jonathan Musere
ISBN: 0964596938
ISBN-13: 9780964596931
Format: Paperback, 167pp
Publisher: Ariko Publications
Pub. Date: March 2000
+++++
Traditional African Names
by Jonathan Musere
Format: Hardcover, 416pp
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Pub. Date: December 1999
ISBN-13: 9780810836433
416pp
+++++
African Proverbs and Proverbial Names
by Jonathan Musere
Publisher: Ariko Publications
Pub. Date: April 1999
ISBN-13: 9780964596924
Paperback: 216pp
+++++
African Ethnics and Personal Names
By Jonathan Musere, Christopher Odhiambo
ISBN: 0964596911
ISBN-13: 9780964596917
Format: Paperback, 281pp
Publisher: Ariko Publications
Pub. Date: January 1999
281pp
+++++
African Names and Naming
by Jonathan Musere, Shirley C. Byakutaga
Publisher: Ariko Publications
Format: Paperback, 157pp
Pub. Date: June 1998
ISBN-13: 9780964596900
157pp
+++++
African Sleeping Sickness: Political Ecology, Colonialism, and Control in Uganda
by Jonathan Musere
Publisher: Edwin Mellen Press
Pub. Date: October 1990
ISBN-10: 0889462801
ISBN-13: 978-0889462809
Hardcover: 208 pages
by Jonathan Musere
ISBN: 0964596938
ISBN-13: 9780964596931
Format: Paperback, 167pp
Publisher: Ariko Publications
Pub. Date: March 2000
+++++
Traditional African Names
by Jonathan Musere
Format: Hardcover, 416pp
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Pub. Date: December 1999
ISBN-13: 9780810836433
416pp
+++++
African Proverbs and Proverbial Names
by Jonathan Musere
Publisher: Ariko Publications
Pub. Date: April 1999
ISBN-13: 9780964596924
Paperback: 216pp
+++++
African Ethnics and Personal Names
By Jonathan Musere, Christopher Odhiambo
ISBN: 0964596911
ISBN-13: 9780964596917
Format: Paperback, 281pp
Publisher: Ariko Publications
Pub. Date: January 1999
281pp
+++++
African Names and Naming
by Jonathan Musere, Shirley C. Byakutaga
Publisher: Ariko Publications
Format: Paperback, 157pp
Pub. Date: June 1998
ISBN-13: 9780964596900
157pp
+++++
African Sleeping Sickness: Political Ecology, Colonialism, and Control in Uganda
by Jonathan Musere
Publisher: Edwin Mellen Press
Pub. Date: October 1990
ISBN-10: 0889462801
ISBN-13: 978-0889462809
Hardcover: 208 pages
"The Famous Five: A Personal Anecdotage": A Book by Stephen B.Isabirye
Universally acknowledged British author Enid Blyton is a beloved 20th century children's adventure books' writer. A dedicated and intriguing author, more and more continues to be dissected about Enid Blyton. Stephen Isabirye convincingly delves into the mind of Enid Blyton as he offers his comprehensive and remarkably detailed analysis of Enid Blyton. This is first analysis of Enid Blyton from an international perspective, and the book is a lengthy wealth of details. The perspective goes beyond Blyton's "Famous Five" series, bringing into perspective and comparison other writings by Blyton. Isabirye goes into the social backdrop, the environmental and political aspects of the era of Blytonian writing, the setting of the powerful British Empire and colonial incursions at the time, the ancient and contemporary literature that likely influenced Blyton.
Further, what apparently were Blyton's role models and what impact did they have on the impressive long list of books that Blyton wrote so wonderfully? These are some of the many aspects that Isabirye uncovers. Isabirye goes as far as to compare Blyton with such writers as American Mark Twain, African authors such as Cyprian Ekwensi and Barbara Kimenyi; Isabirye goes into ancient mythology that may have influenced Blyton, into theses in Blytonian writing that are similar to those in past literature. Isabirye analyses the extent to which Blytonian writing was influenced by the racist climate of the time; he looks into how and why characters in Blyton's literature are racially and genetically distinguishable in line with their behavioral characteristics and expectations. Authors like James Baldwin and countless others are presented to help us understand and appreciate the magnitude of Enid Blyton. Oh, and even American humorist Dick Gregory is brought into the picture. The unique and unexpected is indeed in this volume!
What was Enid Blyton as a mother? It is revealed in the book that Blyton was an overzealous and voluminous book writer with less than expected dedication to her children. But Blyton gives a variety of familial characteristics, and a variety of settings to the British environment and adventure in which the characters operated. Blyton wrote for decades, and the author displays how the changes in aspects of Blyton's writings reflected changing times.
Isabirye efficiently answers the question of why famous Blyton has never taken a firm hold in the American landscape. What American literary works had similarities to those of Blyton? What book marketing aspects have a lot do do with it? What about the British versus the American English? What about the competitive rivalry between American and British authors? Isabirye dedicates his lengthy volume to delving into such issues.
The width and breadth into which Dr. Stephen Isabirye delves into, in dissecting "The Famous Five," is impressive. He employs details of countless references from literature from all over the world and produces a volume that will forever be a tour de force in understanding and appreciating the life and works of Enid Blyton. Isabirye's analysis serves as a reference, textbook, and general literary work that can be used by students, scholars, researchers, and general readers. Isabirye is a literary author, whose extensive academic background in political science, history, and sociology fuels his capacity to produce such a wonderful volume.
Jonathan Musere
Further, what apparently were Blyton's role models and what impact did they have on the impressive long list of books that Blyton wrote so wonderfully? These are some of the many aspects that Isabirye uncovers. Isabirye goes as far as to compare Blyton with such writers as American Mark Twain, African authors such as Cyprian Ekwensi and Barbara Kimenyi; Isabirye goes into ancient mythology that may have influenced Blyton, into theses in Blytonian writing that are similar to those in past literature. Isabirye analyses the extent to which Blytonian writing was influenced by the racist climate of the time; he looks into how and why characters in Blyton's literature are racially and genetically distinguishable in line with their behavioral characteristics and expectations. Authors like James Baldwin and countless others are presented to help us understand and appreciate the magnitude of Enid Blyton. Oh, and even American humorist Dick Gregory is brought into the picture. The unique and unexpected is indeed in this volume!
What was Enid Blyton as a mother? It is revealed in the book that Blyton was an overzealous and voluminous book writer with less than expected dedication to her children. But Blyton gives a variety of familial characteristics, and a variety of settings to the British environment and adventure in which the characters operated. Blyton wrote for decades, and the author displays how the changes in aspects of Blyton's writings reflected changing times.
Isabirye efficiently answers the question of why famous Blyton has never taken a firm hold in the American landscape. What American literary works had similarities to those of Blyton? What book marketing aspects have a lot do do with it? What about the British versus the American English? What about the competitive rivalry between American and British authors? Isabirye dedicates his lengthy volume to delving into such issues.
The width and breadth into which Dr. Stephen Isabirye delves into, in dissecting "The Famous Five," is impressive. He employs details of countless references from literature from all over the world and produces a volume that will forever be a tour de force in understanding and appreciating the life and works of Enid Blyton. Isabirye's analysis serves as a reference, textbook, and general literary work that can be used by students, scholars, researchers, and general readers. Isabirye is a literary author, whose extensive academic background in political science, history, and sociology fuels his capacity to produce such a wonderful volume.
Jonathan Musere
Sunday, August 1, 2010
John "the Beast" Mugabi: Uganda's Olympic Boxing Loss at the 1980 Finals
Before he turned professional, famous Ugandan boxer John Paul "the Beast" Mugabi was simply John Mugabi--a young and hard-hitting, fast, promising boxer. After his silver medal win at the 1980 Olympics that were held in Moscow, 20 year-old Mugabi eyed the professional scene. Renowned British trainer and manager Mickey Duff noticed Mugabi and quickly enlisted him. Duff is one of many (including Ugandan Charles Lubulwa who participated in 3 Olympic tournaments) who opine that Mugabi was robbed of the Olympic gold medal. Into the professional ranks, Mugabi's ferocity, strength, and speed in the ring would earn him the nickname, "the Beast,"--one that Mugabi has voiced as unflattering, but which the world became stuck on referring to him.
It was in the Parish of the Sacred Heart in Nogales in Arizona that Mugabi while training for what would become his most epic battle, that with world middleweight champion "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler on 10th March 1986, that Mugabi would acquire the name Paul after baptism into Catholicism (Clive Gammon, "This Beast Is a Beauty," in 'Sports Illustrated'; March 03, 1986).
Semi-arid Nogales 'City of Walnut Trees', stringing along the Mexican border, is Arizona's biggest border town. Tiny Rio Rico is ten miles north of Nogales, and it is here at the Sheraton Hotel that a Mugabi training camp was set up in preparation for the Hagler encounter. Mugabi's trainer, instrumental to his getting baptized, was the same Father Anthony Clark---the parish priest.
Back in 1976, 16 year-old Mugabi won a welterweight silver medal after losing to American Herol Graham in the Junior Amateur World Boxing Championships. Interestingly, only weeks before Mugabi's battle with Hagler, Graham dethroned Ugandan Ayub Kalule of the European middleweight title after knocking him out in the tenth round. This fight would spell the end of Kalule's illustrious boxing career. Many have wondered what would have been the outcome of a bout between Kalule and Mugabi. There is a 6-year age difference, and Kalule had been an idol and mentor of young Mugabi years back in Kampala.
The Olympic Games of 1976, held in Montreal were boycotted by many nations, including Uganda. Ayub Kalule had been scheduled to fight for Uganda. He became a professional boxer. And so did team-mate Cornelius Bbosa who was later to become widely known as Cornelius Bosa (Boza) Edwards, and become a world junior-lightweight champion.
The major highlight of the Games in Montreal were the finals of the welterweight boxing division, the date 31st July 1976. Young American "Sugar" Ray Leonard, who planned to stop boxing and continue with school at the University of Maryland was pitted against a stronger and taller Cuban with a stellar knock-out record. This Andres Aldama who had knocked out all five of his previous opponents, was expected to win. But Leonard, similar to Muhammad Ali in his earlier career adopted a "hit-and-run" strategy, and elusively frustrated and angered the Cuban. As the Cuban charged, Leonard would throw in a rapid combination of solid and accurate punches and then retreat. It was like a David-Goliath slaughtering, that even involved the Cuban getting knocked down, and also taking two mandatory counts.
The Moscow Olympic finals of the welterweight division in boxing, 2nd August 1980, involved a second coming of the experienced dreaded Andres Aldama. Among his recent accolades was a gold medal win at the Pan African Games held in Puerto Rico in the previous year. Aldama's opponent John Mugabi at 20, was 4 years younger, far less experienced, and far less tested and known than himself. Each of the two boxers had knocked out four out of five of their previous Olympic boxing opponents. John Mugabi was Uganda's remaining prospect for gold.
In the first round Mugabi proved to be the more active one. He threw many jabs, but the tall southpaw Aldama kept most of them at bay, most were not hitting their target. Aldama seemed to be studying his opponent, sizing him up. The judges probably gave this round to Mugabi, just for the effort.
The second round saw Aldama come off his stool fighting hard and determined. He gained confidence as the round progressed, unleashing hard head-shots on Mugabi several times. Toward the end of the round, he caused Mugabi to briefly stumble. But Mugabi courageously counter-attacked, obviously without intention to cave in. And just like most capable southpaws, Aldama would sporadically confuse Mugabi by his switching to the orthodox boxing stance.
The third round was a war. Mugabi was landing blows to the head in the brawl, but Aldama's delivery was noticeably more significant. Aldama was also more accurate. Mugabi was tiring in the face of experience and stiff solid punches, and he briefly staggered from a hard punch. He did not yield to a knockdown, but a hypothetical fourth round would likely have resulted in Mugabi getting knocked out. Mugabi always had the strength and heart, but ineffectiveness at defending himself was his major career weakness.
The referee declared the fight a deserved 4-1 in favor of Aldama. The entirety of the fight is available on U-Tube. Thirty years later, legendary John Mugabi remains the last Ugandan to win an Olympic boxing medal.
Jonathan Musere
It was in the Parish of the Sacred Heart in Nogales in Arizona that Mugabi while training for what would become his most epic battle, that with world middleweight champion "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler on 10th March 1986, that Mugabi would acquire the name Paul after baptism into Catholicism (Clive Gammon, "This Beast Is a Beauty," in 'Sports Illustrated'; March 03, 1986).
Semi-arid Nogales 'City of Walnut Trees', stringing along the Mexican border, is Arizona's biggest border town. Tiny Rio Rico is ten miles north of Nogales, and it is here at the Sheraton Hotel that a Mugabi training camp was set up in preparation for the Hagler encounter. Mugabi's trainer, instrumental to his getting baptized, was the same Father Anthony Clark---the parish priest.
Back in 1976, 16 year-old Mugabi won a welterweight silver medal after losing to American Herol Graham in the Junior Amateur World Boxing Championships. Interestingly, only weeks before Mugabi's battle with Hagler, Graham dethroned Ugandan Ayub Kalule of the European middleweight title after knocking him out in the tenth round. This fight would spell the end of Kalule's illustrious boxing career. Many have wondered what would have been the outcome of a bout between Kalule and Mugabi. There is a 6-year age difference, and Kalule had been an idol and mentor of young Mugabi years back in Kampala.
The Olympic Games of 1976, held in Montreal were boycotted by many nations, including Uganda. Ayub Kalule had been scheduled to fight for Uganda. He became a professional boxer. And so did team-mate Cornelius Bbosa who was later to become widely known as Cornelius Bosa (Boza) Edwards, and become a world junior-lightweight champion.
The major highlight of the Games in Montreal were the finals of the welterweight boxing division, the date 31st July 1976. Young American "Sugar" Ray Leonard, who planned to stop boxing and continue with school at the University of Maryland was pitted against a stronger and taller Cuban with a stellar knock-out record. This Andres Aldama who had knocked out all five of his previous opponents, was expected to win. But Leonard, similar to Muhammad Ali in his earlier career adopted a "hit-and-run" strategy, and elusively frustrated and angered the Cuban. As the Cuban charged, Leonard would throw in a rapid combination of solid and accurate punches and then retreat. It was like a David-Goliath slaughtering, that even involved the Cuban getting knocked down, and also taking two mandatory counts.
The Moscow Olympic finals of the welterweight division in boxing, 2nd August 1980, involved a second coming of the experienced dreaded Andres Aldama. Among his recent accolades was a gold medal win at the Pan African Games held in Puerto Rico in the previous year. Aldama's opponent John Mugabi at 20, was 4 years younger, far less experienced, and far less tested and known than himself. Each of the two boxers had knocked out four out of five of their previous Olympic boxing opponents. John Mugabi was Uganda's remaining prospect for gold.
In the first round Mugabi proved to be the more active one. He threw many jabs, but the tall southpaw Aldama kept most of them at bay, most were not hitting their target. Aldama seemed to be studying his opponent, sizing him up. The judges probably gave this round to Mugabi, just for the effort.
The second round saw Aldama come off his stool fighting hard and determined. He gained confidence as the round progressed, unleashing hard head-shots on Mugabi several times. Toward the end of the round, he caused Mugabi to briefly stumble. But Mugabi courageously counter-attacked, obviously without intention to cave in. And just like most capable southpaws, Aldama would sporadically confuse Mugabi by his switching to the orthodox boxing stance.
The third round was a war. Mugabi was landing blows to the head in the brawl, but Aldama's delivery was noticeably more significant. Aldama was also more accurate. Mugabi was tiring in the face of experience and stiff solid punches, and he briefly staggered from a hard punch. He did not yield to a knockdown, but a hypothetical fourth round would likely have resulted in Mugabi getting knocked out. Mugabi always had the strength and heart, but ineffectiveness at defending himself was his major career weakness.
The referee declared the fight a deserved 4-1 in favor of Aldama. The entirety of the fight is available on U-Tube. Thirty years later, legendary John Mugabi remains the last Ugandan to win an Olympic boxing medal.
Jonathan Musere
Monday, July 26, 2010
John Akii-Bua and Uganda's Olympic Gold Medal Win
John Akii-Bua broke the 400 meters-hurdles world record on September 2, 1972 at the Olympic Games held in Munich in West Germany, in the finals crossing the tape in 47.82 seconds. This was astounding because he was running in the "tight" inside first lane that obligates runners to move slower in smaller strides than runners in the rest of the lanes whose circumferences are progressively less angular and sharper, therefore easier to traverse. The 400mh is considered to be the most trying track event: it involves combining skill, timing, strength, and stamina. Because during that and preceding eras native African hurdlers were not expected to perform so astonishingly well, many are still (erroneously) transfixed into thinking that Akii-Bua was the first African Olympic gold medalist. Akii-Bua is Uganda's greatest athlete. Given Akii-Bua's African background and superb performance, plus his celebratory antics right after his win, John Akii-Bua became the 1972 Olympics' highlight. Akii's showboating included his continuing to run and hurdle for 30 meters past the finish-line, his glowingly smiling and waving to admirers in the audience while jumping over imaginary hurdles, his receiving a Uganda flag from a spectator and waving it as he became the inventor of the now legendary "victory lap." Akii-Bua's performances have continuously inspired many hurdlers of African descent to greatness, and they include Edwin Moses, Samuel Matete, and Amadou Dia Ba.
Zambian 400 meters-hurdles legend Samuel Matete was born on July 27, 1968 in Chingola in Zambia. Samuel Matete is notably one of the world's foremost 400 meters hurdlers of all time. For young Matete, legendary Uganda hurdler John Akii-Bua was his foremost sports idol. Matete still holds the African record of 47.10 seconds in the 400mh event, one he set in the German city of Zurich on August 7, 1991. At this Weltklasse Zurich (World Class Zurich), an annual athletics meeting in Switzerland which is part of the IAAF Golden League, and is sometimes referred to as the One-Day Olympics, Matete undeniably made his most memorable athletics mark. In his home country, Matete originally trained under rudimentary conditions, including setting up handcrafted wooden hurdles. Only three other people, all from the USA, have officially ever ran faster personal bests than Samuel Matete. These are: Bryan Bronson in 47.03 seconds (set in New Orleans in Louisiana on June 21, 1998), Edwin Moses in 47.02 seconds (set in Koblenz in Germany on August 31, 1983), and Kevin Young in an astounding world record and so far the only official time below 47 seconds, of 46.78 seconds (on August 6, 1992 in Barcelona, at the Olympic Games, in the finals).
The only other Africa runners with faster personal bests than Akii-Bua are El Hadj Amadou Dia Ba of Senegal. He ran the intermediate hurdles in 47.23 seconds at the Olympics of 1988 that were held in Seoul in South Korea. Here, aged 29, Dia Ba was in the finals beaten to second place by 29 year-old American Andre Phillips (47.19s, an Olympic record), and aging 33 year-old world record holder Edwin Corley Moses settled for the bronze in a time of 47.56 seconds. The performance in this Olympic final was astounding: Andre Phillips established an Olympic record and Edwin Moses (despite his bronze medal placing) had ran faster than he had at two previous Olympics at which he had won gold! Courtesy of Dia Ba, this final evidenced the breaking of Akii-Bua's intermediate hurdles' African record. In addition to Samuel Matete, the only other Africa runner with a personal-best timing faster than Akii-Bua's is Llewellyn George Herbert of South Africa with a timing of 47.81s in a third place bronze-medal finish in the Finals at the Olympics of 2000 that were held in Sydney.
In 1964 John Akii-Bua, a 15 year-old with an elementary academic education, left school. For the next two years Akii settled on helping shepherd his big family's 120-herd of cattle. Akii had long learned how to milk and how to employ the cattle to plow. Akii tells Kenny Moore in implying that as a youth he grew up to be a tough and athletic herdsboy: "I milked them [cattle], I plowed with them, everything. In 1956, when I was very young, lions took sheep and goats from our farm, even cattle. But none came when I tended them. I did have a close look at some very big pythons. And we have wild monkeys. They can tease you and throw things. They make you run away" (Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972).
Akii's devotion to family labor duties became even the more significant because his father--county Chief Bua, a prominent county administrator, died in 1965. Akii was only 16 years old then, and he estimated that at the time of his father's demise, he was one among forty-four siblings (16 sisters and 27 brothers). Akii's father had five wives, but had earlier on divorced three. The family, which dwelled in the same compound, was semi-nomadic in sociodemographic character, occasionally moving from county to county. Akii-Bua is listed as born on December 3, 1949 (to mother Imat Solome Bua) in Abako sub-county village in Moroto County in Lango District in Uganda. Among the other areas the family settled in and out of were Dokolo, Kwania, and Oyam. The common listing of Akii-Bua's birth seems to be fairly accurate, but some of his family implies that he was born earlier than 1949. In the Uganda newspaper "Observer," the article "John Akii-Bua is A Forgotten Hero" dated March 28 2010, Denis H.Obua implies that Akii-Bua was born three or four years earlier than 1949. Suffice it to say. not many decades ago, dates of birth of many African children were not recorded or remembered.
Soon after Akii's father died, one of Akii's older brothers picked himself to be a cashier in his bar. He was the cashier until he joined the police in 1966. Akii passed his basic police training in 1967. Before joining the Uganda police, Akii's only memory of athletic competition was domestic: his father would set up basic group-age sibling competitions over various distances for trophies of candy (sweets). Akii tells Kenny Moore, "I don't think I ever won. I had to beg sweets from my brothers" ("Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972).
Along with being introduced to active competition, Akii became inspired by Uganda athletes Ogwang, Etolu, and Opaka. Lawrence Ogwang (born in November 1932) is recognized as Uganda's first major competitive athlete; he represented Uganda at the Olympics of 1956 that were held in Melbourne in Australia and took 20th place in the triple jump (14.72m), and eliminated in the earlier rounds in the long jump after being 27th with a jump of 6.62m. Lawrence Ogwang is a relative of Akii-Bua and he is sometimes listed as his brother.
High-jumper Patrick Etolu, born in Soroti District on March 17, 1935 is notable for finishing second at the 1954 British Empire Commonwealth Games, fourth in the same event and Games in 1958, and ninth in the same event and Games in 1962. In the summer Olympic Games of 1956 held in Melbourne, Patrick Etolu emerged 12th with a jumping height of 1.96 meters. Tito Opaka was a high-hurdler.
Akii started running competitively when he joined the police. The window into his athletic potential was initially shaped by the police drill which routinely started at 5:30am with physical training and three miles of cross-country running. Akii's stretching flexibility was notable, the cause for his selection into high-hurdling. Uganda's Jerom (Jerome, Jorem?) Ochana, a superior policeman and Africa's 440 yard-hurdles record holder, was conveniently there to train Akii. One of the coaching ordeals involved Ochana placing a high-jump bar a couple of feet above the hurdle to shape Akii into learning to keep his head and body low. Akii recounts the ordeal to Kenny Moore: "Can you see this scar on my forehead? Ochana...made me listen. I used to bleed a lot in our exercises, knocking the hurdles with my knees and ankles, keeping my head down" ("Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972).
In the first week of November 1962, at a track meet in Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), a tune-up for the forthcoming British Empire Commonwealth Games to soon be held in Perth in Australia, Ochana secured the 440 yard-hurdles victory in 52.3 seconds. Ochana went on to win in the same event at the East and Central African Championships that were held in the city of Kisumu in Kenya. Ochana was in Tokyo in 1964 for the Olympics. In the third of five first round heats that allowed the three top finishers and next one fastest to advance to the semi-final round, 29 year-old Ochana was eliminated when he finished 4th in 52.4 seconds, on October 14th. In the end, Ochana achieved a 19th overall ranking.
John Akii-Bua, soon after winning in four police championship events in 1967, became significantly recognized and was thereafter placed under Briton Malcolm Arnold the new national coach. Akii still holds Uganda's decathlon record of 6933 points set in 1971 in Kampala. Starting from the mid-1970's, less and less attention, and fewer and fewer resources were allotted to the development of field events in Uganda. The presence of Ugandan decathlon athletes waned.
Akii won in the 110 meters-hurdles finals at the East and Central African Championships (an annual event originally primarily involving track and field stars from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia) held in Kampala in 1969. William (Bill) Koskei, a native of Kenya, originally competing for Uganda, won the 400 meters-hurdles gold in a time of 51.4 seconds. Koskei's athletics career will forever be associated with Akii-Bua's. With the influence of the coach Malcolm Arnold, Akii-Bua became convinced that he would reap more rewards as a 400 meters-hurdler. It was at these East and Central African Championships that both Akii-Bua and Koskei first displayed international competence.
In 1972, the same Championships held in the Tanzania capital Dar-es-Salaam, Koskei this time running for his native Kenya, again won in the 400 meters-hurdles in 50.7 seconds. By this time, Somalia and Ethiopia had enlisted their athletes in the Championships. In 1977, the same Championships held in Somalia capital Mogadishu, William Koskei now nearly 30 years of age, again won the gold in the 400m hurdles, after hitting the tape in 50.6 seconds. Koskei proved that he had maintained stability in his athletics career.
It is as a Uganda runner, that William Koskei is remembered for his most prestigious individual international stint: the silver medal he won in the 400m hurdles at the British Commonwealth Games held in Edinburgh in Scotland from 16th to 25th July 1970. Koskei won in the third heat of the first round, in a time of 51.37 seconds. Next came the semi-finals. Koskei comfortably won in 51.39 seconds, Kenya's Charles Kipkemboi Yego coming in second in this semi-final in 51.73 seconds. In the finals, John Sherwood of England won in 50.03 seconds, Koskei came in second in 50.15 seconds, Kenyan Charles Kipkemboi Yego came in third in 50.19 seconds. Akii-Bua struggled with a back strain and hernia injury, was trailing last at the final 100 meters, but still raced in fast to come in fourth in 51.14 seconds.
In 1970, Bill Koskei of Uganda became ranked 7th among men 400 meters hurdles runners in the All-Time World Rankings behind hurdlers from rank 1-7 respectively: Jean-Claude Nallet (France), Ralph Mann (USA), Wayne Collett (USA), Ari Salin (Finland), John Sherwood (Great Britain), and Charles Kipkemboi Yego (Kenya). The year 1970 would be the only one that Koskei would be ranked among the top ten in the world among the All-Time World Rankings. However, "Track and Field News" ranked Kenya's Koskei as 10th in the world in 1973, and 9th in 1974. Akii-Bua was not in the top-10 All-Time World Rankings of 1970. But in just the following year, he became ranked third behind Ralph Mann and Jean-Claude Nallet. In 1972 and 1973, his leading world performances placed Akii comfortably at no.1. Akii was less active and prominent in 1974 whereby he became ranked no.8. But Akii resurged to no. 2 in 1975, behind Alan Pascoe of Great Britain and ahead of Jim Bolding (USA) and Ralph Mann.
The year 1976, an Olympic year saw many countries, including Uganda, boycott the Olympics. The showdown between Edwin Moses (who would break Akii-Bua's World record) and Akii had been excitingly looked forward to. But it did not happen! American Edwin Moses, a college student and recent convert to the hurdles skyrocketed to the no.1 rank, followed by Mike Shine and Jim Bolding (both of the USA), Alan Pascoe, followed by Akii ranked no.5.
At a track meet held in Dusseldorf in West Germany, in June 1976, Akii won in the 400 meters-flat, in a personal best time of 45.82 seconds, beating upcoming Olympic relay bronze-medalist German Franz-Peter Hofmeister (46.39s) into second place, and European record-holder and Olympic finalist Karl Honz (West Germany) fading into third place. Only a couple of months before Montreal 1976, this was Akii's most profound pre-Olympic display of evidence that he was very much in contention for another Olympic medal. This would be the year that Akii-Bua would last be on the top-10 All-Time World Rankings.
In 1972 the performance of Commonwealth Games' silver medalist William Koskei (who had formerly ran for Uganda), at the summer Olympics held in Munich in West Germany from August 26, 1972 to September 11, 1972, was very much looked forward to. Although not ranked among the World's top ten 400 meters-hurdlers in 1971 or even 1972, Koskei was still regarded as an Olympic medal hope. Koskei, together with Akii-Bua of Uganda reigned as Africa's top hurdlers. The August 28, 1972 issue of "Sports Illustrated" predictably listed that American Ralph Mann would win Olympic gold, that Bill Koskei would come in second, and that John Akii-Bua of Uganda would win the bronze medal and that the three were the premier medal prospects.
At the Olympic Games in 1972, William Koskei, though running in the favorable lane 4, was disappointingly eliminated in the first round. His fourth place finish in Heat 2, in a time of 50.58 seconds would not carry him onto the next round. It was virtually Koskei's last chance at the Olympics, given that the next two Olympics, held in Montreal (1976) and Moscow (1980) would be boycotted by Kenya and many other nations. It was in 1972 that Koskei was at his peak, the year he ran a personal best of 49 seconds. At the Olympics in 1972, Uganda's John Akii-Bua would win in a world record of 47.82 seconds, becoming the first man ever to officially run the 400m hurdles in less than 48 seconds. Ralph Mann won silver by several yards away, and former Olympic champion David Hemery of Great Britain racing in a very close third. Even after 40 years, Uganda seems to indefinitely celebrate Akii-Bua's Olympic medal triumph, the only Olympic gold that the country has ever garnered. President Idi Amin, Uganda's dictator from 1971 to 1979, would soon reward policeman Akii by promoting him to Assistant Inspector of Police (Police Lieutenant), giving him a house (from the many dispossessed from east Asians expelled from or who had fled Uganda), naming a prominent lengthy road in Kampala (Stanley Road--that had been named after American explorer Henry Morton Stanley) "Akii-Bua Road." Since then, many sports establishments have ben named in Akii's name.
It is intriguing to more thoroughly follow both the road to Akii's greatest sports triumphs and the thereafter.
Akii-Bua fascinated his international competition by his unique hurdling and training methods. In the Los Angeles article "Akii-Bua Has Method for Hurdles" in "The Spokesman Review" (June 18, 1972 on page 29): "John Akii-Bua approaches the intermediate hurdles race with abandon and for that reason he's being picked by many as the next Olympic champion in the 400 meter event." Akii was known to run unconventionally, not confined to the conventional method of planning to interchange 13 to 15 strides between each hurdle. For example, Ralph Mann, the American champion, had an established plan of running 13 strides between the first five hurdles, change gears to 14 strides over the next two, and then switch to 15 steps over the next three hurdles. In the "Spokesman Review" piece, Akii-Bua is quoted as saying:
"I like to run 14 steps between the hurdles but when I run and get to the hurdle in 13 steps, I say 'okay' and I jump it. ...I just run hard between the hurdles and go over them when I get there. ...[at the forthcoming Olympics] I will try to run 13 steps between the hurdles but I will still jump them when they come up to me."
Some years later, legendary American Edwin Moses, the greatest intermediate hurdler of all time would fascinate the world with his long flowing strides that would allow him to stride 13 steps in between all the hurdles. Akii was also touted for being advantaged with his ambidextrous ability to hurdle easily with either his right or left leg.
Previously, at the U.S.-Russian-World All-Star track meet held in July of 1971 in Berkeley at the University of California Edwards Stadium, Akii-Bua won in the intermediate hurdles in an impressive 50.1 seconds, on July 3. Ralph Mann was not among the competitors. Jim Seymour (USA), now at the University of Washington and a would-be USA hurdler in the 1972 forthcoming Olympics, came in second in 50.5 seconds. In July 1971 in Durham in North Carolina, Akii-Bua had won in the 400 meters-hurdles at the Africa vs. USA meet. Akii-Bua proved he was not a fluke by clearly beating African rival Koskei, alongside the rest of the contingent of Africans and Americans, and winning in an impressive personal best of 49.05 seconds. American and number one ranked champion Ralph Mann did not show up. He was competing in Europe.
In July 1972, closer to the Olympics, Akii-Bua won the event at the Compton Invitational in Los Angeles in a good time of 49.6 seconds. After the time was announced, Akii-Bua remarked in astonishment that the time was too fast, given that he had hardly done any hurdling training in the past three months. He had not wanted to run that fast that early in the season and make himself vulnerable to injury and burnout. It is to be taken into consideration that prior to 1980, men's 400 meters-hurdles timings below 50 seconds were considered very good or excellent. And at this time, Akii's official best time was 49 seconds. A few months before the Olympics, Akii felt that his 169 pounds on a 6'2" frame was too light and he wished to build up strength and weight to 180 pounds in time for the Olympics.
Sports enthusiasts in Uganda were generally of the opinion that though Akii-Bua was capable of winning an Olympic medal, he did not train hard enough and was not dedicated and focused enough. He often came across as carefree. Some of his times, especially at home were not satisfactory. He was also beaten into second place by European hurdlers, such as Greek Cypriot Stavros Tziortzis and Soviet Union's Yevgeny Gavrilenko, in a couple of occasions in European meets. There was during that era also the prevailing universal attitude that hurdling was too technical and scientific an event for black Africans, this worsened by Africans' mediocre training facilities.
Further, despite Akii-Bua's impressive performances, he had ascended to international recognition rather quickly. He started running the intermediate hurdles late in 1969. His fourth place finishing in the 400 meters-hurdles finals at the Commonwealth Games in 1970, was followed by his establishment of an African record, including wins in several international meets in the United States and Europe in 1971 and early 1972. In a way, Akii-Bua was still relatively unknown on the world athletics scene. Though not by his choice, he had not competed against some of the premier world intermediate hurdlers such as Ralph Mann and David Hemery. In sum, Akii was not regarded by many as a major medal prospect at the forthcoming Olympics that would take place in Germany in 1972. And even if he did eventually win, this would likely be considered a fluke!
Contradicting the prevailing opinion on Akii-Bua prior to the Olympics was the revelation that in fact Akii-Bua had eyed the Olympic gold medal and breaking the 400m hurdles world record quite seriously! He aimed to win in a big way! It turns out that Akii's regimen of training included a lot of cross-country and hill running in Uganda rainy conditions because a dry track was not always readily available to him. His hurdling training was grueling, involving him strapping a jacket weighted with 25-35 pounds of lead to his back and running the hurdles (heightened to 42 inches high as compared to the conventional 36 inches) for 1500 meters at least six times a week. This is mentioned by legendary Jesse Owens in the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" of September 4, 1972 in the article: "Akii-Bua's Win Impressive." The 400mh world record, held by David Hemery, was 48.1 seconds. Akii had never officially ran the intermediate hurdles distance in less than 49 seconds. Yet, weeks prior to the Olympics, he was very confident of running the distance in 47 seconds if the weather would be ideal ("John Akii-Bua, an Athlete Who's Just too Good to Lose" by Doug Gilbert in "The Montreal Gazette-May 18, 1977).
It was at the end of August of 1972 that the Olympics 1972 400mh round one heats (five sets) were held. The rule was for the first leading three athlete in each heat (altogether 15 athletes), together with the next one fastest athlete to make it the 16 semi-finalists. Feelings about Akii-Bua's performance were mixed, some skeptical. Akii won in heat 4, but his winning time of 50.35 seconds was the slowest winning time among the five heats. Akii-Bua probably simply relaxed himself during the run, being confident that he was through to the semi-finals. Winners in the other heats were Dieter Buttner (West Germany) in Heat One in 49.78 seconds; Dave Hemery (Great Britain) in Heat Two in 49.72 seconds; Christian Rudolph (East Germany) in Heat Three in 50 seconds; and Yevgeny Gavrilenko (Soviet Union) in Heat Five in 49.73 seconds.
In the first of two semi-finals, Akii-Bua not only ran significantly faster than he had done in the first round but proved that he was a top contender for the gold medal. Media communications in Uganda and the rest of the world were far less developed in the 1970's than those of this Internet and mobile phone age. Most Ugandans, relying on radio and piecemeal newspaper and television networks were in the dark about the impressive progress of Akii. Importantly, Semi-Final Round One witnessed Akii-Bua win in 49.25 seconds (his next best personal performance in comparison with his African record of 49.00 seconds), and decisively trouncing gold-medal hopes Ralph Mann (49.53 seconds) the American national champion and record holder and Dave Hemery (49.66 seconds) the Olympic champion and world-record holder. It was the first time that Akii had faced this quality of competition; until then he had not achieved the chance to race with those two big names that would likely be his biggest nemeses at the Olympics. Was Semi-Finals Heat One a preview of what the finals would be? Both Ralph Mann and Akii-Bua had in this semi-final been assigned to unfavorable Lanes One and Two respectively; while Hemery was assigned to advantageous Lane 5 (which same lane he was assigned to in all three rounds--the Heats, the Semi-Final, and the Final)!
It is significant that while Akii's heat in Round One had been the slowest among the five, Akii had not only clocked the best time in the semi-finals, but had also been the only one that had won in both qualifying heats. The fourth placed in this semi-final was Rainer Schubert of West Germany (49.80 seconds). The first four in each semi-final heat would advance to the final. Competitors in Semi-Finals Heat Two were quite fast, but not as impressive as the first one. Two First-Round winners, Christian Rudolph and Dieter Buttner, did not finish. The winners, to advance to the finals, were Jim Seymour (USA, 49.33 seconds), Gavrilenko (Soviet Union, 49.34 seconds), Yury Zorin (Soviet Union, 49.60 seconds), and Tziortzis (Greece, 50.06 seconds).
The finals of the Olympic intermediate hurdles were set for September 2, 1972 a date only days before what would become known as the Munich Massacre executed on the Israeli team by "Black September" militants on September 5, 1972. Akii-Bua, a 6' 2", 175 pound, athletically built, dark and smooth complexioned youth sporting a bright red Uganda uniform with the inscription number "911" beamed and singularly stood out amongst his European-descended competition. Also, whether by design or shear bad luck of drawing, Akii was in all three rounds assigned to either inner-Lanes One or Two---the sharpest and most difficult lanes to navigate around. For the finals (after being assigned Lane Two in both the preliminary round and the semi-finals), Akii was assigned Lane One, of all lanes! Maybe his previous inner-lane assignments gave Akii the short-term experience and practice of knowing how to navigate through to a gold medal win, albeit being placed in unfavorable Lane One. Nowadays, it is customary to allow the winners in the preliminary rounds to decide to which lanes they will be assigned in the forthcoming rounds. Logically, the winners in each round choose the middle lanes, while the runners-up and ones who ran slower end up having to chose from the "disadvantageous" outermost and inner lanes!
The prelude to the 400mh finals is one of the most colorful in Olympic history, as fourth-positioned USA marathoning finalist at the same Olympics Kenny Moore (in "Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972) reminds us: "...Akii-Bua was amazing. As...other finalists in the...hurdles stared blankly...at Munich's dried-blood-red track, grimly adjusting their blocks and minds for the coming ordeal, Akii danced in his lane, waving and grinning at friends in the crowd."
Nevertheless, Akii-Bua was not totally unnerved. He was sleepless, the night before the finals, "...haunted by visions of Hemery winning" (David Corn in "Notes on a Scandal: John Akii-Bua and his Journey from Munich Gold to tragedy" in "The Guardian," August 6, 2008).
The day arrived! The finals witnessed Hemery, a perfectionist at timing and jumping the hurdles take the lead at a faster pace in the first 200 meters than had been the case when he won gold in world-record time in the previous Olympics held in Mexico City. Most of the cameras were concentrated on Hemery. But long-legged Akii was steadily catching up and overtaking the competition that he could clearly see in front of him. It became apparent that Akii was in the lead soon after the final turn and that Hemery was slowing down. Hemery looked helplessly to his left as Akii, three lanes down powered through. Akii still felt strong and, the finishing line was close, and Akii was confident that the gold would be his! Even after hitting the last hurdle, Akii closed onto the finishing line in what was then regarded as an astonishing new world record 47.82 seconds!
Not until American Angelo Taylor, 24 years later in the Olympics of 1996 held in Atlanta (Georgia) would a 400 meter-hurdler running in the innermost lane win gold. While Taylor won in 47.50 seconds, a displacement of Akii's world best of 47.82s gold medal win in the inner lane, his photofinish race required many minutes to pass before the ultimate winner between he and Saudi Arabian Hadj Soua'an Al-Somaily (47.53s) in lane 4 was decided. This happened on 27th September, 2000.
"Akii-Bua fascinated the fans by show-boating after his victory. He leaped over imaginary hurdles, went into dances, and waved and grinned at admirers" (William Grimsley-"In Pole Vaulting, Rowing U.S. Handed Big Olympics Setback" Tuscaloosa News, September 3, 1972). Akii-Bua's victory, let alone attendance at the Olympics in Munchen may not have happened. Many African nations, had threatened to massively walk out of the games in protest of the admission of white-ruled Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Rhodesia became disqualified.
The outcome of the finals is further dramatically illustrated by Kenny Moore ("Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972):
"...after he had won the race in world-record time...kept on going past the finish, barely slowing while his victims slumped and dry-heaved.... The organizing committee had not allowed time for victory laps but the crowd was on its feet, calling, and Akii heard. ...bounding over a hurdle and then he floated down the backstretch, clearing each hurdle again, a crimson and black impala leaping joyfully over imaginary barriers where there were no real ones, creating one of the few moments of exultation in the Olympics. And after the Games had ended, on notes of violence and regret and disgust, it seemed that Akii-Bua most symbolized what they might have been. He seemed a man eminently worth knowing."
Sam Wollaston in another "Guardian" article (August 11, 2008) "The Weekend's TV," writes that Akii "...on the night before his Olympic victory...drank a whole bottle of champagne, provided by his [British] coach [Malcolm Arnold]. To help him sleep."
Malcolm Arnold, a secondary school teacher and part-time athletics coach left Bristol for Uganda in 1968 where he would head coach the Uganda track-and-field team for five years. After Akii's successes, Arnold became a national coach in the United Kingdom and is credited with successes of such athletes as hurdler Colin Jackson. Partly because Akii's background of deprivation and meager training facilities, Arnold now in his 70's still considers Akii as his foremost trainee. Just before the race, Arnold had advised Akii to concentrate on running his race and going for the gold instead of worrying about the pace of the other competitors and the pace of first 200 meters.
Kenny Moore (in "Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972), from an exchange while riding leisurely with Akii in Kampala the Uganda capital, describes him neatly:
"...he gave an impression of greater bulk than when seen running. His features are fine, almost delicate, and his complexion very smooth. His eyes are small, allowing his face to be dominated by perfect white teeth."
The second All-Africa Games were held in January 7-18, 1973 in the Nigeria capital city of Lagos. Bill Koskei made it to the finals of the men's 400m hurdles. Also in the final line-up was recently crowned Olympic gold medalist and world record holder and nemesis of Koskei, John Akii-Bua of Uganda who was expected to win. Akii-Bua won easily, but what is astonishing is that Akii-Bua won in a very fast time of 48.54s--at that time among the fastest time ever run in the hurdles' race, and the second best time during that year and best time ever on African soil. Koskei grabbed the silver, running nearly a full two seconds (50.22s) behind Akii-Bua, and a photo-finish ahead of bronze medalist Silver Ayoo (50.25s) of Uganda. Akii-Bua would soon remark that although he was comfortably far ahead of the pack, as he approached the final bend of the race, a glimpse of the conspicuously military-adorned and revered Nigerian president General Yakubu Dan-Yumma Gowon high in the stands and watching and cheering, boosted him on to speed up.
Interestingly, later on July 25 1975, a coup d'etat lead by Brigadier Murtala Ramat Mohammed overthrew General Gowon as he attended an Organization of African Unity (OAU) summit being held in Kampala. Corruption, financial laxness and mismanagement, and the postponement of national elections were among the accusations leveled upon the Gowon regime.
During 1973, Akii maintained his position of world's leading intermediate hurdler on the globe. His leading time was 48.49 seconds. Second in ranking in 1973 was American Jim Bolding (48.8s) who had been a student and outstanding All-American star at Oklahoma State University (1969-1972) and would turn out to be Akii's main American competitor. Ralph Mann's best time in 1973 (49.3 seconds) moved him down to third ranking in the world. William Koskei, with a time of 49.34s moved down to 7th ranked and this compared to the previous year when Koskei was ranked 6th.
The Akii-Bolding rivalry included Akii beating Bolding in a track meet held in the third week of June 1973; Bolding beating Akii at the end of June 1973 whereby he won in a photo-finish at an international meet in Sweden in a relatively mediocre time of 50 seconds; Akii losing to Bolding (49.0 seconds) at the end of July 1975; and Akii beating Bolding during the middle of August 1975.
Earlier on in early July 1975, Jim Bolding became ranked first in the world (48.55s, during a track meet in Paris). During the same year Alan Pascoe of Great Britain attained 48.59 seconds and achieved the number-two ranking. Akii's best time of 48.67 seconds during this year shifted him down to third-ranked in the world.
Interestingly, probably because of inadequate training and/or participation, possibly injury, Akii was not ranked among the world's top-10 during 1974. This year, the Commonwealth Games held in Christchurch in New Zealand would have been Akii's best chance at a Commonwealth Games gold medal. However, at a track meet in the first week of July 1974, Jim Bolding set an American record of 48.10s and beat Akii into third place. Just as he would be in the following year, Jim Bolding became ranked number one in the world. In retrospect, as an injured newcomer to the intermediate hurdles Akii-Bua had finished fourth at the finals behind (respectively) John Sherwood (England), William Koskei (Uganda), and Charles Kipkemboi Yego (Kenya) at the British Commonwealth Games that were held in Edinburgh in Scotland in 1970.
In late June 1975, at an international track meet in Helsinki in Finland, Jim Bolding after powerfully leading during the first 300 meters, was comfortably beaten by Akii-Bua. However, the top winner, at these "World Games," held in Helsinki was Alan Pascoe of Great Britain.
At a track meet held in Stuttgart in Germany in late 1975, Akii won by far in an impressive time of 48.72 seconds, Jim Bolding was second in about a second away in 49.60 seconds.
Akii-Bua in early June 1976 became the main highlight star at a German international meet held in Dusseldorf when he won in both the 400-flat and the 400mh. The competition was overwhelmingly of German nationals, but it was importantly regarded as an Olympics-1976 Games' qualifier. Akii-Bua's 400mh win in 48.58 seconds was his personal best for the year. An excellent time, it would still lag behind into 5th best for the year behind the recordings for Edwin Moses (USA), Quentin Wheeler and Tom Andrews (USA, 48.55s), and Jim Bolding (USA, 48.57s). The more frequent sub-49-second runs spelled more competition in the intermediate hurdles!
Akii-Bua's win in the 400 meters-flat final at the Dusseldorf meet was in a personal best time of 45.82 seconds. Akii beat upcoming Olympic relay bronze-medalist German Franz-Peter Hofmeister (46.39s) into second place, and European record-holder and Olympic finalist Karl Honz (West Germany) fading into third place. Only a couple of months before Montreal 1976, this was Akii's most profound pre-Olympic display of evidence that he was very much in contention for another Olympic medal. Akii had trained in the city Dortmund in preparation for the Olympic Games.
In the third week of June 1976, Akii-Bua tore a thigh (left hamstring) muscle that could have reduced his chances of a medal at the 1976 Olympics at Montreal. Additionally and unfortunately, medal hopes Jim Bolding and Ralph Mann failed to secure one of the three berths on the USA team for the Olympics. They were beaten into 4th and 6th place, respectively. Worse still for Akii-Bua, Uganda boycotted the Olympics held in Montreal. American Olympic qualifiers at the USA trials were 20 year-old Edwin Moses (48.30 seconds) a physics-industrial engineering student at renowned Morehouse College in Atlanta (Georgia), 21 year-old Quentin David Wheeler (San Diego State University), and 22 year-old Mike Shine of Pennsylvania State University.
At the Olympic Games, unheralded Mike Shine surprisingly won a silver medal doing it lane 1..the same disadvantageous lane placing that Akii-Bua contended with in the previous Olympics! His personal best time of 48.69s placed him 6th in the world in 1976. It was the first and last time that Mike Shine would shine in this top ten list. Quentin Wheeler managed a 4th place finish behind Soviet Yevgeny Gavrilenko who was a finalist at the previous Olympics. The winner Edwin Moses, running in lane 4, had gradually switched from competing in the 110 meter-hurdles and the 400m-flat over just the previous six months of 1976. He won, on 25 July 1976, in a new world record of 47.63s! The Olympics had been Moses' first international meet! Akii-Bua's world record was gone!
Edwin Moses remains the greatest hurdler of all time. His accolades (apart from his numerous sports awards and designations) include remaining unbeaten at the intermediate hurdles for nearly 10 years, setting his own world record four times (his best time being 47.03s in 1983), consecutively winning 122 races (including 107 consecutive finals), winning 2 Olympic gold medals, and being active in international competition for more than 15 years and into his mid-thirties! Unfortunately, Moses was never to race with Akii-Bua. The clash between the two at the 1976 Olympics had been eagerly anticipated, but it was never to happen!
Akii-Bua was hardly active competitively in 1977. Governmental devotion of financial resources to supporting sports had dwindled in the Uganda military regime of Idi Amin that progressively devoted more resources to arms and ammunition and struggled with its image and potential liberators abroad. Rumors about the condition of Akii-Bua were rife. In a Nairobi article of 3rd March 1977 in 'The Age' entitled 'Akii-Bua Prison Claim 'Rubbish,'" Mrs. Joyce Akii-Bua flatly denies that her husband was arrested in Kampala, refuting the Kenyan "Daily Nation" that Akii had been locked up in Makindye Maximum Security Prison; she tells reporters: "These reports are complete rubbish. I don't know where they come from. My husband is fine and there is nothing to worry about."
The world, during these volatile years in Uganda, only saw a glimpse of Akii-Bua. At the All-Africa Games held in Algiers in Algeria, from 13th-28th July in 1978, Akii was beaten in the 400mh finals by Kenya's Daniel Kimaiyo (49.48s), Akii ran in second (49.55s), and Peter Rwamuhanda (50.18s) of Uganda won the bronze medal. All three medallists, in the same event at the previous Africa Games Lagos 1973), had also been from the east African countries Kenya and Uganda (including Akii with his gold medal win)! These personals-best for Kimaiyo and Akii-Bua placed them as 7th and 10th in the world respectively. That top-10 ranking would be the first and last for Kimaiyo and the last for Akii-Bua. Soon after, at the British Empire Commonwealth Games held in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada) from August 3-12, 1978, Daniel Kimaiyo not only won the 400mh gold (in 49.48s), but also co-anchored with Bill Koskei, Washington Njiri, and Joel Ngetich to win the 4 x 400 meters relay gold. Kimaiyo notably also won the 400mh East and Central African Championships title, the following year 1979...the venue was Mombasa, Kenya. These Championships were not held in 1978.
In 1979, armed liberators that included a heavy contingent of Tanzania national forces alongside Ugandan rebels and liberators marched into Uganda and overthrew Amin after his 8-year reign. Scores of people were killed during the "Liberation war"--the process of the ouster of Amin by Tanzania armed forces and Ugandan exiles. In the 1970's Akii-Bua had sporadically been rumored to be in danger, mainly because he was of the same Lango ethnic group that Milton Obote who had been ousted in the 1971 coup d'etat engineered by General Amin's military loyalists. A bulk of Uganda exiles (many residing in Tanzania) as well as those persecuted in Uganda were Langi. But over the years Akii possibly partly confident of his universal prominence in Uganda, impressed by the several accolades bestowed on him by Idi Amin himself (including promotions in the national police force, and a major road in Kampala named after him), and preferring to stay put in Uganda with his immediate and extended family did not exhibit unusual fear for his safety.
If Akii's athletics career was negatively affected by the regime of Amin, it was no more negatively impacted than the careers of many other Ugandan athletes--mainly because of diminishing allocation of resources to sports and funding for international tournaments. Amin, given Akii's international status, would have had a lot lose in the eyes of the world if he harmed Akii; and he did have a lot to gain by courting and making Akii feel comfortable at home. Still, Akii-Bua was sometimes hindered from leaving Uganda, more so as the regime of Amin became progressively notorious on the world scene.
From 1970 to 1978, it is only in 1974 and 1977 that Akii-Bua is not listed as among the top-10 fastest 400mh runners in the world. The maintaining of longevity by an athlete, is a remarkable feat, more so in such heavily demanding races as the 400mh. Remaining a top world athlete involves maintaining health, strength and form; maintaining discipline; and minimizing injury. Akii still had some impressive sponsorship opportunities to train and run internationally, such as when he trained in Germany prior to the Olympics of both 1976 and 1980.
This is under 'People in Sports: Wire Service Reports' titled "Akii-Bua Safe?" in the "Eugene Register Guard" of 28th May 1979:
"..[Akii-Bua]...had not been heard from for almost a year. At one point there was speculation that he had been killed during Uganda's internal strife, but it has been learned that he was jailed last month in Nairobi, Kenya, along with 500 other Ugandan refugees and political prisoners who fled the now-deposed regime of Idi Amin. The bizarre events surrounding Akii-Bua's long periods of silence and seclusion in his terror-ridden country and his weeks of detention in Kenya still are vague and sometimes contradictory. ...The family is scheduled to be flown out of Kenya with the assistance of the West German Embassy and Puma, the German sports-shoe company. Last Wednesday, [wife] Joyce Akii-Bua phoned Joe Dittrich...the director...of Puma...that her husband had been set free...and had returned alone to Uganda to check on other members of his family."
Undoubtedly, Akii always put his family first, even far ahead of his athletics' endeavors and glory! Fleeing Uganda for Kenya, as Amin's power crumbled. He sent his pregnant wife plus their three children (8 year-old Tony, 5 year-old Tonia, 21 month-old Denise) ahead to a town near the Uganda-Kenya border. Akii driving his Peugeot at top speed fled Kampala with his nephew, and was briefly pursued by policemen; luckily, they did not shoot. The ordeal involved Joyce birthing a premature baby who died a day later. The parents did not even have the money to bury their child. Hundreds of Ugandan refugees, of which Akii was one, were rounded up in Kenya and detained in a camp. It was after being released a month later that Akii briefly returned to Kampala. His like many vacated homes, had been ransacked! It was from here that he moved close to Nuremberg where he would prepare for the forthcoming Olympics, and also be a promoter for Puma for three or 4 years. Much of this is recounted in Fred Hauptfuhrer's "Olympic Champ John Akii-Bua Won No Medals, Only a New Life, Racing to Escape Amin's Uganda," (10th December 1979) in "People" Magazine.
The 'Lawrence Journal-World' of 20th June 1979 in "Akii-Bua in Germany With Eye on Training," and the 'Schenectady Gazette' of 21 June 1979 in "Akii-Bua Mulling Olympic 'Offers'" reports Akii-Bua as having recently joined his wife and three children in the West Germany town Herzogenaurach near Nuremberg, and was mulling over offers to train for the forthcoming Olympics in Moscow. Akii's fleeing Uganda in face of the volatile turmoil surrounding the ouster of Amin coincided with his need to be in a stable situation so as to train for the Olympic Games. Further, Amin's soldiers had persecuted many from Akii's ethnic group (the Langi), and a sizeable chunk of exiles and liberators were Langi. Because Akii-Bua refused to flee Uganda and hang on as a national star despite the alleged ravishes of the Amin regime and the many opportunities that were open to Akii to flee Uganda and denounce the Amin regime, Akii was regarded by many of the Langi (including members of his own family) as a staunch supporter and stooge of the Amin regime. Hence, paradoxically, during the overthrow of Amin, Akii's life may have been in danger at the hands of his own people infuriated at his "running for Amin," over the years!
Akii-Bua's blood brother James Ocen-Bua who was in the Uganda Army was killed at the hands of Idi Amin forces (Denis H.Obua: "John Alii-Bua is a Forgotten Sports Hero" in "The Observer," 28th March 2010)
The summer Olympics of 1980 in Moscow began with the opening ceremony spearheaded by Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev on July 20 1980. They would run until August 3rd. Akii-Bua had trained in Germany a few months prior to the Olympics, and despite his relatively advanced age of 30 (he was one of a couple of 400mh competitors in the 30's), he was still determined to make it at least up to the finals. That many countries, including Germany, United States and Kenya boycotted the Games in protest of the Soviet military presence in Afghanistan reduced the competition and the validity of the Games. However, the absence of top world hurdlers such as Edwin Moses and Harald Schmid (West Germany)--the top two intermediate hurdles runners in 1980, bolstered Akii's chances at a commendable performance at the Games.
Just days before his participation in Moscow, a confident Akii soon after competing in a track meet in Stockholm in Sweden tells reporters, "I know I'll be in the finals. I am completely serious. ..Look at me. ..Do you see an extra pound place?..Seriously..I'm getting to be in real good shape. ...The question is only technique...[and] the atmosphere of competition..[and] the right concentration, the right frame of mind to win" ('Tuscaloosa News' - 20th July 1980: "Akii-Bua Hopes Attention is On Him This Time").
Akii was scheduled to run in the first heat (of three heats) of Round One on July 24th, in Lenin Stadium. He was placed in lane 4, a relatively favorable lane. The top four finishers of each heat, plus four with the next best times would move on to the semi-finals. Akii's performance was not encouraging. He was placed 5th overall in 50.87s, and faced the prospect of being eliminated. In Heat Two, two hurdlers did not finish. Heat Three determined that Akii, based on timing, would be one of the four additional runners to advance to the semi-finals that would be held the next day on July 25th. The top three finishers in each of the semi-final heats, in addition to two with the next best times would advance to the finals.
Akii was placed in heat two in the outermost, generally unfavorable lane 8. Akii-Bua finished in 51.10s--a time considerably slower than that of the preliminary heats. Akii, the only semi-finalist in his 30's, finished 7th. On July 26, the finals witnessed Volker Beck (running in lane 8) win gold in 48.70s, followed by Vasily Arkhipenko (Soviet Union) in lane 2 in 48.86 seconds, followed by Gary Oakes (Great Britain) in lane 1 finishing in 49.11 seconds. All three medallists were ranked among the world's top ten 400m hurdlers in 1980.
Akii's next task was the 4 x 400 meters-relay. Also on the Uganda string were Silver Ayoo, Charles Dramiga, and Pius Olowo. Just one round of three heats would determine the selection to the finals. The top two finishers of each round plus two relay teams with the next best times would move on to the finals. Uganda's performance was mediocre. On July 31st, Uganda's 5th place in heat two, in the time 3 min 7 seconds would not carry Uganda through to the finals. This spelt the end of Akii-Bua's illustrious competitive career in athletics. As a student at University of New Mexico, Charles Dramiga was ranked as one of the best quarter-milers in on the American college scene. Dramiga is a former American collegiate record holder of the 600 meters. As a chiropractor, Dr. Charles Ole Dramiga has been in the Dallas (Texas) area for many years. The Soviet Union won the 4 x 400 meters relay (3:01.1), followed by East Germany (3:01.3), and Italy (3:04.3) won the bronze medal.
In Moscow, only welterweight boxer John Mugabi won the lone medal for Uganda, a silver. As a professional, because of his ferociousness, strength and knock-out speed, Mugabi would become nicknamed "the beast"; and he would become WBC world junior middleweight champion on 7th July 1989 after knocking out Frenchman Rene Jacquot.
Akii-Bua was to become Uganda's track and field coach. He died in late June of 1997, after being admitted to Kampala's Mulago Hospital with abdominal pains that had afflicted him for a considerable time, possibly stomach cancer. Akii was a widower when he died, and was survived by his 11 children. John Akii-Bua's children include Denise Akii-Bua [Harris] (a journalist, broadcaster, and political activist), Maureen Akii-Bua (a model), and Janet Akii-Bua (a fine artist).
At the time of his death Akii-Bua was a Senior Superintendent, the Interim Assistant Commissioner of Police in Charge of Welfare and Community Affairs. A state funeral in Abako County in northern Uganda where he grew up, honored the glorious John Akii-Bua. Among the structures that honor Akii is the Akii-Bua Memorial Stadium and Akii-Bua Memorial Secondary School in Lira. On 10th August 2008, a 90-minute documentary, created with the help of Akii's notes furnished to his British coach Malcolm Arnold, was released by the Dan Gordon under the British Broadcasting corporation (BBC). The piece, "The John Akii Bua Story: An African Tragedy," involves a cast of mostly Ugandans, and it has garnered excellent positive reviews.
Jonathan Musere
Zambian 400 meters-hurdles legend Samuel Matete was born on July 27, 1968 in Chingola in Zambia. Samuel Matete is notably one of the world's foremost 400 meters hurdlers of all time. For young Matete, legendary Uganda hurdler John Akii-Bua was his foremost sports idol. Matete still holds the African record of 47.10 seconds in the 400mh event, one he set in the German city of Zurich on August 7, 1991. At this Weltklasse Zurich (World Class Zurich), an annual athletics meeting in Switzerland which is part of the IAAF Golden League, and is sometimes referred to as the One-Day Olympics, Matete undeniably made his most memorable athletics mark. In his home country, Matete originally trained under rudimentary conditions, including setting up handcrafted wooden hurdles. Only three other people, all from the USA, have officially ever ran faster personal bests than Samuel Matete. These are: Bryan Bronson in 47.03 seconds (set in New Orleans in Louisiana on June 21, 1998), Edwin Moses in 47.02 seconds (set in Koblenz in Germany on August 31, 1983), and Kevin Young in an astounding world record and so far the only official time below 47 seconds, of 46.78 seconds (on August 6, 1992 in Barcelona, at the Olympic Games, in the finals).
The only other Africa runners with faster personal bests than Akii-Bua are El Hadj Amadou Dia Ba of Senegal. He ran the intermediate hurdles in 47.23 seconds at the Olympics of 1988 that were held in Seoul in South Korea. Here, aged 29, Dia Ba was in the finals beaten to second place by 29 year-old American Andre Phillips (47.19s, an Olympic record), and aging 33 year-old world record holder Edwin Corley Moses settled for the bronze in a time of 47.56 seconds. The performance in this Olympic final was astounding: Andre Phillips established an Olympic record and Edwin Moses (despite his bronze medal placing) had ran faster than he had at two previous Olympics at which he had won gold! Courtesy of Dia Ba, this final evidenced the breaking of Akii-Bua's intermediate hurdles' African record. In addition to Samuel Matete, the only other Africa runner with a personal-best timing faster than Akii-Bua's is Llewellyn George Herbert of South Africa with a timing of 47.81s in a third place bronze-medal finish in the Finals at the Olympics of 2000 that were held in Sydney.
In 1964 John Akii-Bua, a 15 year-old with an elementary academic education, left school. For the next two years Akii settled on helping shepherd his big family's 120-herd of cattle. Akii had long learned how to milk and how to employ the cattle to plow. Akii tells Kenny Moore in implying that as a youth he grew up to be a tough and athletic herdsboy: "I milked them [cattle], I plowed with them, everything. In 1956, when I was very young, lions took sheep and goats from our farm, even cattle. But none came when I tended them. I did have a close look at some very big pythons. And we have wild monkeys. They can tease you and throw things. They make you run away" (Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972).
Akii's devotion to family labor duties became even the more significant because his father--county Chief Bua, a prominent county administrator, died in 1965. Akii was only 16 years old then, and he estimated that at the time of his father's demise, he was one among forty-four siblings (16 sisters and 27 brothers). Akii's father had five wives, but had earlier on divorced three. The family, which dwelled in the same compound, was semi-nomadic in sociodemographic character, occasionally moving from county to county. Akii-Bua is listed as born on December 3, 1949 (to mother Imat Solome Bua) in Abako sub-county village in Moroto County in Lango District in Uganda. Among the other areas the family settled in and out of were Dokolo, Kwania, and Oyam. The common listing of Akii-Bua's birth seems to be fairly accurate, but some of his family implies that he was born earlier than 1949. In the Uganda newspaper "Observer," the article "John Akii-Bua is A Forgotten Hero" dated March 28 2010, Denis H.Obua implies that Akii-Bua was born three or four years earlier than 1949. Suffice it to say. not many decades ago, dates of birth of many African children were not recorded or remembered.
Soon after Akii's father died, one of Akii's older brothers picked himself to be a cashier in his bar. He was the cashier until he joined the police in 1966. Akii passed his basic police training in 1967. Before joining the Uganda police, Akii's only memory of athletic competition was domestic: his father would set up basic group-age sibling competitions over various distances for trophies of candy (sweets). Akii tells Kenny Moore, "I don't think I ever won. I had to beg sweets from my brothers" ("Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972).
Along with being introduced to active competition, Akii became inspired by Uganda athletes Ogwang, Etolu, and Opaka. Lawrence Ogwang (born in November 1932) is recognized as Uganda's first major competitive athlete; he represented Uganda at the Olympics of 1956 that were held in Melbourne in Australia and took 20th place in the triple jump (14.72m), and eliminated in the earlier rounds in the long jump after being 27th with a jump of 6.62m. Lawrence Ogwang is a relative of Akii-Bua and he is sometimes listed as his brother.
High-jumper Patrick Etolu, born in Soroti District on March 17, 1935 is notable for finishing second at the 1954 British Empire Commonwealth Games, fourth in the same event and Games in 1958, and ninth in the same event and Games in 1962. In the summer Olympic Games of 1956 held in Melbourne, Patrick Etolu emerged 12th with a jumping height of 1.96 meters. Tito Opaka was a high-hurdler.
Akii started running competitively when he joined the police. The window into his athletic potential was initially shaped by the police drill which routinely started at 5:30am with physical training and three miles of cross-country running. Akii's stretching flexibility was notable, the cause for his selection into high-hurdling. Uganda's Jerom (Jerome, Jorem?) Ochana, a superior policeman and Africa's 440 yard-hurdles record holder, was conveniently there to train Akii. One of the coaching ordeals involved Ochana placing a high-jump bar a couple of feet above the hurdle to shape Akii into learning to keep his head and body low. Akii recounts the ordeal to Kenny Moore: "Can you see this scar on my forehead? Ochana...made me listen. I used to bleed a lot in our exercises, knocking the hurdles with my knees and ankles, keeping my head down" ("Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972).
In the first week of November 1962, at a track meet in Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), a tune-up for the forthcoming British Empire Commonwealth Games to soon be held in Perth in Australia, Ochana secured the 440 yard-hurdles victory in 52.3 seconds. Ochana went on to win in the same event at the East and Central African Championships that were held in the city of Kisumu in Kenya. Ochana was in Tokyo in 1964 for the Olympics. In the third of five first round heats that allowed the three top finishers and next one fastest to advance to the semi-final round, 29 year-old Ochana was eliminated when he finished 4th in 52.4 seconds, on October 14th. In the end, Ochana achieved a 19th overall ranking.
John Akii-Bua, soon after winning in four police championship events in 1967, became significantly recognized and was thereafter placed under Briton Malcolm Arnold the new national coach. Akii still holds Uganda's decathlon record of 6933 points set in 1971 in Kampala. Starting from the mid-1970's, less and less attention, and fewer and fewer resources were allotted to the development of field events in Uganda. The presence of Ugandan decathlon athletes waned.
Akii won in the 110 meters-hurdles finals at the East and Central African Championships (an annual event originally primarily involving track and field stars from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia) held in Kampala in 1969. William (Bill) Koskei, a native of Kenya, originally competing for Uganda, won the 400 meters-hurdles gold in a time of 51.4 seconds. Koskei's athletics career will forever be associated with Akii-Bua's. With the influence of the coach Malcolm Arnold, Akii-Bua became convinced that he would reap more rewards as a 400 meters-hurdler. It was at these East and Central African Championships that both Akii-Bua and Koskei first displayed international competence.
In 1972, the same Championships held in the Tanzania capital Dar-es-Salaam, Koskei this time running for his native Kenya, again won in the 400 meters-hurdles in 50.7 seconds. By this time, Somalia and Ethiopia had enlisted their athletes in the Championships. In 1977, the same Championships held in Somalia capital Mogadishu, William Koskei now nearly 30 years of age, again won the gold in the 400m hurdles, after hitting the tape in 50.6 seconds. Koskei proved that he had maintained stability in his athletics career.
It is as a Uganda runner, that William Koskei is remembered for his most prestigious individual international stint: the silver medal he won in the 400m hurdles at the British Commonwealth Games held in Edinburgh in Scotland from 16th to 25th July 1970. Koskei won in the third heat of the first round, in a time of 51.37 seconds. Next came the semi-finals. Koskei comfortably won in 51.39 seconds, Kenya's Charles Kipkemboi Yego coming in second in this semi-final in 51.73 seconds. In the finals, John Sherwood of England won in 50.03 seconds, Koskei came in second in 50.15 seconds, Kenyan Charles Kipkemboi Yego came in third in 50.19 seconds. Akii-Bua struggled with a back strain and hernia injury, was trailing last at the final 100 meters, but still raced in fast to come in fourth in 51.14 seconds.
In 1970, Bill Koskei of Uganda became ranked 7th among men 400 meters hurdles runners in the All-Time World Rankings behind hurdlers from rank 1-7 respectively: Jean-Claude Nallet (France), Ralph Mann (USA), Wayne Collett (USA), Ari Salin (Finland), John Sherwood (Great Britain), and Charles Kipkemboi Yego (Kenya). The year 1970 would be the only one that Koskei would be ranked among the top ten in the world among the All-Time World Rankings. However, "Track and Field News" ranked Kenya's Koskei as 10th in the world in 1973, and 9th in 1974. Akii-Bua was not in the top-10 All-Time World Rankings of 1970. But in just the following year, he became ranked third behind Ralph Mann and Jean-Claude Nallet. In 1972 and 1973, his leading world performances placed Akii comfortably at no.1. Akii was less active and prominent in 1974 whereby he became ranked no.8. But Akii resurged to no. 2 in 1975, behind Alan Pascoe of Great Britain and ahead of Jim Bolding (USA) and Ralph Mann.
The year 1976, an Olympic year saw many countries, including Uganda, boycott the Olympics. The showdown between Edwin Moses (who would break Akii-Bua's World record) and Akii had been excitingly looked forward to. But it did not happen! American Edwin Moses, a college student and recent convert to the hurdles skyrocketed to the no.1 rank, followed by Mike Shine and Jim Bolding (both of the USA), Alan Pascoe, followed by Akii ranked no.5.
At a track meet held in Dusseldorf in West Germany, in June 1976, Akii won in the 400 meters-flat, in a personal best time of 45.82 seconds, beating upcoming Olympic relay bronze-medalist German Franz-Peter Hofmeister (46.39s) into second place, and European record-holder and Olympic finalist Karl Honz (West Germany) fading into third place. Only a couple of months before Montreal 1976, this was Akii's most profound pre-Olympic display of evidence that he was very much in contention for another Olympic medal. This would be the year that Akii-Bua would last be on the top-10 All-Time World Rankings.
In 1972 the performance of Commonwealth Games' silver medalist William Koskei (who had formerly ran for Uganda), at the summer Olympics held in Munich in West Germany from August 26, 1972 to September 11, 1972, was very much looked forward to. Although not ranked among the World's top ten 400 meters-hurdlers in 1971 or even 1972, Koskei was still regarded as an Olympic medal hope. Koskei, together with Akii-Bua of Uganda reigned as Africa's top hurdlers. The August 28, 1972 issue of "Sports Illustrated" predictably listed that American Ralph Mann would win Olympic gold, that Bill Koskei would come in second, and that John Akii-Bua of Uganda would win the bronze medal and that the three were the premier medal prospects.
At the Olympic Games in 1972, William Koskei, though running in the favorable lane 4, was disappointingly eliminated in the first round. His fourth place finish in Heat 2, in a time of 50.58 seconds would not carry him onto the next round. It was virtually Koskei's last chance at the Olympics, given that the next two Olympics, held in Montreal (1976) and Moscow (1980) would be boycotted by Kenya and many other nations. It was in 1972 that Koskei was at his peak, the year he ran a personal best of 49 seconds. At the Olympics in 1972, Uganda's John Akii-Bua would win in a world record of 47.82 seconds, becoming the first man ever to officially run the 400m hurdles in less than 48 seconds. Ralph Mann won silver by several yards away, and former Olympic champion David Hemery of Great Britain racing in a very close third. Even after 40 years, Uganda seems to indefinitely celebrate Akii-Bua's Olympic medal triumph, the only Olympic gold that the country has ever garnered. President Idi Amin, Uganda's dictator from 1971 to 1979, would soon reward policeman Akii by promoting him to Assistant Inspector of Police (Police Lieutenant), giving him a house (from the many dispossessed from east Asians expelled from or who had fled Uganda), naming a prominent lengthy road in Kampala (Stanley Road--that had been named after American explorer Henry Morton Stanley) "Akii-Bua Road." Since then, many sports establishments have ben named in Akii's name.
It is intriguing to more thoroughly follow both the road to Akii's greatest sports triumphs and the thereafter.
Akii-Bua fascinated his international competition by his unique hurdling and training methods. In the Los Angeles article "Akii-Bua Has Method for Hurdles" in "The Spokesman Review" (June 18, 1972 on page 29): "John Akii-Bua approaches the intermediate hurdles race with abandon and for that reason he's being picked by many as the next Olympic champion in the 400 meter event." Akii was known to run unconventionally, not confined to the conventional method of planning to interchange 13 to 15 strides between each hurdle. For example, Ralph Mann, the American champion, had an established plan of running 13 strides between the first five hurdles, change gears to 14 strides over the next two, and then switch to 15 steps over the next three hurdles. In the "Spokesman Review" piece, Akii-Bua is quoted as saying:
"I like to run 14 steps between the hurdles but when I run and get to the hurdle in 13 steps, I say 'okay' and I jump it. ...I just run hard between the hurdles and go over them when I get there. ...[at the forthcoming Olympics] I will try to run 13 steps between the hurdles but I will still jump them when they come up to me."
Some years later, legendary American Edwin Moses, the greatest intermediate hurdler of all time would fascinate the world with his long flowing strides that would allow him to stride 13 steps in between all the hurdles. Akii was also touted for being advantaged with his ambidextrous ability to hurdle easily with either his right or left leg.
Previously, at the U.S.-Russian-World All-Star track meet held in July of 1971 in Berkeley at the University of California Edwards Stadium, Akii-Bua won in the intermediate hurdles in an impressive 50.1 seconds, on July 3. Ralph Mann was not among the competitors. Jim Seymour (USA), now at the University of Washington and a would-be USA hurdler in the 1972 forthcoming Olympics, came in second in 50.5 seconds. In July 1971 in Durham in North Carolina, Akii-Bua had won in the 400 meters-hurdles at the Africa vs. USA meet. Akii-Bua proved he was not a fluke by clearly beating African rival Koskei, alongside the rest of the contingent of Africans and Americans, and winning in an impressive personal best of 49.05 seconds. American and number one ranked champion Ralph Mann did not show up. He was competing in Europe.
In July 1972, closer to the Olympics, Akii-Bua won the event at the Compton Invitational in Los Angeles in a good time of 49.6 seconds. After the time was announced, Akii-Bua remarked in astonishment that the time was too fast, given that he had hardly done any hurdling training in the past three months. He had not wanted to run that fast that early in the season and make himself vulnerable to injury and burnout. It is to be taken into consideration that prior to 1980, men's 400 meters-hurdles timings below 50 seconds were considered very good or excellent. And at this time, Akii's official best time was 49 seconds. A few months before the Olympics, Akii felt that his 169 pounds on a 6'2" frame was too light and he wished to build up strength and weight to 180 pounds in time for the Olympics.
Sports enthusiasts in Uganda were generally of the opinion that though Akii-Bua was capable of winning an Olympic medal, he did not train hard enough and was not dedicated and focused enough. He often came across as carefree. Some of his times, especially at home were not satisfactory. He was also beaten into second place by European hurdlers, such as Greek Cypriot Stavros Tziortzis and Soviet Union's Yevgeny Gavrilenko, in a couple of occasions in European meets. There was during that era also the prevailing universal attitude that hurdling was too technical and scientific an event for black Africans, this worsened by Africans' mediocre training facilities.
Further, despite Akii-Bua's impressive performances, he had ascended to international recognition rather quickly. He started running the intermediate hurdles late in 1969. His fourth place finishing in the 400 meters-hurdles finals at the Commonwealth Games in 1970, was followed by his establishment of an African record, including wins in several international meets in the United States and Europe in 1971 and early 1972. In a way, Akii-Bua was still relatively unknown on the world athletics scene. Though not by his choice, he had not competed against some of the premier world intermediate hurdlers such as Ralph Mann and David Hemery. In sum, Akii was not regarded by many as a major medal prospect at the forthcoming Olympics that would take place in Germany in 1972. And even if he did eventually win, this would likely be considered a fluke!
Contradicting the prevailing opinion on Akii-Bua prior to the Olympics was the revelation that in fact Akii-Bua had eyed the Olympic gold medal and breaking the 400m hurdles world record quite seriously! He aimed to win in a big way! It turns out that Akii's regimen of training included a lot of cross-country and hill running in Uganda rainy conditions because a dry track was not always readily available to him. His hurdling training was grueling, involving him strapping a jacket weighted with 25-35 pounds of lead to his back and running the hurdles (heightened to 42 inches high as compared to the conventional 36 inches) for 1500 meters at least six times a week. This is mentioned by legendary Jesse Owens in the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" of September 4, 1972 in the article: "Akii-Bua's Win Impressive." The 400mh world record, held by David Hemery, was 48.1 seconds. Akii had never officially ran the intermediate hurdles distance in less than 49 seconds. Yet, weeks prior to the Olympics, he was very confident of running the distance in 47 seconds if the weather would be ideal ("John Akii-Bua, an Athlete Who's Just too Good to Lose" by Doug Gilbert in "The Montreal Gazette-May 18, 1977).
It was at the end of August of 1972 that the Olympics 1972 400mh round one heats (five sets) were held. The rule was for the first leading three athlete in each heat (altogether 15 athletes), together with the next one fastest athlete to make it the 16 semi-finalists. Feelings about Akii-Bua's performance were mixed, some skeptical. Akii won in heat 4, but his winning time of 50.35 seconds was the slowest winning time among the five heats. Akii-Bua probably simply relaxed himself during the run, being confident that he was through to the semi-finals. Winners in the other heats were Dieter Buttner (West Germany) in Heat One in 49.78 seconds; Dave Hemery (Great Britain) in Heat Two in 49.72 seconds; Christian Rudolph (East Germany) in Heat Three in 50 seconds; and Yevgeny Gavrilenko (Soviet Union) in Heat Five in 49.73 seconds.
In the first of two semi-finals, Akii-Bua not only ran significantly faster than he had done in the first round but proved that he was a top contender for the gold medal. Media communications in Uganda and the rest of the world were far less developed in the 1970's than those of this Internet and mobile phone age. Most Ugandans, relying on radio and piecemeal newspaper and television networks were in the dark about the impressive progress of Akii. Importantly, Semi-Final Round One witnessed Akii-Bua win in 49.25 seconds (his next best personal performance in comparison with his African record of 49.00 seconds), and decisively trouncing gold-medal hopes Ralph Mann (49.53 seconds) the American national champion and record holder and Dave Hemery (49.66 seconds) the Olympic champion and world-record holder. It was the first time that Akii had faced this quality of competition; until then he had not achieved the chance to race with those two big names that would likely be his biggest nemeses at the Olympics. Was Semi-Finals Heat One a preview of what the finals would be? Both Ralph Mann and Akii-Bua had in this semi-final been assigned to unfavorable Lanes One and Two respectively; while Hemery was assigned to advantageous Lane 5 (which same lane he was assigned to in all three rounds--the Heats, the Semi-Final, and the Final)!
It is significant that while Akii's heat in Round One had been the slowest among the five, Akii had not only clocked the best time in the semi-finals, but had also been the only one that had won in both qualifying heats. The fourth placed in this semi-final was Rainer Schubert of West Germany (49.80 seconds). The first four in each semi-final heat would advance to the final. Competitors in Semi-Finals Heat Two were quite fast, but not as impressive as the first one. Two First-Round winners, Christian Rudolph and Dieter Buttner, did not finish. The winners, to advance to the finals, were Jim Seymour (USA, 49.33 seconds), Gavrilenko (Soviet Union, 49.34 seconds), Yury Zorin (Soviet Union, 49.60 seconds), and Tziortzis (Greece, 50.06 seconds).
The finals of the Olympic intermediate hurdles were set for September 2, 1972 a date only days before what would become known as the Munich Massacre executed on the Israeli team by "Black September" militants on September 5, 1972. Akii-Bua, a 6' 2", 175 pound, athletically built, dark and smooth complexioned youth sporting a bright red Uganda uniform with the inscription number "911" beamed and singularly stood out amongst his European-descended competition. Also, whether by design or shear bad luck of drawing, Akii was in all three rounds assigned to either inner-Lanes One or Two---the sharpest and most difficult lanes to navigate around. For the finals (after being assigned Lane Two in both the preliminary round and the semi-finals), Akii was assigned Lane One, of all lanes! Maybe his previous inner-lane assignments gave Akii the short-term experience and practice of knowing how to navigate through to a gold medal win, albeit being placed in unfavorable Lane One. Nowadays, it is customary to allow the winners in the preliminary rounds to decide to which lanes they will be assigned in the forthcoming rounds. Logically, the winners in each round choose the middle lanes, while the runners-up and ones who ran slower end up having to chose from the "disadvantageous" outermost and inner lanes!
The prelude to the 400mh finals is one of the most colorful in Olympic history, as fourth-positioned USA marathoning finalist at the same Olympics Kenny Moore (in "Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972) reminds us: "...Akii-Bua was amazing. As...other finalists in the...hurdles stared blankly...at Munich's dried-blood-red track, grimly adjusting their blocks and minds for the coming ordeal, Akii danced in his lane, waving and grinning at friends in the crowd."
Nevertheless, Akii-Bua was not totally unnerved. He was sleepless, the night before the finals, "...haunted by visions of Hemery winning" (David Corn in "Notes on a Scandal: John Akii-Bua and his Journey from Munich Gold to tragedy" in "The Guardian," August 6, 2008).
The day arrived! The finals witnessed Hemery, a perfectionist at timing and jumping the hurdles take the lead at a faster pace in the first 200 meters than had been the case when he won gold in world-record time in the previous Olympics held in Mexico City. Most of the cameras were concentrated on Hemery. But long-legged Akii was steadily catching up and overtaking the competition that he could clearly see in front of him. It became apparent that Akii was in the lead soon after the final turn and that Hemery was slowing down. Hemery looked helplessly to his left as Akii, three lanes down powered through. Akii still felt strong and, the finishing line was close, and Akii was confident that the gold would be his! Even after hitting the last hurdle, Akii closed onto the finishing line in what was then regarded as an astonishing new world record 47.82 seconds!
Not until American Angelo Taylor, 24 years later in the Olympics of 1996 held in Atlanta (Georgia) would a 400 meter-hurdler running in the innermost lane win gold. While Taylor won in 47.50 seconds, a displacement of Akii's world best of 47.82s gold medal win in the inner lane, his photofinish race required many minutes to pass before the ultimate winner between he and Saudi Arabian Hadj Soua'an Al-Somaily (47.53s) in lane 4 was decided. This happened on 27th September, 2000.
"Akii-Bua fascinated the fans by show-boating after his victory. He leaped over imaginary hurdles, went into dances, and waved and grinned at admirers" (William Grimsley-"In Pole Vaulting, Rowing U.S. Handed Big Olympics Setback" Tuscaloosa News, September 3, 1972). Akii-Bua's victory, let alone attendance at the Olympics in Munchen may not have happened. Many African nations, had threatened to massively walk out of the games in protest of the admission of white-ruled Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Rhodesia became disqualified.
The outcome of the finals is further dramatically illustrated by Kenny Moore ("Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972):
"...after he had won the race in world-record time...kept on going past the finish, barely slowing while his victims slumped and dry-heaved.... The organizing committee had not allowed time for victory laps but the crowd was on its feet, calling, and Akii heard. ...bounding over a hurdle and then he floated down the backstretch, clearing each hurdle again, a crimson and black impala leaping joyfully over imaginary barriers where there were no real ones, creating one of the few moments of exultation in the Olympics. And after the Games had ended, on notes of violence and regret and disgust, it seemed that Akii-Bua most symbolized what they might have been. He seemed a man eminently worth knowing."
Sam Wollaston in another "Guardian" article (August 11, 2008) "The Weekend's TV," writes that Akii "...on the night before his Olympic victory...drank a whole bottle of champagne, provided by his [British] coach [Malcolm Arnold]. To help him sleep."
Malcolm Arnold, a secondary school teacher and part-time athletics coach left Bristol for Uganda in 1968 where he would head coach the Uganda track-and-field team for five years. After Akii's successes, Arnold became a national coach in the United Kingdom and is credited with successes of such athletes as hurdler Colin Jackson. Partly because Akii's background of deprivation and meager training facilities, Arnold now in his 70's still considers Akii as his foremost trainee. Just before the race, Arnold had advised Akii to concentrate on running his race and going for the gold instead of worrying about the pace of the other competitors and the pace of first 200 meters.
Kenny Moore (in "Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972), from an exchange while riding leisurely with Akii in Kampala the Uganda capital, describes him neatly:
"...he gave an impression of greater bulk than when seen running. His features are fine, almost delicate, and his complexion very smooth. His eyes are small, allowing his face to be dominated by perfect white teeth."
The second All-Africa Games were held in January 7-18, 1973 in the Nigeria capital city of Lagos. Bill Koskei made it to the finals of the men's 400m hurdles. Also in the final line-up was recently crowned Olympic gold medalist and world record holder and nemesis of Koskei, John Akii-Bua of Uganda who was expected to win. Akii-Bua won easily, but what is astonishing is that Akii-Bua won in a very fast time of 48.54s--at that time among the fastest time ever run in the hurdles' race, and the second best time during that year and best time ever on African soil. Koskei grabbed the silver, running nearly a full two seconds (50.22s) behind Akii-Bua, and a photo-finish ahead of bronze medalist Silver Ayoo (50.25s) of Uganda. Akii-Bua would soon remark that although he was comfortably far ahead of the pack, as he approached the final bend of the race, a glimpse of the conspicuously military-adorned and revered Nigerian president General Yakubu Dan-Yumma Gowon high in the stands and watching and cheering, boosted him on to speed up.
Interestingly, later on July 25 1975, a coup d'etat lead by Brigadier Murtala Ramat Mohammed overthrew General Gowon as he attended an Organization of African Unity (OAU) summit being held in Kampala. Corruption, financial laxness and mismanagement, and the postponement of national elections were among the accusations leveled upon the Gowon regime.
During 1973, Akii maintained his position of world's leading intermediate hurdler on the globe. His leading time was 48.49 seconds. Second in ranking in 1973 was American Jim Bolding (48.8s) who had been a student and outstanding All-American star at Oklahoma State University (1969-1972) and would turn out to be Akii's main American competitor. Ralph Mann's best time in 1973 (49.3 seconds) moved him down to third ranking in the world. William Koskei, with a time of 49.34s moved down to 7th ranked and this compared to the previous year when Koskei was ranked 6th.
The Akii-Bolding rivalry included Akii beating Bolding in a track meet held in the third week of June 1973; Bolding beating Akii at the end of June 1973 whereby he won in a photo-finish at an international meet in Sweden in a relatively mediocre time of 50 seconds; Akii losing to Bolding (49.0 seconds) at the end of July 1975; and Akii beating Bolding during the middle of August 1975.
Earlier on in early July 1975, Jim Bolding became ranked first in the world (48.55s, during a track meet in Paris). During the same year Alan Pascoe of Great Britain attained 48.59 seconds and achieved the number-two ranking. Akii's best time of 48.67 seconds during this year shifted him down to third-ranked in the world.
Interestingly, probably because of inadequate training and/or participation, possibly injury, Akii was not ranked among the world's top-10 during 1974. This year, the Commonwealth Games held in Christchurch in New Zealand would have been Akii's best chance at a Commonwealth Games gold medal. However, at a track meet in the first week of July 1974, Jim Bolding set an American record of 48.10s and beat Akii into third place. Just as he would be in the following year, Jim Bolding became ranked number one in the world. In retrospect, as an injured newcomer to the intermediate hurdles Akii-Bua had finished fourth at the finals behind (respectively) John Sherwood (England), William Koskei (Uganda), and Charles Kipkemboi Yego (Kenya) at the British Commonwealth Games that were held in Edinburgh in Scotland in 1970.
In late June 1975, at an international track meet in Helsinki in Finland, Jim Bolding after powerfully leading during the first 300 meters, was comfortably beaten by Akii-Bua. However, the top winner, at these "World Games," held in Helsinki was Alan Pascoe of Great Britain.
At a track meet held in Stuttgart in Germany in late 1975, Akii won by far in an impressive time of 48.72 seconds, Jim Bolding was second in about a second away in 49.60 seconds.
Akii-Bua in early June 1976 became the main highlight star at a German international meet held in Dusseldorf when he won in both the 400-flat and the 400mh. The competition was overwhelmingly of German nationals, but it was importantly regarded as an Olympics-1976 Games' qualifier. Akii-Bua's 400mh win in 48.58 seconds was his personal best for the year. An excellent time, it would still lag behind into 5th best for the year behind the recordings for Edwin Moses (USA), Quentin Wheeler and Tom Andrews (USA, 48.55s), and Jim Bolding (USA, 48.57s). The more frequent sub-49-second runs spelled more competition in the intermediate hurdles!
Akii-Bua's win in the 400 meters-flat final at the Dusseldorf meet was in a personal best time of 45.82 seconds. Akii beat upcoming Olympic relay bronze-medalist German Franz-Peter Hofmeister (46.39s) into second place, and European record-holder and Olympic finalist Karl Honz (West Germany) fading into third place. Only a couple of months before Montreal 1976, this was Akii's most profound pre-Olympic display of evidence that he was very much in contention for another Olympic medal. Akii had trained in the city Dortmund in preparation for the Olympic Games.
In the third week of June 1976, Akii-Bua tore a thigh (left hamstring) muscle that could have reduced his chances of a medal at the 1976 Olympics at Montreal. Additionally and unfortunately, medal hopes Jim Bolding and Ralph Mann failed to secure one of the three berths on the USA team for the Olympics. They were beaten into 4th and 6th place, respectively. Worse still for Akii-Bua, Uganda boycotted the Olympics held in Montreal. American Olympic qualifiers at the USA trials were 20 year-old Edwin Moses (48.30 seconds) a physics-industrial engineering student at renowned Morehouse College in Atlanta (Georgia), 21 year-old Quentin David Wheeler (San Diego State University), and 22 year-old Mike Shine of Pennsylvania State University.
At the Olympic Games, unheralded Mike Shine surprisingly won a silver medal doing it lane 1..the same disadvantageous lane placing that Akii-Bua contended with in the previous Olympics! His personal best time of 48.69s placed him 6th in the world in 1976. It was the first and last time that Mike Shine would shine in this top ten list. Quentin Wheeler managed a 4th place finish behind Soviet Yevgeny Gavrilenko who was a finalist at the previous Olympics. The winner Edwin Moses, running in lane 4, had gradually switched from competing in the 110 meter-hurdles and the 400m-flat over just the previous six months of 1976. He won, on 25 July 1976, in a new world record of 47.63s! The Olympics had been Moses' first international meet! Akii-Bua's world record was gone!
Edwin Moses remains the greatest hurdler of all time. His accolades (apart from his numerous sports awards and designations) include remaining unbeaten at the intermediate hurdles for nearly 10 years, setting his own world record four times (his best time being 47.03s in 1983), consecutively winning 122 races (including 107 consecutive finals), winning 2 Olympic gold medals, and being active in international competition for more than 15 years and into his mid-thirties! Unfortunately, Moses was never to race with Akii-Bua. The clash between the two at the 1976 Olympics had been eagerly anticipated, but it was never to happen!
Akii-Bua was hardly active competitively in 1977. Governmental devotion of financial resources to supporting sports had dwindled in the Uganda military regime of Idi Amin that progressively devoted more resources to arms and ammunition and struggled with its image and potential liberators abroad. Rumors about the condition of Akii-Bua were rife. In a Nairobi article of 3rd March 1977 in 'The Age' entitled 'Akii-Bua Prison Claim 'Rubbish,'" Mrs. Joyce Akii-Bua flatly denies that her husband was arrested in Kampala, refuting the Kenyan "Daily Nation" that Akii had been locked up in Makindye Maximum Security Prison; she tells reporters: "These reports are complete rubbish. I don't know where they come from. My husband is fine and there is nothing to worry about."
The world, during these volatile years in Uganda, only saw a glimpse of Akii-Bua. At the All-Africa Games held in Algiers in Algeria, from 13th-28th July in 1978, Akii was beaten in the 400mh finals by Kenya's Daniel Kimaiyo (49.48s), Akii ran in second (49.55s), and Peter Rwamuhanda (50.18s) of Uganda won the bronze medal. All three medallists, in the same event at the previous Africa Games Lagos 1973), had also been from the east African countries Kenya and Uganda (including Akii with his gold medal win)! These personals-best for Kimaiyo and Akii-Bua placed them as 7th and 10th in the world respectively. That top-10 ranking would be the first and last for Kimaiyo and the last for Akii-Bua. Soon after, at the British Empire Commonwealth Games held in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada) from August 3-12, 1978, Daniel Kimaiyo not only won the 400mh gold (in 49.48s), but also co-anchored with Bill Koskei, Washington Njiri, and Joel Ngetich to win the 4 x 400 meters relay gold. Kimaiyo notably also won the 400mh East and Central African Championships title, the following year 1979...the venue was Mombasa, Kenya. These Championships were not held in 1978.
In 1979, armed liberators that included a heavy contingent of Tanzania national forces alongside Ugandan rebels and liberators marched into Uganda and overthrew Amin after his 8-year reign. Scores of people were killed during the "Liberation war"--the process of the ouster of Amin by Tanzania armed forces and Ugandan exiles. In the 1970's Akii-Bua had sporadically been rumored to be in danger, mainly because he was of the same Lango ethnic group that Milton Obote who had been ousted in the 1971 coup d'etat engineered by General Amin's military loyalists. A bulk of Uganda exiles (many residing in Tanzania) as well as those persecuted in Uganda were Langi. But over the years Akii possibly partly confident of his universal prominence in Uganda, impressed by the several accolades bestowed on him by Idi Amin himself (including promotions in the national police force, and a major road in Kampala named after him), and preferring to stay put in Uganda with his immediate and extended family did not exhibit unusual fear for his safety.
If Akii's athletics career was negatively affected by the regime of Amin, it was no more negatively impacted than the careers of many other Ugandan athletes--mainly because of diminishing allocation of resources to sports and funding for international tournaments. Amin, given Akii's international status, would have had a lot lose in the eyes of the world if he harmed Akii; and he did have a lot to gain by courting and making Akii feel comfortable at home. Still, Akii-Bua was sometimes hindered from leaving Uganda, more so as the regime of Amin became progressively notorious on the world scene.
From 1970 to 1978, it is only in 1974 and 1977 that Akii-Bua is not listed as among the top-10 fastest 400mh runners in the world. The maintaining of longevity by an athlete, is a remarkable feat, more so in such heavily demanding races as the 400mh. Remaining a top world athlete involves maintaining health, strength and form; maintaining discipline; and minimizing injury. Akii still had some impressive sponsorship opportunities to train and run internationally, such as when he trained in Germany prior to the Olympics of both 1976 and 1980.
This is under 'People in Sports: Wire Service Reports' titled "Akii-Bua Safe?" in the "Eugene Register Guard" of 28th May 1979:
"..[Akii-Bua]...had not been heard from for almost a year. At one point there was speculation that he had been killed during Uganda's internal strife, but it has been learned that he was jailed last month in Nairobi, Kenya, along with 500 other Ugandan refugees and political prisoners who fled the now-deposed regime of Idi Amin. The bizarre events surrounding Akii-Bua's long periods of silence and seclusion in his terror-ridden country and his weeks of detention in Kenya still are vague and sometimes contradictory. ...The family is scheduled to be flown out of Kenya with the assistance of the West German Embassy and Puma, the German sports-shoe company. Last Wednesday, [wife] Joyce Akii-Bua phoned Joe Dittrich...the director...of Puma...that her husband had been set free...and had returned alone to Uganda to check on other members of his family."
Undoubtedly, Akii always put his family first, even far ahead of his athletics' endeavors and glory! Fleeing Uganda for Kenya, as Amin's power crumbled. He sent his pregnant wife plus their three children (8 year-old Tony, 5 year-old Tonia, 21 month-old Denise) ahead to a town near the Uganda-Kenya border. Akii driving his Peugeot at top speed fled Kampala with his nephew, and was briefly pursued by policemen; luckily, they did not shoot. The ordeal involved Joyce birthing a premature baby who died a day later. The parents did not even have the money to bury their child. Hundreds of Ugandan refugees, of which Akii was one, were rounded up in Kenya and detained in a camp. It was after being released a month later that Akii briefly returned to Kampala. His like many vacated homes, had been ransacked! It was from here that he moved close to Nuremberg where he would prepare for the forthcoming Olympics, and also be a promoter for Puma for three or 4 years. Much of this is recounted in Fred Hauptfuhrer's "Olympic Champ John Akii-Bua Won No Medals, Only a New Life, Racing to Escape Amin's Uganda," (10th December 1979) in "People" Magazine.
The 'Lawrence Journal-World' of 20th June 1979 in "Akii-Bua in Germany With Eye on Training," and the 'Schenectady Gazette' of 21 June 1979 in "Akii-Bua Mulling Olympic 'Offers'" reports Akii-Bua as having recently joined his wife and three children in the West Germany town Herzogenaurach near Nuremberg, and was mulling over offers to train for the forthcoming Olympics in Moscow. Akii's fleeing Uganda in face of the volatile turmoil surrounding the ouster of Amin coincided with his need to be in a stable situation so as to train for the Olympic Games. Further, Amin's soldiers had persecuted many from Akii's ethnic group (the Langi), and a sizeable chunk of exiles and liberators were Langi. Because Akii-Bua refused to flee Uganda and hang on as a national star despite the alleged ravishes of the Amin regime and the many opportunities that were open to Akii to flee Uganda and denounce the Amin regime, Akii was regarded by many of the Langi (including members of his own family) as a staunch supporter and stooge of the Amin regime. Hence, paradoxically, during the overthrow of Amin, Akii's life may have been in danger at the hands of his own people infuriated at his "running for Amin," over the years!
Akii-Bua's blood brother James Ocen-Bua who was in the Uganda Army was killed at the hands of Idi Amin forces (Denis H.Obua: "John Alii-Bua is a Forgotten Sports Hero" in "The Observer," 28th March 2010)
The summer Olympics of 1980 in Moscow began with the opening ceremony spearheaded by Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev on July 20 1980. They would run until August 3rd. Akii-Bua had trained in Germany a few months prior to the Olympics, and despite his relatively advanced age of 30 (he was one of a couple of 400mh competitors in the 30's), he was still determined to make it at least up to the finals. That many countries, including Germany, United States and Kenya boycotted the Games in protest of the Soviet military presence in Afghanistan reduced the competition and the validity of the Games. However, the absence of top world hurdlers such as Edwin Moses and Harald Schmid (West Germany)--the top two intermediate hurdles runners in 1980, bolstered Akii's chances at a commendable performance at the Games.
Just days before his participation in Moscow, a confident Akii soon after competing in a track meet in Stockholm in Sweden tells reporters, "I know I'll be in the finals. I am completely serious. ..Look at me. ..Do you see an extra pound place?..Seriously..I'm getting to be in real good shape. ...The question is only technique...[and] the atmosphere of competition..[and] the right concentration, the right frame of mind to win" ('Tuscaloosa News' - 20th July 1980: "Akii-Bua Hopes Attention is On Him This Time").
Akii was scheduled to run in the first heat (of three heats) of Round One on July 24th, in Lenin Stadium. He was placed in lane 4, a relatively favorable lane. The top four finishers of each heat, plus four with the next best times would move on to the semi-finals. Akii's performance was not encouraging. He was placed 5th overall in 50.87s, and faced the prospect of being eliminated. In Heat Two, two hurdlers did not finish. Heat Three determined that Akii, based on timing, would be one of the four additional runners to advance to the semi-finals that would be held the next day on July 25th. The top three finishers in each of the semi-final heats, in addition to two with the next best times would advance to the finals.
Akii was placed in heat two in the outermost, generally unfavorable lane 8. Akii-Bua finished in 51.10s--a time considerably slower than that of the preliminary heats. Akii, the only semi-finalist in his 30's, finished 7th. On July 26, the finals witnessed Volker Beck (running in lane 8) win gold in 48.70s, followed by Vasily Arkhipenko (Soviet Union) in lane 2 in 48.86 seconds, followed by Gary Oakes (Great Britain) in lane 1 finishing in 49.11 seconds. All three medallists were ranked among the world's top ten 400m hurdlers in 1980.
Akii's next task was the 4 x 400 meters-relay. Also on the Uganda string were Silver Ayoo, Charles Dramiga, and Pius Olowo. Just one round of three heats would determine the selection to the finals. The top two finishers of each round plus two relay teams with the next best times would move on to the finals. Uganda's performance was mediocre. On July 31st, Uganda's 5th place in heat two, in the time 3 min 7 seconds would not carry Uganda through to the finals. This spelt the end of Akii-Bua's illustrious competitive career in athletics. As a student at University of New Mexico, Charles Dramiga was ranked as one of the best quarter-milers in on the American college scene. Dramiga is a former American collegiate record holder of the 600 meters. As a chiropractor, Dr. Charles Ole Dramiga has been in the Dallas (Texas) area for many years. The Soviet Union won the 4 x 400 meters relay (3:01.1), followed by East Germany (3:01.3), and Italy (3:04.3) won the bronze medal.
In Moscow, only welterweight boxer John Mugabi won the lone medal for Uganda, a silver. As a professional, because of his ferociousness, strength and knock-out speed, Mugabi would become nicknamed "the beast"; and he would become WBC world junior middleweight champion on 7th July 1989 after knocking out Frenchman Rene Jacquot.
Akii-Bua was to become Uganda's track and field coach. He died in late June of 1997, after being admitted to Kampala's Mulago Hospital with abdominal pains that had afflicted him for a considerable time, possibly stomach cancer. Akii was a widower when he died, and was survived by his 11 children. John Akii-Bua's children include Denise Akii-Bua [Harris] (a journalist, broadcaster, and political activist), Maureen Akii-Bua (a model), and Janet Akii-Bua (a fine artist).
At the time of his death Akii-Bua was a Senior Superintendent, the Interim Assistant Commissioner of Police in Charge of Welfare and Community Affairs. A state funeral in Abako County in northern Uganda where he grew up, honored the glorious John Akii-Bua. Among the structures that honor Akii is the Akii-Bua Memorial Stadium and Akii-Bua Memorial Secondary School in Lira. On 10th August 2008, a 90-minute documentary, created with the help of Akii's notes furnished to his British coach Malcolm Arnold, was released by the Dan Gordon under the British Broadcasting corporation (BBC). The piece, "The John Akii Bua Story: An African Tragedy," involves a cast of mostly Ugandans, and it has garnered excellent positive reviews.
Jonathan Musere
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