The Paramount Chief of Lango, Eng. Dr. Moses Michael Odongo Okune, has issued a powerful and urgent warning regarding the survival of his people. He is deeply concerned that the ongoing splintering of clans across the Lango sub-region is doing more than just weakening social ties; it is creating a public health emergency. According to the cultural leader, these internal divisions are directly contributing to an alarming rise in sickle cell disease, as families lose track of their lineages and inadvertently enter into marriages with close relatives.
During the recent installation of David Ojok Julu as the Clan Chief of the Arak Ococ Puruiwor Clan in Apac Municipality, the Paramount Chief did not mince words. He explained that petty disagreements over money and status are tearing clans apart. When these sacred structures fail, the younger generation loses the ability to trace their ancestry. This breakdown of knowledge leads to unions between individuals with shared bloodlines, a practice that heightens the risk of passing on devastating genetic conditions like sickle cell. To save the future of the region, the Chief is calling for an immediate end to these disputes, urging every member of the community to embrace reconciliation and protect the sanctity of their bloodlines.
Beyond the home, the Paramount Chief is advocating for a spirit of gratitude and strategic cooperation. He encouraged the people of Lango to celebrate and support the local leaders recently appointed by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to various high-ranking government positions. While some may have hoped for even more appointments, the Chief emphasized that the region must remain thankful for the opportunities given to its sons and daughters. He specifically praised the dedicated service of former ministers Betty Amongi Akena and Denis Hamson Obua, pledging to continue working alongside them to elevate the interests of the Lango people.
True progress, however, requires more than just political appointments; it requires functional institutions. The Paramount Chief made a direct appeal to the government to prioritize the modernization of Apac General Hospital. He noted that the facility has been a lifeline for the community for decades but is now in desperate need of infrastructural upgrades and a higher number of medical specialists to provide the care that citizens deserve.
Adding to this vision of a more stable society, former Solicitor General Francis Atoke highlighted the necessity of peace at the grassroots level. He urged the cultural institution to act as a primary mediator in family and land disputes, noting that legal harmony is the foundation of social stability. When conflicts are resolved through dialogue rather than division, the most vulnerable members of society are shielded from harm.
The Lango cultural institution is already making significant strides in transforming the lives of its people. Tekwaro Lango Speaker Willy Omodo Omodo pointed out that under the leadership of Odongo Okune, the institution has successfully secured educational bursaries for underprivileged students and distributed coffee seedlings to help farmers boost their income. Plans are also underway to distribute maize seeds through partnerships with the Uganda Prisons Service, proving that the cultural leadership is deeply invested in the economic prosperity of the region.
As the ceremony concluded, the spiritual community also weighed in on the qualities of a good leader. Emeritus Rev. Geoffrey Ochan challenged newly appointed clan leaders to rule with vision and integrity. He specifically cautioned against the practice of polygamy, suggesting that moral discipline is essential for any leader who wishes to guide their people toward a bright and healthy future. The message is clear: for Lango to thrive, it must unite, remember its roots, and demand the quality of health and leadership that its people deserve.