Why Celebrate them if we Won't Emulate them?
“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”
~1 Corinthians 11:1~
The New York based Marvel Entertainment franchise is minting Dollars in Billions riding on the simple philosophy that human beings have this innate desire, recognition, and appreciation for heroes in their lives. In fact, “superheroes”. Through movies, they have little children or “busy” adults glued to their screens in anticipation of what next their hero or superhero is about to do.
Heroes are part of life, whether it’s sports, entertainment, academia, military, business, justice, health, politics, leadership, religion, family, … or TikTok, name it. In the 21st Century however, the idea seems more distorted and skewed. On 9th June every year, Uganda stops to celebrate its National Heroes. Though many of them died in the liberation war and other sacrificial causes that would shape the current Pearl of Africa and its values, a number of them are still alive. Each year, the President, who is the Fountain of Honor, will give “Medals of Honor” in recognition and appreciation of particular Heroes. For departed ones, family members will be present to receive medals on their behalf. It often comes with a financial package as well. As to how many heroes we have today – many and still counting. Are there some heroes we haven’t recognized?
The Encyclopedia Britannica and the Merriam-Webster define a hero as a person greatly admired for brave acts, achievements and noble qualities. What then, sets our national heroes apart from others? What about the “unsung heroes”? If you had a chance to advise the Fountain of Honor ahead of next year’s Heroes Day (because you are definitely late for this year’s), which name would you recommend for him to add on the list? What if, you had the powers to remove any name from the ever-growing list, which one would it be? Have you considered Mothers, in the real sense of who they are and what they do? Or in particular, the stay home moms? In an increasingly materialistic, consumerist, and career-driven world, stay home moms (whether by Choice or Circumstances!) are some of our really unsung of the unsung heroes!
” … a hero as a person greatly admired for brave acts, achievements and noble qualities. What then, sets our national heroes apart from others?”
What about Ms. Agnes Nambozo from Bulambuli? I’m personally delighted learn that she is being recognized for her zeal and commitment not just to her work as a nurse, but to the people of her community and the children of this nation. She is a true embodiment of a Heroine both to her community and our nation, and well-deserving of the Hero’s Medal from government. The recognition, appreciation, and support from the Rotarians and across all media comes as a great encouragement to her as an individual, and to many that are probably doing the same, but have never taken a video clip of it or caught media attention. While Nambozo was doing whatever it takes to ensure that infants in a hard-to-reach area were receiving essential medical attention and immunization (see story: https://youtu.be/wiboYgNa1i8), other better facilitated people were stealing drugs from Health Centers, and others were sharing Karamoja Mabaati. Yes! Some of whom will shamelessly take front seats at the Medal awarding Ceremony.
But what does the Bible and history teach us about heroes? While we are a generation obsessed with “superheroes”, heroism is not our invention. Cultures, societies, and nations have had heroes. Personally, like you possibly, I also have historical and contemporary heroes that inspire me; Augustine, Martin Luther, Bonhoeffer, CS Lewis, Abp. Janani Luwum, John Lennox, Abp. Henry Orombi. It is the latter that I purpose to write about, not only because we share a couple of things in common, but also because he’s still alive (I only intend to discuss living heroes for this writeup), he helps me make sense of heroes. And he’s Ugandan. It is only appropriate that I talk about a living Ugandan that helps me make sense of heroes. Not that I’m advocating for his name to be including on the next list, but because he models something about the “Unsung Heroes” of our nation. His great legacy, impact and influence naturally flows across Uganda and globally, even across generations unhindered.
When you mention the name “Orombi” whether locally or globally, you are most likely referring to a specific familiar figure. So much like when you mention Obote, Amin, or Museveni. It’s not that there are no other Ugandans with the same name, but those specific names, and such others, seem to point to some particular people. Even as a Bukenya, sometimes I’m asked whether I’m related to the former Vice President, or the former UNEB Secretary.
“His great legacy, impact and influence naturally flows across Uganda and globally, even across generations unhindered. !”
Mentored by the Late from Abp. Janani Luwum, also a personal hero of mine among the dead, Bp. Orombi is locally and globally known as the former Primate of the Church of Uganda. A former schoolteacher who rose from a very humble background through the ranks to become top leader of the Anglican church. One of Uganda’s high-towering figures in various spheres especially faith and leadership, and a major influential voice and personality in the Global South. His name has its place in our history books. But does he make the cut for a national hero?
He has been described by contemporaries as “A true Christian man with a pure faith, a husband and friend to Mama Phoebe, a lover of all (youth, children, men, women, highly placed and the lowly, the Anglican and the non-Anglican); a passionate Evangelist and Educationist, a compassionate mentor and counselor full of wisdom, a courageous leader with firm local convictions and a global perspective, an ardent student and teacher of Scripture, committed to prayer and active ministry … Yet apart from Mama Phoebe and his family who are always number one, he treats everyone as equally important huts in the family compound of his heart and mind.” “Bp. Orombi is a true friend of Jesus and of mankind.” remarked a fellow senior from across the oceans, “I pray he outlives me, because I want him to preach at my funeral. I know he will use it to bring more souls into the Kingdom!” I couldn’t agree more.
I will never forget, even as a teenager back in the early into late 2000s (at the dawn what we then called the “new millennium”), what attracted me to this giant of an eloquent preaching Archbishop/Bishop who did not carry flare and pomp with him whenever he showed up. But of course, the institution always reserved some for him by virtue of his office. I was privileged to take part in a couple of Youth Camps where he spoke especially when he was Archbishop and Bishop of Kampala. “He didn’t visit the camp site to only speak and leave. But often stayed all through and had personal conversations with individual young people. He is interested in individuals, and when with you he is present. He hardly forgets names knows the value of hugs. When he meets you elsewhere, he remembers who you are!” Testifies a daughter from Kalerwe.
Pr. Julius Rwotlonyo of Watoto Church, has similar sentiments, “I have known Bp. Orombi since the late 90s and early 2000s when he spoke at the end of year Church Youth Camps that I attended as a teenager. He has been a genuine, humble, consistent and Kingdom-minded leader, a great encourager. It has been my privilege to also work with him as a church leader myself.”
While serving as a missionary in Karamoja, I had the honor of listening to him giving parenting advise to a Karimojong MP. Though we were many present, he had picked interest in an update on her children. She informed him that because of their busy schedules as leaders, they had put the children into boarding school hundreds of miles away from Karamoja. She had reluctantly said, “Our dad took us to boarding school too, and we made it through!” Bp. Orombi had some reservations and launched into “Jesus Mode”. Jesus is recorded in the Gospels for responding to a person’s question by giving a public life lesson. He would teach so that the individual in focus has an answer, and the public has a lesson to take home and live by. Using a deeply personal story, Bp. Orombi passed down valuable parenting caution while guiding an MP. By the time I was having my own kids, I had clarity on what I was and wasn’t going to do. Yes, those who know me know how important my children are to me, and how much time I try to give to them. I listened because I looked up to him. In emulating him, my parenting skills and family are not as bad as they would have been if I didn’t.
Marvel’s superheroes continue to influence and shape our society, but they are distant and far separated from our reality. Even when fictionally packaged in Wakanda. But Bp. Orombi is not. He is real! He may be in Nebbi, but he knows people and names. He receives and returns phone calls. He spends minutes catching up with you about your family. I remember visiting him in Nebbi to talk over a major life decision I was about to make. Before we concluded our time together for me to return to Kampala, he gave me his schedule for his next trip to Kampala the following month, and he wanted to have a follow up. He was personally interested in me as a person. On the subsequent Kampala, he gave me(us) two hours of undivided attention, considered counsel, and prayer. Plus, a commitment to follow up further. And yes, a selfie too.
“Mama Phoebe and his family are always number one, but he treats everyone as equally important huts in the family compound of his heart and mind.”
“When I think about Bp. Orombi, one thing comes to mind – Legacy! That which lives on in the lives of people after you. He has been a father figure and caretaker of many children aross the country, as well as having spiritual children and mentees in literally every corner of Uganda. He has been able to deliver the vision of the Daniel Mission Leadership Training Center in Lweza, from him, to his successor (Bp. Ntagali, and now to the successor of his successor (Abp. Kaziimba). Fulfilling what Paul urges Timothy in 2 Tim. 2:2” says Rev. Alex Bwambale, Coordinator the Daniel Uganda Project. In other words, being a hero is not about status, but legacy!
Who are heroes if we are not imitating and emulating them? While heroes never set out to become so, when it comes to Bp. Orombi, it’s not whether we sing or celebrate him, but how we live our lives as a generation, emulating the values and convictions he has embodied and demonstrated both in the church and nation. His influence and legacy lives on. It’s like a natural tune of music, which like a Classic is fresh in every generation. If indeed they are our heroes, we are obliged to emulate them, and pass their values and influence on to our contemporaries and the next generation. Heroes too have inspiration for what shapes their values and quality that they pass on to us. That carries more honor that medals and cash envelopes.
Why is it that the majority of the “heroes” we are told about are not necessarily influencing our nation the way Marvel Entertainment is? Could it be that they don’t offer genuine inspiration in terms of their values and achievements? The sad effect of this is that without genuine heroes influencing and shaping values for this generation, there will not be genuine heroes passing on the same for the next generation. Heroes like Bp. Orombi while unsung, continue to make heroes for the next generation through their impact and influence on many of us in this generation.
“Heroes like Bp. Orombi, though unsung, continue to make heroes for the next generation through their impact and influence on many of us in this generation. ”
Back to Marvel Entertainment, it is not the Billions of Dollars or the Grammys, but rather in successfully selling their philosophies and values, and trends to the masses unhindered. Materialism, Gender fluidity, Careerism, Artificial Intelligence, Violence, Fashion, Greed, Politics, … name it, are all packaged and justified by some Superhero in a motion picture. Somehow, because a hero does it, approves of it, we will find ourselves accepting it. Before you know, someone in Karamoja is wearing a Spiderman suit in Karamoja, or a Captain America vest in Kisoro. As a generation that worships numbers, heroes catch our attention and earn the right to “inspire” us by their followership and celebrity status they are able to command. A hero with just a few followers is not marketable, and can’t make it onto our list, nor our history pages. The Apostle Paul saw it coming and cautioned us for times when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths (2 Tim. 4:3-4).
“He is interested in individuals, and when with you he is present. He hardly forgets names, and knows the value of hugs.”
When the Apostle Paul exhorts the Corinthian church and the global church by extension, to imitate him as he imitates Christ (1 Cor. 11:1), he is pointing all believers to the Ultimate Hero so to speak. If we accurately and faithful imitate Paul, who is faithfully imitating Christ, we are in essence imitating the faithful Apostolic interpretation of Christ. And if we faithfully pass on the same to others, then it is not us, or Paul that being imitated, but Christ and His Spirit flowing and at work in all of us across generations and the globe.
Though Bp. Orombi is not perfect, much more can be said about him; like taking retirement one year earlier than official retirement age; or leading Uganda and the Global South in taking a firm stand to preserve Biblical teaching on marriage and sexuality, but time and space won’t allow. What’s undeniable is that he has set the bar so high for people like me who look up to him. Which makes life very difficult. Not because I’m never going to be as tall, or be an Archbishop, but like him I am a Christian man, husband, father, leader and mentor, evangelist, student and teacher of scripture, a Ugandan. As a Hero, he inspires and challenges me to a higher standard – Christ.
Do “Heroes” make any difference in our lives, or in our nation for that matter? In an increasingly individualistic and consumerist world, why should we be naming and celebrating heroes whose values and virtues we aren’t committed to emulate? Does the Ugandan society, and moral fabric, look like one that emulates its said heroes? Our generation, and society seems to be inclined to producing and shaping its own heroes. A new type, that affirms our already fallen and distorted values and identities. We shall claim that they inspire us, yet in actual sense we inspired them by setting them the standards to which they can be “our heroes”. They did not set the standard but have grasped and mustered our innate desire for heroes, coupled with the dynamic, constantly changing and fluid trends of our day. If you will notice carefully, these “heroes” and “superheroes” keep changing in order to appease and inspire us in accordance with what Paul calls lust of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21). They are “empathetic heroes”, and don’t want to complicate our lives.
Well, setting off a day annually to gather, talk about, and celebrate the different national heroes is such great gesture, but it is the smaller issue. What is Heroes Day for if the rest of our lives, our society and nation, for rest of days of the year, aren’t nudged, shaped, and governed by the values and convictions of these brave and virtuous men and women? The heroes and heroines of our nation do not need this public holiday, nor the recognitions and celebrations. So much like the dead don’t need a funeral service – we do. What we make of the specifics that cause us to recognize, admire, and celebrate heroes from amongst millions of Ugandans, is what honors them, makes our nation better – and in turn honors the God who gifted them to us.
“What is Heroes Day for if the rest of our lives, our society and nation, for rest of days of the year, aren’t nudged, shaped, and governed by the values and convictions of these brave and virtuous men and women? ”
“If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name.” ~Malachi 1:6~
The purpose of this rather long piece wasn’t to advocate for the inclusion of Bp. Orombi onto the National Heroes’ list and Gazette. That’s not necessary as the “Orombimania” (as it has been termed) is evident and lives on in those whom he has impacted and influenced across Uganda and the globe – religious or non-religious. Neither was it to show how Marvel Entertainment is easily competing with our national heroes for influence over our society.
My argument has been that living lives which do not emulate the values and convictions of our heroes, dishonors them and the God who gives and inspires them for us. Inevitably, by extension, it damages the next generation by creating a gap in terms of our failure to model for them the bravery and virtues that our said heroes like Bp. Orombi embody(ied) and demonstrate. This gap is a natural one, since our children are also humans like us. They too desire, recognize, and admire heroes for themselves. If we can’t offer them genuine ones, the Alien Skin, Pallaso, or Marvel Entertainment will create for them any that suits their hungers.
~ Raymond L. Bukenya ~
Speaker & Director Tru Tangazo Uganda