Romans
14:8
If
we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether
we live or die, we belong to the Lord (NIV).
Let me tell you something, I believe that times and
seasons pass with events. The rainy season passes with the plating of crops.
The dry season passes with harvesting and drying the harvest. Christmas passes
with eating and merry-making. So I often
want to mark my times and seasons with certain events.
For Christmas and Easter holidays I always travel with my
family to the village.
There was a time during my undergraduate studies at
Makerere University when I missed going home for Christmas. That year remains
in my memory. I think there was a student’s strike that forced exams to be
pushed into near Christmas day. Students led strikes nearly every semester
during our time at Makerere. We would run all over. The Police would chase us
with tear gas and rubber bullets. Some of the rowdy students used such strikes
to run over kiosks, shops, and food stalls. I always never participated in strikes
myself but the Police would chase everyone around the hill anyway. I think the
Police had some poor orientation about student-led strikes. So I missed
traveling home for Christmas so I could concentrate and pass my exams. I did
pass excellently. But missing my travel home remains in my memory.
This particular 2022 Easter weekend, our relative Abias
Kigambirwe was wedding his partner Barbra of 10 + years. The wedding was on
Saturday, April 16th, 2022. I didn’t have a specific role at the party. I was
asked to drive to church with some of our relatives who sought to attend
church. I did. We had a great wedding service at Emmanuel Church Kabwohe. The
Rev. Canon Bejuura is a great preacher. He told us the difference between
boiling milk and boiling water. Boing milk that if left unattended becomes a
mess. But boiling water dries up slowly. To him, marriage needs attention. If
left unattended, it boils to make a mess. Because he thinks that there is
always ‘boiling’ in marriage. Milk is a delicacy in my homeland. In fact, our
part of Uganda is referred to as the land of milk and honey.
 |
With Rev. Canon Nyabwere (right) myself after, Edmund, Rev Canon Bejuura and Naboth Tumwine after the weeding of Abias and Barbra at Emmanuel church Kabwohe.
|
After the church service, we had photo moments. One of
such photos was with Rev. Cannon Nyabwere. You should have read about this man
on my blog. He was my godfather and grandfather. He loved me. I helped him
write his autobiography. Edmund my young brother had driven with Cannon
Nyabwere to church. They drove together talking. After the church service, we drove
home and enjoyed the party in the village. We had good food. While at the
party, Rev. Cannon Nyabwere was asked to speak. As an elder of the community.
He said 3 words: Nashemererwa, nashemererwa, nashemererwa,
this was an expression that he was happy.
That evening, after the party I spoke to Cannon Nyabwere.
He told me that I was the one supposed to preach at our church. I responded
that the Lay reader had not informed me. He looked a bit bothered by my
response. He wondered why the lay reader had not communicated. We parted
well.
Later in the middle of the night, Cannon Nyabwere became
unwell. He was driven to a hospital by one of his nephews. We had our Easter
Sunday at church without him. It was very unusual.
On Tuesday, I traveled to see him at Ruharo Mission
Hospital. He was weak. But in a jovial mood. He instructed his attendant to
remove the mosquito net so that I and he could speak to each other. We had a
good chat. He shared with me his plans. He requested that we build a children’s
chapel. I encouraged him that all would be well, I parted with him at around
9:30 pm.
Before I left the hospital, I spoke to the doctors. Good
enough these are people who were known to me. One of them told me that Cannon
suffered from pneumonia.
The following day, I spent my day at Kisiizi Hospital. I
had a work trip there to meet the leadership of the facility. That evening just
before 8:00 pm. Rev. Canon Nyabwere died. We were all shocked. I informed my
mother who in turn informed my father. My father has been unwell for some time.
That evening, I had asked that he shouldn’t be informed of the death of Cannon.
But my mother knows my father more than I know him. She insisted on informing
him. She did. My father was strong. As a matter of fact, he walked well
the next day to pay his last respects. He even had a chat with people around. His
main statement was that Cannon had remained with his skin texture and muscle.
This was true! Cannon looked peaceful sleeping.
So, Rev. Canon Nyabwere died. He was a man of great
faith. He did a lot of good for others. He did not personally possess much. One
could say that he was a ‘poor’ man.
But that would be such a huge joke. Yes, he had no cows and big banana
plantations or coffee plantations but he had lots of people to his name.
Multitudes! He had friends across Ankole, Kigezi and Budanda. He had mentored
and supported so many people. In fact, my own father was partly educated by
him.
On Thursday morning at 4:30 am, my mother woke me up with
a shout. She walked from her outside of her house and shouted at my window. I
had to join the Parish Priest Rev. Canon Mugasira, and the Archdeacon the Rev.
Canon Mwehongye to go and support the team at the hospital to make a program
for Rev. Cannon Nyabwere’s final send-off. I drove from home with Nathan
Mbarebaki from Rutooma and the parish priest. Nathan is a churchman who has
been part of many missions. He is kind of different from his brothers who are also
our friends. Some of his brothers enjoy beer. They always speak in tongues
thereafter their sessions in our home trading center.
I supported the process of bringing the body of Rev. Cannon
Nyabwere home. My brother Edmund helped us to contact his friends the run
funeral services. I called my other brother Peter too. We had to mobilize some initial
little monies to help us move.
We buried him on Saturday. His burial was attended by a
multitude of people. The burial expenses bill was huge but it was all covered
by mourners. I should say the bill was covered by cannon and his friends.
In fact, we had some leftover funds. I can add
briefly that before his death, he would tell us that he desired never an
expensive burial. As a matter of fact, he would ask that we don’t slaughter a
cow or something like that at his burial. But we got 3 big cows to feast on.
There was lots of food all the days of the mourning for everyone.
God revealed himself.
Psalm
34:10
The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek
the LORD lack no good thing (NIV).
At his
burial, a speech written by him was read. He had written it sometime back. He
instructed us as his godchildren to meet every Easter Monday. I hope we
do!
After the burial, I visited one of our surviving
grandmothers. They are three remaining. One is in Rwakizibwa, another in
Rweyeshera, and another in Bunyaruguru. I visited the one in Rweyeshera which
is closer to home. She told me how God had Kept Cannon Nyabwere as an only
child of his mother. His father did not necessarily offer support. The father
was the kind of man of those days who would have many wives. One time, Cannon
Nyabwere as a youth was imprisoned for some reason. It was while in short
detention that he found favor. The sub-country prison attendant allowed him out
to graze their goats. He had food at the staff quarters and was able to do some
schooling. This opened his world to civilization. My grandmother also told
another story about how this man had survived death. One day, a wall in the house he stayed with his
mother fell. It took the community some time to dig up the rabble to get him.
God kept him alive. His mother had also naturally escaped.
According to my grandmother, cannon Nyabwere was the older
brother during their youth days. It is possible that Cannon was born before
1926. But for now, we take 1926 as his year of birth. After all, that is what
he stated in his book. People of long ago in our community have no birth date
records. Somehow, an estimation of age is always made.
God
blessed
Cannon Nyabwere! He gave him a lot of friends. So much.
 |
Dorah our younger cousin and one of Rev. Can Nyabwere's immediate grandchildren received a bible upon installation as heir. |
The next morning after his burial. His will was read. He left our young cousin Dora as the heir. Dora is a nurse. She was charged with the responsibility of making sure that the great legacy continues. She will do it! No doubt!
We will
miss him!
On May 6th, 2022, I woke up a bit early. I normally get out of bed at 6:30 am on my usual days. But that Friday, I got up a few minutes earlier. It was such a rainy morning. My daughter got me to wake up early. She is close to 5 years and very cheeky. She was excited about my graduation. I had brought the graduation gown the previous night and she had asked very many questions. I agreed to her request that we would be together at the graduation ceremony. She was overjoyed. She made sure to wake up so early to wake me up to prepare. 
