SANTA BEATRICE OBONGONYINGE February 3, 2022

Mummy Santa was born on 24th December 1938 in Omarai Village, Acan Pii, Kaberamaido District.

She was the only child to her father Mr. Yobu Costanti Epolu and her mother Ada Imata Anatalia Imenyo. Although Mama was the only child, her father Mzee Constanti Yobu Epolu had a second wife, the late Imata Agenesi Ajilo who bore:
Uncle Augustino Eteru (RIP)
Aunty Clementina Adoo Egeju
Uncle Joseph Kalias Ekemu SC (Former Attorney General)
Aunty Nonsi

Grandpa also married a third wife Imata Abwao with whom he bore:
Uncle Etolu (RIP)
Aunty Iyabo
Uncle Owekolobo (RIP)

SCHOOL IN LANGO
Mummy studied P1 to P6 in Ngetta Girls Primary School from 1944 to 1949.

After Primary 6, they both went to Sacred Heart Junior Secondary School Gulu, where they did Junior 1 to 3 from 1950 to 1952.

She went to Christ the King Primary Teachers College in Gulu from 1953 to 1954.

When she qualified as a primary teacher, she taught for slightly over one year at Mary Immaculate Primary School in Gulu between 1955-1956.

She was nominated to go and upgrade and become a Junior Secondary school teacher. Mummy was taken to Namagunga for Junior Teacher training. She was one of the first two girls from the Northern Region of Uganda to go for that course in 1957.

MUMMY’S SOCIAL WORKS LIFE:
Mama Santa did an interview and was successfully recruited as a Community Development Assistant in Kaberamaido in 1963.

After joining Community, the Permanent Secretary sent her to Study a Diploma in Social Works and Social Administration in Nsamizi in 1963.

POSITIONS HELD:
Teacher in various schools listed below:
When she completed her Junior training course and she went back to Gulu, she was posted to open a Junior Secondary School in St. Mary’s Aboke in 1959. That is where she met and taught Hon. Cecilia Ogwal the firebrand politician from Lango. She taught Literature and English language and that explains her impeccable command of the English language. From St. Mary’s college Aboke, the Sisters took her to Moyo to open Moyo Catholic Junior Secondary School in 1960, while Carmen remained in St. Mary’s college Aboke. From Moyo she was taken to open Ediofe Junior Secondary school in 1961. From Ediofe she was taken to Aduku Junior Secondary School (now called Ikwera Girls SS) in 1962. Community Development Assistant posted to Kaberamaido – 1963. Community Development Assistant Moroto – 1963-1964
She was nominated to go and do a course in Adult Education and Cooperative Organisation in Israel in 1964 leaving Denis under the care of Daddy with strict instructions that if her son died, she would kill him.

Community Development Assistant Kampala in charge of East Baganda (Mukono area) from 1965-66.

Community Development Assistant Kampala in charge of West Buganda (Mpigi area) Supervisor of construction of Community Centres in each sub county from 1967-69.

In 1972-73 she was admitted to do a diploma in social work and social administration, by this time she was a Senior CDA.

After diploma she was promoted to Community Development Officer.

After the coup, in 1974 she was posted to Tororo as Community Development Officer from 1974-1979.

She was transferred to Kampala as Community Development Officer from 1980-1984.

In 1985 she went to Lira as Community Development Officer after daddy died so she could be near home and where she worked until 1992.

She was second to head the UNICEF program of Water and Sanitation in Gulu as a Program Manager from 1992 – 1996 after which she finally retired from Civil Service following an illustrious career.

When she retired, she was given a three year contract to work as a gender specialist for Lira District Development Program sponsored by the Netherlands Government from 1997 – 2000.

She then joined Lira District Service Commission as a Member where she served two, four year terms from 2000 – 2008.

She then finally settled back in her home in Ochero in Kaberamaido as a mother and grandmother til death.

MUMMY’S FAMILY LIFE:

She met our Dad Mr. Stanislaus Elly Obongonyinge in 1963 and he proposed marriage and got married to him that year.

BIOLOGICAL CHILDREN BORN TO MAMA SANTA

Victor Rex Ekesu – 1962
Dennis Albert Obongonyinge – 1964
Late Sarah Gaudensia Akello – 1966 (deceased in 2016)
Late Consolata – 1968 (died three weeks after birth)
Beatrice Olivia Amiri – 1969
Late Gerald Olide – 1971(died few years after birth)
Nicholas Ecimu – 1976.

Other children:
Immaculate Blessing Aiso (RIP)
Richard Emou
Fredrick Edonu (RIP)
Patrick Eminu
Pamela Iyero Mwebaza
Felix Esoku (RIP)
Lawrence Okoma (RIP)
Berna Aleso
Victoria Alado Eboyu
Silas Elotu
Stella Iluto
Monica Apiny Okaka
Perpetua Ariso
Julius Engichu
Bernard Emou
Isaac (wot Aunty Norah)
Irene Angwenyo

Mum had over 30 grandchildren. For brevity we will not mention them by name here but we shall introduce them at church and at home.