Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiik has paid an emotional tribute to the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, remembering the young monarch as an unusually attentive listener with a remarkable memory.
In a candid reflection on the late king, Rwomiire Akiik said King Oyo had a rare ability to remember even the smallest details from conversations, sometimes bringing up commitments that people had mentioned months earlier.
“King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV was truly a unique individual. He was a great listener who paid attention to even the smallest details. He could remind you of an engagement you had mentioned six months earlier, and he would never forget,” he said.
But the Tooro Prime Minister’s memories of King Oyo went beyond his sharp memory.
Rwomiire Akiik also remembered the late monarch for his humour and the ease with which he connected with people. He said King Oyo carried himself with humility and recognised that although he was a king on earth, there was a greater King above him — God.
“He also had a wonderful sense of humour and always believed that there was a King above him, God,” Rwomiire Akiik recalled.
Perhaps the most painful part of the tribute, however, was the revelation that preparations had already been underway for King Oyo’s upcoming Coronation Anniversary.
According to Rwomiire Akiik, the late king wanted the occasion to be different and had expressed his desire to hold a crusade at the Palace, with Apostle Grace Lubega expected to lead the congregation.
“We were planning the Coronation Anniversary of His Majesty King Oyo, and he had expressed his desire to hold a crusade as part of the celebrations, whereby Apostle Grace Lubega was set to lead the congregation at the Palace. It was going to be a unique occasion,” he said.
Those plans have now taken on an entirely different meaning.
Instead of preparing to mark another anniversary of the young monarch’s reign, the kingdom is now preparing for his burial.
“Sadly, it is heartbreaking that instead of preparing to celebrate his reign, we are now preparing for his funeral,” Rwomiire Akiik said.
His recollections paint a personal picture of King Oyo — not simply as the monarch of Tooro, but as a man remembered by those around him for his attentiveness, humour, humility and faith.
And the contrast between the celebration that had been planned and the funeral now being prepared has made the king’s passing all the more poignant for the Tooro Kingdom.