Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu has urged mourners to support Arsenal as a way of keeping the legacy of the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV alive.
Kaziimba made the lighthearted appeal while speaking to mourners at St. John’s Cathedral in Kabarole, the same church where King Oyo was baptized in 1992.
According to the Archbishop, King Oyo supported local football teams but had a particular love for the London-based Premier League club.
“King Oyo supported local teams but above all, he supported Arsenal. So if you want to follow his legacy, support Arsenal, all of you,” Kaziimba said.
The comment brought a lighter moment to a service otherwise centered on mourning the late Tooro monarch.
Kaziimba also recalled Arsenal’s recent run of form, joking that the team seemed to be doing especially well during the period King Oyo was unwell.
“I felt so bad because ever since he fell ill, Arsenal has been winning, beating Chelsea, Napoli… I missed him a lot. He would be jubilating with me and the Katikkiro of Buganda,” he said.
The Archbishop’s remarks highlighted a personal sporting connection he shared with the late king, while also offering mourners a moment of humor amid the tributes.
Kaziimba went on to describe King Oyo as a hardworking and loving monarch, saying his death was a major loss to the people of Tooro and Uganda.
“It’s a great loss to lose such a hardworking and loving King,” he added.
For Kaziimba, remembering King Oyo may now include more than honoring his public legacy—it could also mean keeping alive the football passion that brought the monarch joy.