By: Amacha Goli.

Adjumani, (UG):- The countdown for the election of the Lopirigo of Madi is on following the successful endorsement of the Constitution of the Madi Cultural Institution (Opi Madi Dri i) and the Electoral Guidelines by the clan chiefs in a meeting held at Adjumani district council hall on August 6, 2024.

During the heated meeting, which was co-chaired by Mr Ramadhan Mawadri and Mr Anyama David, District Community Development Officers (DCDOs) of Adjumani and Moyo respectively, the chiefs have unanimously agreed to have the elections conducted on August 23rd, 2024, following a resolve on the elections’ guidelines that MADCEF prepared.

Five clan chiefs have shown interest in contesting for the seat of Lopirigo (Paramount chief) the head of Madi Cultural Institution.

Amacha Goli, DailyExpress’ Bureau chief in West Nile and Board Member Media4All, Uganda brings to you the profiles of the five chiefs who have confirmed their interest in vying for the coveted position of the Lopirigo of Madi Cultural Institution.

The Interim Lopirigo of Madi Opi Drani Stephen Izakare.

The Interim Paramount Chief Opi Drani Stephen Izakare chief of the Palanyua clan, would not disclose details of his academic profile to our reporter. Still, sources close to his throne reveal that during his primary school days, he was among the devoted parishioners of Kampala Miracle Centre it was from there that a foster parent from England identified him and took them to England for further spiritual nurturing.

He was elected in 2011 to serve for 5 years as interim Lopirigo of Madi. He assigned the task of revitalizing the Madi cultural Institution by preparing the ground for the election of a substantive Lopirigo an assignment he failed to accomplish and instead indulged in agendas targeting personality progress amidst further dissolute gaffes.

Opi Drani commands some degree of exposure based on his long spell in Europe and his cross-culture collaborations’ after he was elected in the executive committee of Africa Union (AU) Cultural Institutions Association.’

Opi Drani is the nephew of the first Lopirigo of Madi  Opi Izama Angelo of the Palanyua clan, following the constitutional amendment of 1963, that recognized other cultural institutions in Uganda, district councils were then instructed to ensure that each district has a paramount chief, and that was when Madi district council approved Izama Angelo as Lopirigo of Madi.

Izama Angelo is the father of the Supreme Court Judge Christopher Izama and the grandfather of former Daily Monitor journalist, now Board member of Uganda Investment Authority Izama Angelo.

Opi (Chief) Suru Simon Baru of Pakele Chiefdom.

The Chief of Pakile Chiefdom Opi Suru Simon Baru the VIII is 66 years old, he holds a diploma in Gender and Development with a summative wealth of working experience both in the government and private sector, he worked in the Uganda police force in the regime of president Idi Amin Dada.

After the fall of the government of President Amin, he joined civil service and briefly served as parish chief, he was elevated to the position of sub-county chief and deployed in the greater Pakele (Pakele sub-county, Pakele Town council, Ofua sub-county and Itirikwa sub-county), and then rose to the post of County chief and deployed in East Moyo County.

Opi Suru then joined politics and was elected the LCIII chairman of Ofua sub-county and upgraded to district local Councilor in the then Moyo district council, He left politics and joined refugees Operations serving as the deputy refugees desk officer OPM in Adjumani.

Back to politics and represented the people of Ofua Sub County in Adjumani district council before retiring to serve his subjects in Pakile Chiefdom when Madi Elders Forum led by Mama Angela Kaba (RIP) plotted the advocacy for the restoration of Madi Cultural Institution in 2010.

He participated in the pacification of Apaa conflict when he was named a member of the Madi peace team that was headed by the former prime minister Hon. Rukuhana Rugunda the team successfully completed the task assigned to them and handed over the report to President Yoweri Museveni.

He is married to a Madi woman with a number of children who are actively involved in their own capacities in the development of the district and Uganda.

Opi (Chief) Avuku Simon Kutulungu 1V of Metu Li.

After the death of Chief of Metu Li, Daniel Kutulungu III, there was a vacuum which was recently filled by Opi Avuku Simon Kutulungu the IV, he was installed by a council of Pamujo Elders on June 22, 2024, in a low-key ceremony that was witnessed by the Moyo assistant RDC Mr. Julius Nyerere.

Opi Avuku Kutulungu IV, went to the prestigious Kings College Buddo for his Advanced Level secondary education and joined Makerere University where he obtained a degree in Social Works and Social Administration (SWASA).

Opi Avuku secured his first job with New Vision Printing and Publishing Corporations (Vision Group) as principal administrative officer serving for 10 years, a task he handled dedicatedly and with an excellent record.

 He decided to return home and joined local government as town clerk, Moyo town council. He made some strides in the development of Moyo Town Council, he laid the foundation for the construction of the current office complex. For reasons he could not disclose, Opi Avuku left Moyo town council after serving for 5 years.

Opi Avuku was engaged by the National Insurance Corporation (NIC) and held the position of Manager of Administration for 10 years, Opi Avuku is 58 years old, a family man, married to a Muganda lady and happily settled with children.

The reigning Palaro Clan chief, Opi Zackary Beka.

The reigning Palaro clan Chief Opi Beka Zachary was born on  November 5, 1956. He is a clan chief who has been in the spotlight of Madi Cultural Institution, In January 2024, he invited Gen.Muhoozi Kainerugba (MK) for his installation ceremony but MK was represented by Kitgum woman MP Hon.Lilian Aber, the minister of state for relief in Office of Prime Minister.

Opi Zackary is a product of Lodonga TTC(PTC), graduating as a grade II teacher, his first assignment was in Odu Primary school in Pakele sub-county in the present-day Itirikwa sub-county where he had a very brief stint and later forsaken the profession.

 He later pursued a diploma in stores management during his 12 years stint as a fuel clerk with LWF and AAH both Implementing partners of UNHCR, During his tenure as fuel clerk, he maintained a glaring record until his contract ran out in 2007, Opi Zackary is amongst the visibly few well to do chiefs in Madi sub-region as he is overseeing a huge chunk of land and a reasonable herd of cattle.

Opi Akuti Moses Chokiri Debele IV of Adropi Elu clan.

The towering Opi Akuti Moses Chokiri Debele was born on May 18, 1964, he attended his elementary education at Biyaya primary school in Adjumani town council and could not advance till the opportunity presented after joining the Born Again churches.

Opi Chokiri attended theology school of the African Ministry in Entebbe in 2003-4 and attained a diploma in Theological studies.

He was elected treasurer of the Association of born again churches in Adjumani a position he held for 7 years before taking up the call to lead the people of the Adropi Elu clan.

Opi Chokiri is a farmer and a soft-spoken public speaker whose inspirational public speaking is in the epoch where most of the leaders in our country and Madi sub-region indulge in irrational and non-inspiring public communication.

The Madi people have been without a Cultural Institution for about 50 years after the government banned all cultural Institutions in the country following the 1966 Buganda crisis during the tenure of President Milton Obote.

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