Dr JOHN KIGOZI NSIBAMBI, the last surviving member of the famous Nsibambi family that includes former premier Apolo Nsibambi, passed on last week and was buried on June 28. Dr Martin M. Lwanga looks back at his illustrious life.
Following the May 24, 1966 attack on the Lubiri palace of Sir Edward Muteesa, one of the first people he ran to was Simeone Nsibambi, one of the pioneers of the born-again movement who sheltered him briefly before Mutesa found his way to Burundi, and make his escape to Britain.
Simeone and his wife Eva Bakalubo had 12 children that included Janet Nakku, Phillip, John and Apolo, among others. When John was at was at King's College Budo, among his classmates were Mayanja Nkangi, later to become Buganda's Prime Minister and a Central government minister, and Abu Mayanja, later to become a founding father of the nationalist movement in Uganda, Buganda government minister and once Prime Minister of Uganda.
John carried some of his father's leadership qualities and, at Budo, was appointed a prefect. When the eighth born child of Eve and Simeone, joined the school, called Apolo, everyone could notice a lot of his father in him.
He was highly organized, a strict timekeeper, and very forthright. Like his father, he was appointed head prefect. John left Budo to study medicine at the London University, which had an extension at Makerere University. After graduating as one of the early African medical doctors in East Africa, following his specialist studies in UK, he returned and joined Mulago hospital.
These early African Mulago doctors were highly exceptional individuals who all excelled in their specialties. For example, to cite a few, there was Jovan Kiryabwire, who had studied in Britain to return home and become the first African neurosurgeon in East and Central Africa.
There was Sebasatian Kyalwaazi, who would become the first African surgeon in the region too. For John he was a dermatologist, certainly one of the first in the region, just as well. A young doctor fresh from Britain was easily an eligible bachelor.
Unlike some of his brothers, like Ezekiel Kimanje the fifth born who had become a famous journalist, or the vivacious Pilkington Sengendo, ninth born, who became a professor of art, John was much quieter. According to a story told to me by my Aunt, Lillian Binaisa Mukwaya, after noticing he was single and seeking, "I decided to connect John to Solome!"
Solome Nabulya was the beautiful daughter of Taata muto (Uncle) Bulasio Mukasa Kavuma, a leading Buganda government official, Omuwanika ( Chief of the Treasury). A little while back Solome had returned from her studies in Britain. She had something in common with John. She was a nurse.
The arrangement hit off. In 1961, John and Solome, were joined hands in marriage at Namirembe, their parents on both side witnessing the event. The couple were soon blessed with three children: daughters Rose Nanteza and Gertrude Zawedde; and a son, who was named after his grandfather, Simeone.
In the 1970s following the breakdown of Uganda's medical infrastructure the family was forced out into exile. They moved to Kenya and Ethiopia but their heart was ever in Uganda. After the fall of Amin, in the 1980s, John returned home, with the family, but this time decided to set up a private clinic, that specialized in skincare.
Osler Clinic, based at Namirembe, became renowned for treating skin disease. Many children taken there suffering from seemingly incurable ailments, like eczema, were amazed, at how through Dr Nsibambi's skillful hands the pain of their skin was relieved.
He normally sat behind a desk and calmly kept receiving patients through the day. In an adjacent room sat Solome, eager to assist. The two were inseparable. Early one morning in 2018 Solome, called me with the sad news that Zawedde had passed on while in UK.
In the evening I went to attend prayers in the very home where Simeone and Eve had once sheltered Kabaka Mutesa. At that meeting the brethren gathered could not help but express some of their joy at a rather difficult moment. In attendance was also Apolo, who after a long exciting academic career culminating as a Professor of political science, had just retired as Prime Minister of Uganda, and lived across the road.
"John and Solome we are all grieved at the death of your beloved daughter," Zebuloni Kabazi the leader of the fellowship said. "But there is something I want to say here."
Although he had as a little boy confessed salvation in Christ, somewhere, John had backslid. Apolo, too, who had also confessed salvation in Christ, as a little boy, somewhere, had also backslid. But then over time John had recommitted his life to Christ.
A few years back Apolo had returned to the fold.
"For a long time, the Balokole fellowship used to pray for both of you John and Apolo to know Jesus personally as Lord and Savior. We could not imagine that the fellowship your father founded could be true to itself without you being there.
In fact, our hearts were always heavy without seeing any of you. Always we had seats reserved for you. But we are now gratified that you the heir of Simeone and the former Prime Minister of Uganda are all members of the Balokole. How we praise God!"
The service broke into the old revival song, "Tukutendereza Yesu!"
Although devastated by the loss of their daughter, John and Solome, now in their eighties continued to work side by side, at their Osler Clinic. But early one morning of 3rd December 2019, Solome awoke feeling chest pains. John rushed her to Nsambya hospital and she was admitted. But then, suddenly, she passed on.
At Solome's funeral service at Namirembe, John, shaken, wondered aloud, how he was going to cope without his wife of 58 years. He lost the energy to continue on with his clinic and, at 89, the calm skin doctor who was still in high demand closed shop, and quietly retired to his home in Bulange.
With his son Simeone far away in the US, Rose, who was based in UK, decided to relocate, to attend to her ailing father. His health weak, in September 2020, John received a blow when his eldest sister Janet, passed on in the US, where she had since relocated to be near her son, the famous musician Samite Mulondo.
Out of the 12 children of Eve and Simeone, John was now the only one living. On Saturday, June 26th, 2021, at about 3 pm, John, slipped away, in the very house where Simeone and Eve would once gladly receive the brethren from all over Uganda and the world to strengthen them in their faith journey.
It was an end of a great chapter. And knowing the faith of all those who passed through that house, who had gone ahead, there is no doubt there are all now singing praise, "Tukudereze Yesu!"
The writer is Associate Professor of Management, Uganda Christian University, Mukono.
Source
