The Namasagali Old Students Association (NOSA) has immortalized the indelible legacy of their founding visionary, the Late Sir Rev Fr Damien Grimes MBE, with the consecration of a magnificent mausoleum at Namasagali Chapel grounds in Kamuli.
The solemn ceremony served as a powerful call to Old Students to rally behind the revival of the college and build upon Fr. Grimes’ transformative dreams.
The event, which saw the gathering of prominent alumni and dignitaries, also witnessed the raising of UGX 20 million in cash and pledges towards the construction of a new Administration Block for Namasagali College, signaling a renewed commitment to the institution’s future.
The newly consecrated mausoleum is a splendid architectural marvel, adorned with expensive exterior and interior finishing tiles. Its tomb features sharp V designs in the rear and a distinctive slating roof at the entrance, all meticulously incorporating Sacred Catholic Church colors throughout the interior.
Described as full of divine inspiration, care, and reverence, the structure is envisioned to become both a religious and education tourism site, where current and future generations can visit to recall the immense works and countless lives Fr. Grimes touched.
Maureen Mwagale, the chairperson of NOSA, spoke passionately about the genesis of the mausoleum’s design. “Knowing how controversial Fr. Grimes was and aware that the dead are not dead, NOSA sought a design befitting Fr. Grimes’ resting place in the land he loved, surrounded by people whose lives he touched,” Mwagale explained.
She revealed that three architectural designs were presented, and Fr. Grimes, through what old students believe was a spiritual affirmation, chose one “with a beaming smile, symbolism of victory, and river Nile symbolism added for his soul to be eternal and his legacy to live forever.”
“Today we gather not just to unveil a building but to consecrate a legacy – a testament to a life lived in service, love, and unwavering dedication to the people of Uganda,” Mwagale stated. “It is heartwarming that we have created such a magnificent eternal home for him, approved by himself.”
Mwagale emphasized that the mausoleum transcends mere stone and mortar; it is a “living legacy that will endure for generations to come,” from which Fr. Grimes’ teachings and boundless compassion will forever echo.
“It stands as an unshakable monument to his life’s time, regardless of what changes time will bring,” she added, charging the alumni to “guard this sacred sanctuary with the same devotion that Fr. Grimes showed to us all in this hallowed earth, and make it a place where love, service, and sacrifice converge in eternal remembrance.”
Adding to its profound significance, the repatriation of Fr. Grimes’ body to Namasagali is a historic first. It defies the directives of the Mill Hill Missionaries congregation, which typically stipulates that a priest be buried where death finds him. For his devoted students and fanbase, who find strength in the school motto, “Strive regardless,” the “Bloody Lion” is merely sleeping, his spirit ever-present.
The consecration was graced by the First Deputy Prime Minister, Rebecca Kadaga, who lauded the Old Students for honoring their “founding Hero, Father, and Mentor” with such a lasting legacy. “He lives in peace, harmony, and smiles at his death wish home,” she remarked.
Uganda’s Ambassador to Moscow and former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Moses Kawaluuko Kizige, used the occasion to remind the alumni of their cardinal role to carry on the virtues, values, and principles of Fr. Grimes’ Sunday “Life Safety and Welfare Lecture.”
He stressed the importance of protecting one another, reconciliation, oneness, and living in harmony, warning that any deviation would invoke Fr. Grimes’ menacing warning: “a lion is a lion, even in its sleep.”
Ambassador Kizige, himself a distinguished alumnus who served as Deputy Lord High Reeve, House Captain, Athletics Captain, School Choir Leader, Master of Traditional Dance Drums, and Star Footballer, also took the touching moment to publicly reconcile with Kadaga, a former Lord High Reeve in her time.
He urged them to work together “regardless of differences to champion Namasagali revival and NRM Party protection of gains,” under Fr. Grimes’ protective spirit of family harmony.
The legacy of the Late Sir Rev Fr Damien Grimes MBE, who brilliantly headed Namasagali College between 1967 and 2000, nurturing most of today’s prominent figures who contribute significantly in Uganda and the diaspora, has indeed been concretized with this powerful act of remembrance and commitment.
Namasagali Elevated to Parish Status
The unveiling of the mausoleum marked another significant milestone for the chapel where Fr. Grimes often prayed mass with his students. In a bid to uphold the religious legacy, the Bishop of Busoga Diocese, Rev Charles Martin Wamika, elevated Namasagali Catholic sub-center to Parish level earlier this year.
Rev John Fisher Nyiiro, the newly appointed Parish Priest, announced that following the decree, the Catholic congregation, the Mill Hill Missionaries Fathers in the UK, and well-wishers have already embarked on the construction of a new parish complex.
This expansive complex is set to feature a bigger chapel, as well as residences for the parish priest and a sisters’ convent, further solidifying Namasagali as a spiritual and educational beacon.
