Africa-Press – Uganda. Jolly and down to earth are the words that depict the character of James Willy Oboli, a veteran Fine Art teacher who died in a nasty road crash in Dokolo District on Sunday afternoon, aged 68.
Oboli, a famous former Fine Art teacher of Lira Town College and All Saints University, Lango, was pronounced dead on arrival at Lira Regional Referral Hospital on Sunday night.
The deceased was among several people who sustained severe injuries when one of the Lira City-bound passenger taxi’s front tyres burst, making its driver to lose control in Agwata Sub-county on Dokolo-Lira highway.
Other injured persons included Sara Apolot, 26; Tophy Acio, 32; Robinah Acen, 20; Lydia Akite, 37; Walter Edi, 27; and Elizabeth Atim, 24.
The driver of the ill-fated vehicle died on the spot.
Oboli, a resident of Alito Camp, Lira City West Division in Lira City, will be remembered for designing Lira and Gulu universities’ logos.
Mr Edwin Odur-Luru, a clan leader, who also studied with the deceased’s children, described the late Oboli as a humble and loving father.
“In his profession of Fine Art, he was a great artist in the entire northern Uganda,” Mr Odur-Luru said on phone yesterday.
The deceased left behind one wife, eight children and 15 grandchildren.
Oboli was born on September 26, 1955 in Agule Village, Murem Parish, Okile Sub-county in Kaberamaido District.
Users react on road crashes
Mr Mark Ogwok, a resident, said following the rampant road crashes, there is no need to pray. “No need to pray. We must act, what should be done must be done,” he said, observing that the status of Uganda’s road is pathetic.
“The roads are narrow, dark; trucks are parked on the road and no one seems to care who is driving. Engineers will come up with theories of human errors to justify small narrow footpaths which must be shared with large trailers,” he explained.
Ms Joyce Akello, a resident of Lira City, had earlier suggested: “We should start praying against the spirit of the accident.”
Dr Moses Michael Odongo Okune, the leader of Tekwaro Lango, appealed to the government to translate highway codes into local languages so that it can be used to intensify sensitisation of road users in a bid to curb the increasing cases of road crashes.
“Most of our road users have little knowledge on how to safely use the road because they were not sensitised in the language they understand better,” the former executive director of Uganda Road Fund (URF) said.
“As Tekwaro Lango, we call upon the government to partner with us to translate this book and educate our people using our cultural leadership that is always on the ground.”
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
