The final farewell to Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV on Saturday, 12th September, will be governed not only by a Christian burial service, but also by a series of ancient Babiito rituals that will determine how the late king is laid to rest and how the next Omukama emerges.
The late Omukama Oyo 34, who died nearly 31 years after ascending the throne in 1995 on 12th September, will be buried at the Karambi Royal Tombs along the Fort Portal-Kasese Road, the traditional burial ground for Tooro’s kings.
Oyo will be the fourth King to be buried at Karambi Royal Tombs, with past kings including David Kyebambe Kasagama, Sir George David Kamurasi Rukidi III, Patrick Mathew Kaboyo Olimi II and now Omukama Oyo.
His burial will mark the end of his reign and, according to the Babiito clan, will also form part of the traditional process through which his successor is identified and protected ahead of enthronement.
Mr Moses Musinguzi, spokesperson for the Babiito clan and a member of the communication committee under the office of Omujwera Musuuga, says the burial will be conducted according to rituals that have been passed down through generations.
He says although a church service will be held at St John’s Cathedral in Fort Portal, the burial itself at the royal tombs will be guided primarily by traditional rituals.
‘The burial will be governed by rituals. It will not only be a church service. The church will play its part, but after the service, the body will be taken to Karambi Royal Tombs, where the traditional rituals will take place,’ Mr Musinguzi says.
From Karuziika Palace to Karambi
The late king’s body, which was returned to Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal on 4th September after his death abroad, has been inside the palace for nine days of mourning and traditional observances.
On the burial day, which will be the ninth day [Saturday] of mourning, the body will leave Karuziika Palace at 8:15 am and be taken to St John’s Cathedral for the church service, which, according to organisers, will begin at 9 am.
He said after the service, the procession will continue to Karambi Royal Tombs, where the body referred to traditionally as Omuguta, will be taken into the royal burial grounds known as Gasani.
Mr Musinguzi says the head of the ritualists, known as Omusuuna, will lead the traditional team responsible for the rituals at Karambi.
As the procession approaches the gate of Gasani [house], a carefully prescribed exchange will take place between Omusuuna and the person responsible for the royal tombs, also known as Katikiro of Gasani.
The nine calls at the royal gate
According to Mr Musinguzi, Omusuuna will call the name of the person in charge of the royal tombs and identify himself and request permission to enter with the body of the late king.
The call will be repeated nine times.
‘The Omusuuna, together with other ritualists, will come with the body of the King. When they reach the Gasani gate, he will call the name of the Prime Minister [Katikiro of Gasani], who takes charge of the royal tombs. He will introduce himself, but he will not respond nine times,’ Mr Musinguzi says.
He says Omusuuna will continue identifying himself and declaring that he has arrived with the body of Omukama Oyo and is seeking permission to enter Gasani for the burial.
Only on the ninth call will permission be granted.
The repeated use of nine is significant in Tooro’s traditional practices and will again feature prominently in the burial and succession rituals.
Church and tradition meet
The burial will also bring together Christian and traditional elements.
Mr Musinguzi says church leaders will enter Gasani and pray while the body is placed near the prepared grave, known as Iziba.
After the prayers, however, the clergy and members of the public will leave the area.
This will allow the ritualists to perform private ceremonies that, according to the Babiito, are not meant for public viewing.
‘The church leaders will be there. They will pray inside the Gasani as the body is near the grave. After that, they will leave and go back outside to allow the ritualists to perform other rituals which are not for the public,’ he says.
Inside the royal grave
The grave where Omukama Oyo will be laid to rest will already have been prepared before the burial ceremony.
Mr Musinguzi says the grave has two levels. The upper section measures approximately six feet by six feet, while the lower section is where the king’s body will be placed.
It is at this point, he says, that the burial ritual will also intersect with the succession of the Tooro throne.
After the clergy leaves, Mr Musinguzi says Omujwera Musuuga will bring the prince who is expected to succeed the late king. The prince will receive nine coffee beans from Omusuuna.
He will then place the beans into the grave one by one.
Mr Musinguzi says the act symbolises the prince participating in the burial of the king before assuming the throne.
‘At this stage, the church leaders will leave, and Musuuga will get the prince who will become the new king. He will be given nine coffee beans by Omusuuna, and he will put them in the grave one by one as a sign of burying the king,’ he says.
After this ritual, the prince and other members of the ceremony will leave the area, with only the ritualists remaining to perform ceremonies that are not open to the public.
The grave will later be covered by people selected for the task.
The burial that doubles as a succession ritual
The most significant part of the ceremony, according to Mr Musinguzi, is what happens to the prince after he participates in the burial.
He says the prince who performs the ritual burial will automatically become the new Omukama in the traditional sense, although the public enthronement will come later.
Immediately after leaving the royal tombs, Mr Musinguzi says Omujwera Musuuga will hand the new king-in-waiting to his maternal uncle.
The maternal uncle will take him to a private and undisclosed place where he will remain until the day of his coronation.
‘According to traditional rituals, Musuuga hands him over to his maternal uncle. He offers much protection because he is the king-in-waiting, and we don’t expect anything bad to happen to him because he is going to be enthroned,’ Mr Musinguzi says.
The protection is intended to shield the king-in-waiting during the sensitive period between the burial and the formal enthronement.
Mr Musinguzi says those who witness the prince being handed over to his maternal uncle will understand that he is the person destined to become the next Omukama.
But the Babiito will not hold a conventional press conference to announce the new king.
Nine more days before enthronement
Traditionally, the burial of a king, known as Okutabaza, is followed by another period of rituals and preparations before the new king is enthroned.
Mr Musinguzi says tradition provides for an additional nine days after the burial during which preparations for the enthronement are undertaken.
However, he says the Babiito may consider adjusting the timetable because the kingdom has already spent considerable time in mourning since Oyo’s death.
‘Traditionally, after the burial of the king, Okutabaza, they are supposed to spend an additional nine days preparing for the enthronement of the king. But the Babiito may decide to make changes because people have already spent many days mourning. Changes can be considered, and a new date for the coronation can be set,’ he says.