By Mark Wamai
On the afternoon of the Makerere@90 Celebrations held on 3rd August 2013, I together with a small team had the privilege of sitting down with a musical magnate and composer of the Makerere University Anthem, Mr. Grace Wilson Igaga Mutekanga for a brief interview.
Mr. Mutekanga receives a dummy cheque from the then Chancellor, Prof. Mondo Kagonyera at the Makerere@90 Celebrations.
Still starstruck by the man who only moments ago had received a befitting award for composing Makerere’s timeless anthem, the most intelligible thing I could ask when given the opportunity was “Do you own any musical equipment? Which one is your favourite?” Without missing a beat, he had responded “Voice”, before bursting into hearty laughter.
“You heard my voice didn’t you?” Mr. Mutekanga had teased, before confidently adding “It is a good voice. Even as a student, I majored in voice. Voice is a very common instrument and usually lots of school administrators want people who have got a voice and then the others (musical talents) are added.” Such was the confidence that Mutekanga, who passed on, on 16th August, had.
Early life and finding music
Mutekanga was born on 29th June, 1943 in Bubula Village, Kamuli District to Daudi Kintu Mutekanga, a very big chief, and Erina Babyale Mutekanga. Growing up, he had great admiration for his father because everyone knelt before him and he had capacity to provide for his large family. Thanks to the opulence that came with being a chief, the home collection of recordings exposed him to music as a child whereupon he developed a love for classical music, which he found touching.
His educational journey began at Naminage and Mwiri Primary Schools from 1951 to 1956, where he completed his Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE). He qualified to join Busoga College Mwiri, which he attended from 1957 to 1962, earning his O-Level Certificate. It was while at Mwiri that he first got introduced to the piano and other musical instruments, thanks to the violinist headmaster Mr. F.G. Coates, who eventually gave Mutenkaga his first violin.
Mr. Mutekanga shakes hands with H.E Mwai Kibaki the former Kenyan president at the Makerere@90 Celebrations in 2013.
For his A-Level, Mutekanga attended Makerere College School, where to his great delight he found so many teachers and students who were musically inclined. So intimate was Makerere College’s relationship with music that the headteacher, Mr. Michael Sozi was the choirmaster and his deputy was deputy choirmaster. Additionally, the chemistry teacher started an orchestra while the physics teacher played band instruments and the American mathematics teacher upon arrival wrote home to his parents and they sent him a whole band of musical instruments. Soon, the government took note and gave special permission to the school to start teaching music. As such, a music teacher, Mr. Peter Cooke was recruited from Britain.
Thanks to Makerere College’s on-campus location, school concerts were held in the Main Hall at Makerere University, something that integrated the students into university life. So won over was he, that by the time Mutekanga joined Makerere to pursue a Bachelor of Arts (General), his interest was solely in music. Thankfully, the Ugandan government negotiated with the American government for a scholarship for him to go to the United States and pursue a bachelor’s degree in music, which he did at Heidelburg College Ohio from 1966 to 1969. He furthered his studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, from 1970 to 1971 thanks to Klaus Wachsmann, a professor of ethnomusicology – the study of music in its social and cultural contexts. Prof. Wachsmann was the first curator of the Uganda Museum, whose wife was the organist of Namirembe Cathedral. Mutekanga would later influence his students like Prof. Justinian Tamusuza to attend Northwestern University.
Star-studded career
Mutekanga’s career in education and music was distinguished and impactful. He began his professional journey at Olive-Hervey College in Chicago, USA, before returning to Uganda, where he served as a teacher and part-time lecturer at Makerere College School and the Department of Music, Dance, and Drama from 1971 to 1973. He was then snapped up by the late Adonia Tiberondwa as a music tutor at National Teachers College Kyambogo, where he later became the head of the Music Department from 1973 to 1975.
He continued to shape young minds as a lecturer at Makerere University's Department of Music, Dance, and Drama, and later at the School of Education from 1975 to 1988. Mutekanga also held leadership roles, such as Warden of Livingstone Hall and Principal of Bishop Willis Teacher’s College in Iganga from 1989 to 1995. His commitment to education culminated in his positions as Principal at Kabulasoke Teacher’s Training College and Director of the National Teachers College in Mubende from 1996 to 2003. He also served as Inspector of Schools in music, and later as music examiner at the East African Examination Council.
Composing the Makerere University anthem
Mutekanga compared musical composition to writing a novel or creating a piece of art, whereby certain tunes come up by inspiration. First, he took time to write down the words, which when he heard people sing so passionately, thought were God-inspired. Words complete, he sought the advice of a former classmate and colleague from the Department of Literature (Prof. Arthur Gakwandi), who used to excel at composition. Prof. Gakwandi’s response was all Mutekanga needed to hear, “As far as I am concerned, that is you.”
Words done, he set about developing the tune, which came in three sections. One he particularly wanted was fanfare, hence the “Makerere Makerere” and “We build for the Future, the great Makerere” bits. He then sought to add a military touch that would be easy for people, especially the student to remember, hence the “Great great and mighty the walls around thee, great great and mighty the gates besides thee” section. Thirdly, he sought to add a mellow bit, where he would preach to the listeners, and incorporated the “Do not forget, through all the years, those who have gone through the gates of Makerere. Give them the pride, give them the joy, Oh to remember the gates of Makerere” section.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice-Chancellor of Makerere University lays a wreath on Mr. Mutekanga's casket.
He also found it prudent to appeal to the mission of the university and added the “Those who here be, seek ye the truth” call. Finally, he sought to appeal to the internationality of the university and added the “From East and West, from North and South, all voices singing arise Makerere” proclamation.
Family and legacy
Mutekanga married his longtime friend Frances Katusabe Mutekanga on 14th June, 1975 in St. Andrews Church Jinja. Together they raised a large and loving family, including their children, Frida Basalirwa, Andrew Mutekanga, Isaac Igaga, Yonah Igaga, Erina Mutekanga, Jacob Bakibinga, Amos Igaga, Irene Namutebi, Matthews Igaga, and Patrick Ibembe.
Upon retiring in 2003, Mutekanga devoted himself to community development in Bufumba, Kamuli. He was deeply involved in church administration within the Church of Uganda and pursued his passion for agriculture, focusing on fruit cultivation. He was an avid reader, a film enthusiast, and a passionate gardener who found joy in cultivating flowers. His love for music was profound, and he often sang whenever the opportunity arose. He valued laughter and happiness and cherished his time with friends and family, always generous in sharing love and joy. His life was a testament to his deep commitment to education, music, and community, and he leaves behind a legacy that will be remembered for generations.
Mutekanga’s wish was to see more students learning the science of dance and choreography, and the discipline of writing dances on script using notes called labanotation. He also wished to see people take more serious interest in theatre and the area of film. His opinion was that young people who would like to get into the film industry need to be trained and guided on the need to approach it the academic way.
In appreciation of his timeless composition, Makerere University recognised Mutekanga during the Makerere@90 Grand Finale Celebrations on 3rd August, 2013. His dedication to music education was recognised by his peers, earning him an honorary award from the PHI Delta Kappa Chapter at Northwestern University.
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