Unveiling Masaka’s Monument Mystery: Lion Statues and Disregarded Heritage

 

Penned from #TheBalcony, this Article Debuted First on the Entebbe Post News Site.

Although the topic of discussion was eagerly anticipated by everyone, the assumption that someone else would take the initiative to start the conversation led to no one eventually addressing it. This situation pertains to the monuments placed at the entrance of Masaka city, affectionately referred to as “toto” or “welcome” based on one’s birth year in Masaka.

During my passage, I came across a lion statue positioned to welcome visitors to this remarkable town, which has now become a city. Curiously, I had never associated lions with Masaka before.

Putting the lion aside, I am interested in learning about the originator of the concept to install drums at the same location and the cultural significance these drums hold in Masaka. While there may have been local drum artisans in the vicinity, Masaka is not widely known for this aspect. When Masaka is mentioned, the first things that come to mind are its heritage of coffee cultivation and banana plantations, as celebrated in the song “Buddu owedda” by the esteemed artist Basudde.

It’s true that many might have expected to see a grasshopper, at the very least. Unfortunately, the individuals responsible for erecting the monuments seem to have disregarded this notion entirely, which is disheartening. Hence, I strongly encourage the native inhabitants to express their opinions on this matter.

Additionally, let’s delve into the topic of town name spellings on road signs. In which language were these names originally written? Have you noticed the spelling of “Nakayiba”? Surprisingly, people remain silent, observing without making any comments.

 

-CKW-