As it drew close to 2:30pm on the overcast Wednesday afternoon of 14th September 2011, the skies opened up and down came the rain!

As it drew close to 2:30pm on the overcast Wednesday afternoon of 14th September 2011, the skies opened up and down came the rain!

The dark clouds rumbled on as the unrelenting rain pounded, and the runoff gathered volume and pace, sweeping all that could be carried along with it down the roads.

The rain was indeed nature’s befitting stamp of approval on Makerere University’s decision to honour the late Professor Margaret Macpherson, who retired in 1981, after 36 years of dedicated service.

A picture of the smiling Prof. Macpherson projected on the chapel walls greeted celebrants as they made their way into cold St. Francis Chapel for the memorial service, the look in her eye warmly reassuring them that all was well.

The Vice Chancellor Professor Venansius Baryamureeba welcomed all present to the service and noted that as Makerereans, we were indeed all great beneficiaries of the Macpherson legacy, in light of the great literary personalities like; Ngugi wa Thiongo, Robert Serumaga, Byron Kawadwa, Timothy Wangusa, Micere Mugo, and others she helped mentor.

In his remarks, the Chief Guest, former Prime Minister of Uganda, and first Non-President Chancellor of Makerere University the Right Honourable Apollo Nsibambi warmed up the gathering with his satirical speech, complete with names of formerly naughty students of the late professor and how her effective communication skills often managed to successfully capture their attention.

He further charged the academic staff to emulate Prof. Macpherson by remaining accessible, adding useful comments on the scripts of students they assessed, conducting research and publishing those findings.

Guests, who included former two-time Vice Chancellor, Prof. William Senteza Kajubi, were thereafter hosted to a reception at the Makerere University Guest House where they had the chance to further interact and share pleasant memories of the Late Professor Margaret Macpherson.

Downloads

Remarks by the Chief Guest Rt. Hon. Prof. Apolo Nsibambi: doc, pdf, ps

Remarks by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba: doc, pdf, ps 

The Memorial Service and reception were organized by The Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Prof. Lillian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza, The Principal-College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Prof. Oswald Ndoleriire, The Dean-School of Languages, Literature and Communication, Dr. Ernest Okello-Ogwang, Prof. Arthur Gakwandi, Sr. Dr. Dominic Dipio, Assoc. Prof. Abasi Kiyimba, Dr. Susan Kiguli-Department of Literature, Dr. Patrick Mangeni, Chair-Department of Performing Arts, and The Acting Senior Public Relations Officer, Ms. Ritah Namisango.

mwamai@admin.mak.ac.ug, Public Relations Office