General
Tribute to Prof. Livingstone S. Luboobi: Servant leader, Mentor, Father Figure and Role Model
Professor Livingstone Sserwadda Luboobi, on 16th July 2025, you have completed your earthly journey, and you are returning to the Almighty God, your creator. It is very painful to lose you, my mentor and role model. I will find solace in your impactful legacy. I am comforted that you will live on, through the countless lives that you touched, inspired and mentored at the national and international levels.
To God be the glory, for a life well lived (25th December 1944 to 16th July 2025). A genuine human being with a pure heart. A life of good works to humanity filled with simplicity, empathy, love, respect, generosity, wise counsel and guidance, and compassion. You have been a true embodiment of the scripture in Matthew 22:39, love your neighbor as yourself.
Professor Luboobi, you were one of a kind. You have been God’s perfect gift to humanity. A very intelligent and distinguished mathematician who served as the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University from 2004 to 2009. You believed that every individual had a contribution to make in the transformation of Makerere University. I am grateful to God that I met you in the course of my academic journey, a blessing that presented me with a rich and rewarding experience that solidified my career path.
Meeting Greatness
Reflecting on my career and life journey (2004 to date), I was blessed to work with Professor Luboobi during his tenure as Vice Chancellor. I met Professor Luboobi in 2004, when I was a student pursuing a Bachelor of Mass Communication degree at Makerere University. It was in the morning hours, as he headed to the Office of the Vice Chancellor, walking along that path of the then Faculty of Arts to the Main Building. I was coming out of a lecture at the Faculty of Arts, and rushing to catch another lecture at the Faculty of Social Sciences.
A few months earlier, I had read about him as the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University in one of the newspapers. When I glanced at him walking along the same path, he stopped, and greeted me with a smile. I responded to the greeting. After the greeting, I became speechless. He volunteered to continue the conversation, with a question, “Which course are studying at the University?” I responded-Bachelor of Mass communication. And in a minute, he passed on a word of counsel, enjoy your studies and remember to read and excel. I was meeting him for the first time, but he used that minute to pass on words of wisdom. I was filled with joy that I had met and greeted the Vice Chancellor, and little did I know, that I one day, I would work directly under him.
As luck would determine, the then Public Relations Officer of Makerere University, Ms. Helen Nanteza Kawesa joined the Department of Mass Communication to teach one of the course units. Ms. Nanteza Kawesa assigned us work, and I scored 29 out of 30 in the coursework. After the lecture, she requested to meet that particular student who had scored that mark. I interacted with her, and later, I was presented with an opportunity to join Makerere University Public Relations Office for internship.
When I reached the Public Relations Office, I was introduced to the staff in the Office of the Vice Chancellor. Ms. Nanteza Kawesa also introduced me to the Vice Chancellor as a student intern who was joining the Public Relations Office. He was seated in his Chair, but he stood up, shook my hand, and with a smile, welcomed me to the Office of the Vice Chancellor. He said: “You are going to add value to the Office of the Vice Chancellor.” I felt so nice and empowered.
The following morning, Professor Luboobi presented to me a note in his very nice hand-writing: “I am certain that you are that little girl, I once met and interacted with briefly at the Faculty of Arts as I headed to my office. I did not know that a year later, you would join the Office of the Vice Chancellor, I am extremely pleased that you have joined the Public Relations Office for internship. Feel free through your immediate supervisor to participate in every activity or program undertaken by the Office.”
I read that note a number of times, and I would recall, the phrase from the Vice Chancellor, assuring me that I was going to add value to the Office. He was a source of inspiration.
During my internship, I observed that Professor Luboobi was very intelligent, but down to earth. He embodied the true qualities of a servant leader. He was people-centred and inclusive. In the staff meetings, Professor Luboobi was always calm. He accorded his staff and the student intern, an opportunity to contribute ideas on the different topics or issues that were being discussed. He was a principled and exemplary leader. He was honest and a person with the highest degree of integrity and morality. He was a team player, and he exercised an open door policy. In his presence, we felt safe, valued and respected. He believed in the team that he led, and presented each member of staff with an opportunity to shine.
Professor Luboobi appreciated the contribution of his staff. There was cohesion and we felt a great sense of belonging. As I completed my internship, I was strongly convinced that in Professor Luboobi, I had met a father figure and role model. He closely monitored my academic performance, and I knew that I had no room not to excel.
On completion of my studies, I felt that I should return to the Public Relations Office to volunteer as I applied for jobs in other organisations. When the PRO presented my request, Professor Luboobi was very receptive. When I graduated, he presented me with a card, in his neat hand-writing, congratulating me upon my academic achievement. He gifted me with a simple, but classic present that I hold dear up to this day. He also contributed a generous package towards my graduation party.
During his tenure as Vice Chancellor, I was in position to serve as a student intern, volunteer, and Administrative Assistant.
He enhanced my leadership abilities. In one of the interactions, he disclosed to me that over time, he had observed that I was gifted with leadership abilities. I informed him that I had been a leader from nursery, primary and throughout my secondary school level education. He looked at me with a smile, and then said, “you are now going to be a leader guiding the Vice Chancellor, and your ideas will matter.” I looked at him, trying to understand what he exactly meant.
He assigned me tasks that enabled me to understand and appreciate the role of a Vice Chancellor. He said: “I am going to present you with an assignment.” If you became the Vice Chancellor today, what issues would you focus on? What issues or current practices would you wish to change? He requested that I should return with the written report the next morning. I have vivid memories of this assignment, I spent long hours at night, to ensure that I do not disappoint. In the morning, I walked into his office. He listened to my ideas as he took notes. After my presentation, he thanked me for contributing such wonderful ideas, and he gave me some chocolates. A week after, he convened a meeting for the staff in the Office of the Vice Chancellor, he shared those ideas with them. He then requested each member to provide his or her input. Thereafter, he organized a retreat off campus, for members of staff in his office, to provide more ideas on building strong systems within the Office of the Vice Chancellor.
He presented me with opportunities that grounded me in my career path: In office, he would ensure that the mandated office executes its work. He respected systems and worked within the hierarchy.
However, outside of the office, when his personal friends reached out to him to identify a person excellent in public relations and communications, he would strongly recommend me.
He nurtured my strategic planning potential: After some months, he assigned me another task. “I am working on the Strategic Plan for the University. It is going to be a consultative and participatory process. However, a leader does not go to a strategic meeting without any sense of direction. I have my ideas of what should be in the strategic plan, and I would like you to provide your ideas as a recent graduate of Makerere University, who has served as a student intern and volunteer in the Office of the Vice Chancellor.
“You are the first person that I am presenting this task with. After your submission, I will engage the members of staff in the Office the Vice Chancellor, Deans and Directors, and other stakeholders.”
I felt exceedingly humbled and challenged at the same time. To be sincere, at that time, I had never come across any strategic planning document. Sensing that I was overwhelmed, he said, let me simplify the task in form of a question. “What would you like Makerere University to be in the next five years? or What would be your vision for Makerere University in the next five years?”
When I went to his office the next day, he presented me with his strategic plan working document. He told me to read and critique it. I will never forget this experience!
I did not feel bold and grounded enough. In a very calm tone, he looked at me straight in the eye, and requested me to give it a try and critique it. Since he would listen to our opinions or ideas, I suggested to him that I felt that fellow Professors or Senior academics would critique his work. He welcomed the idea and he requested me to provide the names of the Professors or Senior academics that I thought would critique his work. I provided five (5) names and he wrote them down. Professor Luboobi said, you have presented me with a team of experts and I will involve them at the next stage.
However, I have a team leader in front of me, gifted with the knowledge of identifying a team of experts, I would like such a person to critique my work. I must acknowledge that this was not a simple task, but I read his document and I provided my input.
He also requested for my written report about my vision of Makerere University. After reading it, he informed me that he had selected some ideas that would enrich his working draft. He convened a meeting involving the Professors or Senior academics that I had proposed as his team of experts and all the staff in the Office of the Vice Chancellor to enrich the strategic plan working document. Thereafter, he requested the Planning and Development Department to organize a retreat bringing onboard leaders of the different academic, administrative and research units to contribute ideas to the strategic plan of the University.
At the level of Administrative Assistant, Professor Luboobi mentored me, to understand and appreciate the roles of a Vice Chancellor, he involved me in key critical decision making processes, he nurtured my strategic planning potential; he linked me with experts in the different disciplines for mentorship; he entrusted me with managing team-building engagements in the Office of the Vice Chancellor, to mention, but a few.
Over the years, I have served as Communication Officer, Senior Public Relations Officer, and Principal Public Relations Officer of Makerere University.
The team in the Public Relations Office, will forever hold dear Professor Luboobi’s visionary leadership that streamlined the public relations function within the University. During his tenure as Vice Chancellor, Professor Luboobi championed the recruitment of more staff in the Public Relations Office, bringing on board Corporate Affairs, Web management, Branding and Marketing experts. By providing this strategic direction, he significantly contributed to the visibility of Makerere University at the national and global arena.
He was truly called to the teaching profession. He loved his work and served people with distinction and humility. He was selfless, dedicated and committed to duty throughout his life. He generously shared his vast knowledge and skills with humanity.
He was humane. He espoused the most important ethos of a true human being. He lived the ‘Obuntu’ style. In Luganda, ‘abadde musajja omuntumulamu, omwetowaze era ow’empisa.’
Professor Luboobi, I will forever remain eternally grateful to God that I crossed your path. You will always remain my mentor and role model. Thank you for impacting my life positively. Fare-thee-well.
Ritah Namisango is the Principal Public Relations and Communication Specialist at Makerere University.
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