A correspondent for Acholi Times online news paper and also Mega Fm radio in Northern Uganda based in Gulu, Mr James Onono Ojok has authored a Poetry book titled “But My heart”.
The 103 paged book has a connected Poetic story from Part one to Part six.
Mr Onono said, “Working as a journalist since 2011 has been so great because I got some of the material for the book while moving out to the Field sourcing for news stories. I had time to listen to challenges of the young people who are just recovering from the brutality of the insurgency.”
The book dedicated to children born in the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) captivity mirrors the hard struggle of a Young man named Lee Bryant from a poor family background who tries to marry a girl of his dream (Joan Nigel) who comes from a rich Family.
In his view, Onono believes his writing is meant to challenge the youth in Northern Uganda not to undermine themselves since Bryant Lee, a character in the book who comes from a poor family had to work hard to see that he marries Joan Nigel a girl from a goldmine Family.
In his introductory remarks on the book “But my heart”, English Professor Mathew St Pierre of Simon Fraser University in Canada wrote.”This Poem is like an anti-Epithalamium, a pre-marital song of Lawino and song of Ocol, about class, station, and courtship. I like that he wrote it in Ugandan English extending back, I would say, to the tradition of Amos Tutuola, in Nigeria, notably in the Palm-wine drunkard and also because of its Epic existential theme”….
The book whose forward was written by Mr Ojara Martin Mapenduzi the Gulu district L.C V chairman also raises the issues of post war conflict challenges and civilization factors that have led to poor respect of Acholi traditional norms.
In his book, Onono portrays the importance of Acholi Culture especially when it comes to respecting the In-laws home where one is not supposed to shake hands with the mother in-law or even view the roof of her house.
“All these came to test with civilization because in “But my heart” the character named Lee Bryant was tempted to view the roof of his mother in-law’s house because of the television he was watching with his girl friend at his in-laws place, “Onono said.
He also said the book became a success through generous contribution from People Help People, a German Non Governmental Organization through support of Bernhard Wingerberg, the chairperson of the organization who liked the manuscript after realizing that some issues in the book alluded to the legendary “Bridge groom” tree in Germany that tells a story similar to the one of Bryant Lee and Joan Nigel all leading characters in “But my heart’
“Yeah he liked the fact that I had something about Germany in the story. It took him by surprise but I had read about” Bräutigamseiche” in senior 2 while still at Layibi college and when scripting the book I found it relevant to refer to it,” Onono said.
In page 13 and 14, he presented Fort Patiko as a tourism site in Northern Uganda where Lee tells Joan that he knew about Slavery through a story his mother passed to him.
….”Can you sing me a song you learned from City Bay School…?.”I will sing you the one we used to sing while going for physical education”. Slave –Slave-in America. Oh..!Working day-Day and night. Planting Sugar, Sugar and tea. When –I was in- in America. ”To the play ground, we would match with that tune. Surley we had physical education in our high school”. So hard for blacks who made it to the states. More civilized is your song about slavery. Mother told me, she talked of slavery in Acoliland. The Ajulu hill dwellers will never forget. The white the ancient Acoli saw. Sir…Samuel..Barker. The legendary Explorer who built fort Patiko. Historians seem to have forgotten it. His wife named daughter of the moon. Because of her beauty Ajulu hill dwellers gave her a name. ‘Anyaadwee’. sir Samuel barker .The man who stopped slavery in Acoli land. Was all I knew about slavery? You sounded so much a slave…”
Onono explains that being raised from Gulu, Northern Uganda the issues of the LRA conflict also became a serious concern in “But my heart” in part three.
‘‘Lying makes me dull’’, your home, how far is your home, am scared of my roots. I hate being an intruder, an intruder in your home, I hate war, I hate conflict, the bloodshed northerners had is fresh and needs nursing.”
The writer goes ahead to state in the book that he has seen commanders with horny hearts, seen people cooked in pots as measles made him useless for freedom quest but also asked a very serious question.”What is peace without truth, justice and reconciliation commission? All useless after all who did what and where?-
In part six, Onono asked Rhetorical questions about dozing Mps in Parliament, Onono also checked the level of democracy in the country in page 93
“Will the rock of order, the world Police, the Judiciary ,the executives, the Legislature, Pass, pass, pass a death sentence over a shout that there is no democracy in democracy. Will they?..
The chairman of Northern Uganda media club who loves to read, Mr. Moses Odokonyero says that he is a fun of books and likes any book which is well written without grammatical errors.
He says that the young generation can be able to relate to past and present scenarios experienced during the war from the booking noting that this is a very exciting piece and part of documentation of the war in northern Uganda.
Acholi paramount chief, Rwot David Onen Acana II while being handed a copy of “But my heart” last week on Wednesday said he is pleased that many young people are venturing in to writing which should bring back the glory of the Legendary Okot Pa Bitek among many other writers.
“I am honored to have this book, you have so far made me pleased but write more and more and tell the stories by yourself “Rwot Acana remarked.
He said many stories about northern Uganda are being published by western University students who come to the region to do their research yet Northerners can also publish exclusive stories about what happened in their region better.
Ms Hilda Twongyeirwe, the executive director of Femrite said they are proud of James onono after he won the 2008 Femrite poetry poster project award with his Poem” Lamunu my mother’ when he was still in S.5 at Gulu central High school.
Copies of “But My heart” can be obtained from Mega Fm reception, Northern Choice bookshop, Uganda museum in Kampala or Femrite offices in Kampala.
For door delivery or Bulky Purchase one can contact:+256-779705652.