ALEBTONG/LIRA – In a heartfelt display of reverence for the aged, Emmy Joe Odongo, the clan head of Okii Raki okwero Coboro, embarked on a symbolic journey on Tuesday to visit two elderly community members, underscoring his message that senior citizens deserve constant care and attention.
The clan chief first travelled to Ojul A village, Ojul parish in Awei sub-county, Alebtong district, where he met Sidonia, a woman who once served as a personal security guard for the late clan head Apollo Aliro. In a quiet ceremony at her homestead, Odongo sat with Sidonia, listened to her memories of protecting the former leader, and praised her selfless service.
“She guarded our late clan head with her life. That courage must never be forgotten,” Odongo said. “Today, I came not as a leader but as a son to show love.”
Later in the evening, Odongo proceeded to Apwotic village, Abongorwot parish in Agali sub-county, Lira district, to visit John Onyang, 96. Frail but sharp of mind, Onyang received the clan head seated outside his mud-and-wattle home, surrounded by a small gathering of family members.
Speaking , Onyang recalled the clan’s history and blessed Odongo’s leadership.
“The elderly are our living archives and our moral compass,” Odongo told reporters after the visits. “They must be taken good care of and always visited – not only during festivities or crises, but as a regular practice of love.”
Community members who gathered at both stops applauded the initiative, saying it was rare for a sitting clan head to make personal house calls to ordinary elders.
Odongo concluded by urging other leaders, both cultural and political, to prioritise regular visits to the aged, adding that “respect for elders is the foundation of any strong society.”
