Auntie Margaret shall be truly missed by many people I have so many memories of her in my life. I can divide these into various seasons in my life as a child in primary school & As a teenager and young adult.
Auntie Margaret was one of my mothers best friends, our fathers worked in the same hospital, the Ssali residence was opposite our school and her daughter Christine was my classmate from P1to P7 and we always sat close to one another the entire time. These were factors that united the Ssali’s and Kanyerezi’s all those years ago and this is where the journey of auntie Margaret becoming a mother to us begun.
The numerous times we walked from school and went to the Ssali’s home cannot be counted. She would welcome us with her gentle voice, smile and warm embrace and we would quickly fall in line with the home routine being ushered by her to bathe, get changed, eat dinner and settle down on a long table where we would do our homework. She was strict, orderly, gentle and funny all at the same time.
Christine and I would always be reminded on how we needed to look after the rest of the kids, as we were older, so she participated greatly in teaching me a sense of responsibility and nurturing which our mother would continue to nurture. Her gift in hospitality was immense and if our parents were held up longer than expected she would put us to bed and get in touch with them and tell them not to bother picking us up as we were spending the night. There was always room for one more in her home despite the fact that we were 4 kids plus her 7 children!
The second season came when we were in secondary school and our parents were in exile in Nairobi, Kenya. We lived about 10 minute’s walk from each other in Hurlingham, Nairobi. This was a season in which I witnessed the growing relationship of friendship between our mothers Gibwa & Margaret. It was amazing to witness, as they would do everything together.
They would wake up to say good morning and then plan their day and decide which events they would do together. Going to the market or supermarket was an event they did together and as if that was not enough, they would get home and start to talk about what food are you cooking that day. They would have further discussions and end up cooking the same food. So it didn't matter where you were, the menu would be the same!
Grace Ssali was young at the time and didn’t like to eat, so feeding her was a big event. Auntie stipulated a condition that in order for Christine and I to go out and play, Grace had to be fed first! So I would go over to help Christine complete her chore before we would both be released. On numerous occasions they discussed how to deal with us as kids and so we were really mothered by two mothers.
The separation of these two families came about when the Ssalis moved to England. It was never a separation of relationship, just distance.
Auntie Margaret your Gentle voice, genuine smile, warm embrace, strictness, gentleness
,sense of humor, always laughing, loyalty, hospitality, friendship & love will remain with us forever rest in piece.
Naki Kanyerezi Lubega
Kampala, Uganda
Kampala, Uganda
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