MMUST Chancellor, Dr. Peter Wanyaga Muthoka on Saturday 7th of December 2019 led a university delegation to Prof. Bethwell Allan Ogot’s home in Yala, Siaya County. The delegation comprised of the Ag. Vice Chancellor Prof. Asenath Sigot , Council members Dr. Samson Muchelule and Mr. Don Riaroh , Ag. Deputy Vice Chancellor Planning, Research and Innovation Prof. Charles Mutai, renown Educationist Prof. John O. Shiundu, Registrar Administration Ms. Rachael Atamba, Director Corporate Communications and Marketing Dr. Lydia Anyonje, University Chaplain Rev. Dr. Willis Otuya and Council Secretariat Ms Immaculate Ayodo.
Prof Ogot is among Africa’s most celebrated historians, having won a Distinguished Africanist Award (2001) of the African Studies Association. This is an award presented annually in recognition of a lifetime of notable service to African Studies. He was the founding Chancellor of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology. As Chancellor, Prof. Ogot worked tirelessly with former President Mwai Kibaki, to oversee the constitution of the University.
Speaking during the visit, Dr. Muthoka noted that Prof. Ogot is among the few people who are rich in Africa’s history. Having been at the helm of leadership in different institutions in Africa and beyond, Prof. Ogot is well placed to educate the younger generations regarding their history and heritage. The visit was characterized by flashbacks where everyone that took to the stage had something to remember the times of Prof. Ogot in academia and government leadership. Dr. Muthoka vividly remembered how Prof. Ogot made them love history.
Prof Asenath Sigot remembers those days in Maseno University where people confused between Prof. Ogot and Prof. Sigot. She jokingly remembers a moment where Prof. Ogot went to the post office to pick a parcel belonging to Prof. Sigot, thinking it was his. She says sometimes when people came to the university requesting to see either of them, the question that was often asked was ‘do you want to see “si” got or “O” got? These moments made the visit so lively to an extent that at some point Prof. Ogot felt like putting aside his support stand and go back to those days.
Prof. Shiundu, the distinguished Professor of Education, noted that as a University we to start cultivating the culture of writing books about our great men in the society. He pointed out that writing books about these people is the only way we can tell their stories to the coming generations. “How could we be remembering people like Martin Luther King if books were not written about them? We need to write a book about Prof. Ogot so that our great grandchildren will know that at some point such great people existed”, said Prof. Shiundu.
Prof. Ogot said that he was excited about the Masinde Muliro University team visit. “I consider the MMUST visit an early Christmas gift which I will cherish. The sermon by Rev. Otuya has assured me of six more months of living,” said the beaming Professor. Despite the difficulty in walking, Prof. Ogot took time to show us around his compound, starting with the personal room in his house where he has kept all his historical photographs. This reputable professor has set up a library in his home where he says he spends most of the time writing books and carrying out research. One of the rarest sites in this magnificent home is the mausoleum that Prof Ogot has built for his late wife, renowned writer Grace Ogot. The mausoleum houses over 200 photographs mounted on well designed walls of the mausoleum. The culmination of the visit was the presentation of a ram to Prof. Ogot by MMUST Chancellor Dr. Peter Wanyaga Muthoka.
By Shiundu Wilberforce This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
