Culture should be observed

By Philimon Badagawa

Every one believes in culture and that is why most people have
inherited their sir names from their ancestors. In any case, this is
not bad only that some people claim to abandon their cultural norms.
At Nkumba University where every tribe has come with a cultural
association, it has been observed that some members fail to discuss in their mother languages during their
cultural meetings.

One is not surprised to find some cultural associations discussing in
a mixture of broken Luganda and English. This may not be bad but I
believe patriotism begins with one’s love for his culture and if some
students can fail to hold their cultural meetings in their cultural
languages, then one wonders whether patriotism will manifest.

To some students who come from the Northern and eastern
parts of Uganda learning how to speak Luganda seems to be compulsory
though it is not taught in lecture halls. You find a Musoga talking to
a Muganda in Luganda though the two tribes can easily interact in
their different languages and get to know each other since they all
belong to the Bantu speaking people. Some one from Teso land will also
do the same.

“I believe Luganda can work best as our National language because in
almost every part of the country people communicate in Luganda….”a
student said. It has been noted that before one completes his or her
course at Nkumba, most students will have learnt how to speak Luganda
however broken it might be.

“All cultures are equal only that some students don’t want to speak
their mother languages. Speaking English might not be the problem but
during cultural meetings, the cultural members are expected to respect
their cultures by interacting in their respective local languages” a
lecturer observed. One wonders if such people can have a nationalistic
love for their country.