The professor of impact

He was a man of action, and a man of action is an eternal optimist who does not stop at believing in himself but rallies others to exert their abilities and create positive impact rather than giving excuses and dying unfulfilled. 

Such a man is essentially a man of progress whose moves stir others to make their moves as well. His light is so blindingly strong that by default it dispels the darkness of fear that does stultify many people, making them settle for what is good instead of what is great. 

 I've met a few men who when they have a little money or a little power stick their chests out and behave like they own the whole world. But not the man I'm talking about. With all the money his initiatives earned him, with all the power he wielded, he stayed simple and humble almost to a fault. For he believed that simplicity signifies the magnanimity of the soul. 

He had a set of intrinsic values which he lived by and impressed indelibly upon all who passed through his hands; values like creativity, hardwork, smartness, determination, time management and discipline whose consistent application, he believed, would make anyone stand out though for him what was important was not to stand out but to do something that would influence many positively and make the world a better place.

Whenever he travelled around the country, he picked the less privileged and gave them scholarships in his classy schools at nursery, primary, secondary and university levels. In 2006 he was given the Presidential Transformers' Award in Education but the value he added stretches way beyond education; he was a shepherd of millions of Ugandans. 

It hurts that I'm talking about him in the past tense but the sobering reality is that he is gone. But he believed in God, he believed in Jesus Christ who died and rose again, so I believe he's in heaven. Enjoy your blissful rest, Prof. Lawrence Mukiibi.