Whenever we teach management, one of the key things is planning. We always set up a committee to plan the graduation ceremony to the fine detail.
We also provide for things like rain and many other contingencies that may arise. Some of the plans can never be seen on paper. This includes security plans but this graduation ceremony was most unique in my years of being part of these functions in my career in the university. the rain started threatening and in our minds and payers we hope that God could enable us finish the ceremony before it rains however God has his ways unfortunately there are too many people praying to God at times he receives contradicting requests. The farmers wanted rain. We at the ceremony did not want any rain. I guess He answered the farmers’ requests. Our ceremony was very colourful.
The commencement speaker awed the audience with his simplicity and facts and the Chairman of Council, Prof. Baryamureeba did not deny the audience information about his presidential intentions. It would have been unfortunate if at a function like this, he had not made a reference to it. As Prof. Mondo Kangonyera completed his speech, the rains came down without mercy. We thought that the usual Ugandan rain, 15 to 20 minutes later it would be gone but it persisted. In management, we developed a crisis which now required ingenuity to resolve. Ordinarily the Deans of the different Faculties request different students who have offered different programmes to stand up to be awarded. We do not read names. Given the situation we were in including the breaking down of the PA system, we needed different means to manage the crisis.
We decided to walk to the Marque tent to award graduate the students. The Chancellor Mondo Kagonyera and I stood on the chairs and performed the ceremony in style. We requested students not to stand up because it would read out the names of different students and the Chancellor awarded the Diplomas to the students. It was a memorable event. Never done before, not in the plan but finally done. As it is always said, God’s case, no appeal. He brought the rain and that was it.
Congratulations to all those that graduated on that day and thanks to everybody who made the day memorable.
