Makerere University sends off Prof. Celestino Obua, the new MUST Vice Chancellor

Prof. Celestino Obua, the Mbarara University of Science and Technology Vice Chancellor was on March Friday 20, 2015 hosted to a grand send off ceremony at the Makerere College of Health Sciences quadrangle at the Mulago Hospital Complex. Prof. Obua was for the last four years before moving to MUST, Deputy Principal of the College of Health Sciences.

The evening function was well attended by staff and college students. The Vice Chancellor of Makerere Prof. John Ddumba Sentamu also attended and in his remarks wished prof. Obua success and informed him that the job of being Vice Chancellor is challenging but one must always find a balance between all the competing forces.

He added that it was an honour for him to have provided prof. Obua a letter of support and recommendation for his application for the job at MUST. At this function it was revealed that the college was delighted to host two Vice Chancellors on the same day. Prof. Ddumba handed over on behalf of Makerere University a very magnificent portrait of prof. Obua in his academic robs in front of the imposing and iconic Ivory Tower at Makerere.

Among the other speakers was founding Principal of the Makerere College of Health Sciences prof. Nelson Sewankambo who that very morning handed over office to the acting principal, Dr Isaac Okullo. He thanked his former deputy for having served well to a point that the two never picked a quarrel.

He appealed to Prof. Obua to be a good ambassador of Makerere university while at Mbarara university and that he will always have another home at the college. He further requested Prof. Obua to strengthen the already good collaboration between Makerere and MUST. Other speakers were from the School of Biomedical Sciences and the department of Pharmacology at Makerere.

On his part the new acting Principal of the college Dr Isaac Okullo thanked the organising committee for making the day worth the send off of a deputy principal. He thanked Prof. Ddumba for gracing the ceremony. He was in deep appreciation of the outgoing principal of the college for a job well done and was happy to note that prof. Sewankambo would remain at the college. He wished Prof. Obua success at the new high office of Vice Chancellor of Mbarara University.

Prof. Obua who was accompanied by his wife Maureen and a delegation led by the MUST Dean of Students Mr. Emmanuel Kyagaba was all smiles and very grateful for the warm send off accorded to him.  He remembered his days at the college as a time of great teamwork and rise to very commendable research teams and collaboration. Prof. Obua was deputy principal for four years.

He committed himself to strengthen the existing collaborations between MUST and Makerere. He also took time to thank a number of friends and colleagues at the College and Makerere in General. He paid glowing tribute to the Makerere Vice Chancellor whom he referred to as Mentor and friend.

The function ended with a sumptuous meal in the serene environment of the college of health Sciences quadrangle.