Only recently, Makerere University was celebrating a century of impacting millions of thousands of people across the world, and the theme for that celebration was; Through the gates, introspectively celebrate having gone through the gates of St.Mark’s College Namagoma.
A mark that an impact had been done through the different alumni that went through the gates of Makerere University.
In a rather contrasting conversation with the proud Director, Daniel Ddamulira, about the
estimates of the number of alumni that had been through St. Mark, the more honest opinion was
that he had lost count, but nothing less of tens of thousands. In an encounter with my to-be employers then, I was asked which schools I attended. With a quake in my voice; I said, Namagoma! To which the
person asked, St. Mark? As sure as night follows day, my answer was yes! Yet, that will guide my
conversation today. Do we not have any other schools in Namagoma beside St. Mark’s College? Probably, something least of the concerns! The conversation I had with that lady that day spoke not only about the school’s good public relations, but also gave me time for a closer introspection of who I am, who I want to be, who I have been groomed to be, and who I am becoming! In as much as that may not entirely be a result of my association with St.Mark’s College, it’s highly possible that any association will be created in close sync. Getting through the gates of The High Achievers’
College, my beliefs, values, and principles were
moulded to be the perfect dynamic that fits this bizarre, changing and challenging world. As I strayed from the path, the college brought us together through mixing, collisions, and coffee talks with people of great stature, and ranking in society. The goodness in the Alumni Empowerment forum could be another article of its own! For me, that was handing over the school flag to raise to even greater heights. As the struggle for understanding the new curriculum continues, this college is going over and beyond to provide a pathway to life for me; an alumnus of the college, if that’s not honorable and humbling, then I don’t know what is! In the tapestry of life’s intricate design, amidst the chaos and harmony, St Mark stands as a mesmerizing masterpiece, yet if we walk back toward where we started, do we merely go through these gates or we make an impact and reflect the goodness of our lessons in society with the thunderous roar that, “As we went through these gates, we love, we live, we learnt; To be not to seem!
JOEL GRACE MADAALA, Class of 2018
