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SOSIPATERI MALINGA ISIMAI
1931*1994
GRIEVE PASSING MY DEAR FRIEND SOSIPATERI ISIMAI, ONE OF UGANDA’S EARLIEST BELIEVERS AND ONE OF THE FIRST GROUP TO
Sosz'pateri Malinga [:imzzi
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126 THE BAHA’I’ WORLD
ACCEPT THE FAITH 1N TESO. HIS LONG AND DEVOTED SERVICES TO THE CAUSE OF GOD IN AFRICA WILL FOREVER BE REMEMBERED WITH PRIDE AND AFFECTION BY THE UGANDAN FOLLOWERS OF BAHA‘U’LLAH. I REMEMBER MY STAY IN TILLING IN HIS HOME IN 1961 AND OUR MANY MEETINGS TOGETHER OVER THE YEARS. HIS CONSTANT DEVOTION TO MASS TEACHING THAT OTHERS MIGHT SHARE THE BOUNTY OF BEING A FOLLOWER OF BAHA‘U‘LLAH, HIS VALUABLE SERVICES AS ONE OF THE INAUGURAL MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA’iS OF UGANDA, HIS LONG SERVICES ON THAT AND OTHER BAHA’I’ BODIES, HIS UNFAILING COURTESY, HELPFULNESS AND DEVOTION TO THE INTERESTS OF OUR BELOVED FAITH, HIS LOYALTY TO THE GUARDIAN OF THE Bahá’í FAITH SHOGHI EFFENDI AND LATER TO ITS SUPREME BODY THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. KINDLY EXPRESS TO HIS RELATIVES MY DEEP SYMPATHY ON LOSING THIS DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF THEIR FAMILY, ESPECIALLY TO HIS DEAR WIFE AND CHILDREN, AND ASSURE THEM OF MY LOVING PRAYERS FOR THE PROGRESS OF HIS SOULINTHEABHA KINGDOM.
Amatu’l—Baha’ Rúḥíyyih K_h:’mum
Sosipateri Malinga isimai was born in 1931 in the village of Tiliing, in the former Teso District“ onganda. His parents were Malinga Isiriamai Musa and Asanasi Agwang. His maternal grandmother was
8' Presently the Kumi District.
2 half sister to Mr. Samusan Okadakina, the father of the late Hand of the Cause of God Mr. Enoch Olinga. It was therefore common for Mr. Olinga to informally call Mr. Isirnai empat (boy of my sister).
Mr. Isimai began his formal education in a primary two class at Kobuin, having been taught the primary one work at home by Mr. Olinga. Later he went to the Ngora Junior School. As a Catholic he became a lay reader in Akarukei Parish after leaving school.
In the mid-I94os he enrolled to fight in the Second \X’orld War. He did not stay long and returned home to become a farmer. He joined the cooperative movement and became a clerk in one of the major cotton stores in Abakuli, Ngora. It was probably at this time that he became a Protestant.
The youth of those days spent much of their energy consuming the local drink of the Iteso called ajon (wisdom of Iteso). At times even their labor could be paid for with an offer of the drink. The youth also enjoyed going to dances where the tunes were played on gramophones.
This was the situation up to 1952 when one day Mr. Olinga, who had been their good companion, returned from Kampala and declined to join in their drinking. The youth were surprised to see a remarkable Change in his character. With eloquence he told them of a new religion he had accepted called Bahá’í. Mr. Isimai listened and was one of the first in that group to declare his faith. This was his turning point. Thereafter the village of Tilling became a center of intense Bahá’í activities. With early pioneers ‘Ali’ Nafljavém’ and Philip Hainsworth, he and a handful of other youth taught the Faith, and their efforts resulted in mass enrollments.
In 1953 Mr. Isimai attended the Intercontinental Conference held in
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IN MEMORIAM 1992—1997 127
Kampala that launched the Ten Year Crusade. He was among the several people who arose to teach further afield. With only a bicycle as his means of transport, he embarked on teaching trips in the Teso District, before moving on to several other districts in northern Uganda and continuing to parts of southern Sudan. He then entered western Congo. Because relations between the Congo and Uganda were strained at the time, Mr. Isimai was under considerable risk.
He became a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of East and Central Africa in 1956 and also served on various national and local committees. In 1963 Mr. Isimai participated in the election of the first Universal House ofjustice in Haifa and attended the first Bahá’í World Congress in the Royal Albert Hall in London.
He became secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly in 1964, a position he held for more than twenty years. Despite occasions of turmoil in the country he continued to steadfastly guide the secretariat. In September 1977 when the Bahá’í Faith and other religions were banned in Uganda, he and the Hand of the Cause of God Mr. Enoch Olinga remained to care for the Bahá’íTemple grounds at Kikaaya Hill near Kampala. While he was residing there, many people, both Bahá’ís and non—Bahá’ís, enjoyed his hospitality. In late 1978 he was unable to stay, and he left Mr. Olinga alone as caretaker. In September of the following year Mr. Olinga and his family were killed in Kampala by uniformed gunmen.
Mr. Isimai was an executor of Mr. Olinga’s Will. This was a very trying time for him because culturally the relatives at home thought they had rights to install themselves on Mr. Olinga’s property. At one time a brother of the late Hand of the Cause filed a court suit for the property. Mr. Isimai, through love and patience,
saw the withdrawal of the suit and the restoration of amiable working relations.
He was married to Lois Aanyu (Isimai) with whom he begot nine children.
During the early 19905, though he was no longer the secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, he was allowed to stay on the Temple grounds because of the activities ofinsurgents at home. When the situation stabilized, he moved home and concentrated again on farming activities.
Sometime in early 1993 he suffered an upset stomach during a meeting of the National Assembly. His health continued to deteriorate, but he did not give up the work of the Faith. Even in poor health he served as the chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly. Doctors later diagnosed him as having kidney problems. Mr. Isimai passed away at Mbale Hospital on February 19, 1994, and was laid to rest in Tilling the following day.
Mr. Isimai could remember events that happened long ago and told humorous stories about them. He particularly enjoyed relating the challenges and difficulties the friends encountered during the early days of the Faith in Uganda. His listeners were captivated by his stories, and wherever he was, up until his last days, there was laughter.
On February 21, 1994, the Universal House ofjustice honored his memory:
DEEPLY SADDENED PASSING STAUNCH SERVANT BLESSED BEAUTY SOSIPATERI ISIMAI. HIS DEDICATED EFFORTS IN PROMOTION GOD’S HOLY CAUSE OVER A PERIOD OF MORE THAN FOUR DECADES, ON NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS, IN BOTH TEACHING AND ADMINISTRATIVE FIELDS, WILL ALWAYS BE LOVINGLY REMEMBERED. OWING HIS OUTSTANDING
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THE BAHA’I’ WORLD
NATIONAL SERVICES ADVISE HOLD MEMORIAL GATHERING [N TEMPLE TO HONOUR HIS NAME. ASSURE FERVENT PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HIS NOBLE SOUL. ASSURE HIS BELOVED WIFE, DEAR CHILDREN, OTHER RELATIVES DEEP LOVING SYMPATHY.
