Ademola, Matayo

[ALUR/JANAN]

Matayo Ademola was born at Nebbi in what is now the West Nile District.[1] Was taken to Bunyoro after fighting between the Alur and Kabarega’s armies. He found himself in danger of being sacrificed, and went to the government officer at Masindi, who sent him to the Rev. A. B. Lloyd, whose household he joined.[2] In 1903 and 1904 he accompanied Lloyd to Acoli, and the second time he remained there as an interpreter, Alur and Acoli being mutually intelligible.[3] He was baptized by the Rev. A. E. Pleydell at Keyo on May 27, 1906.[4] When the mission was temporarily closed in 1908 he left with the missionaries, but returned again after a year or two, and when the CMS returned in 1913 he was found living near the present church. In 1914 he was appointed jago (sub-chief) in charge of the Jonam who had been moved to Minakulu because of sleeping sickness. He remained a chief until his death.[5]

Louise Pirouet**

Notes(short form; see List of Sources for complete citations):

1. Latigo, 1964.

2. Lugaca, 1964; Bishop and Ruffell, n.d., p. 14.

3. Latigo, 1964.

4. Gulu Baptism Register.

5. Latigo, 1964.

This biography, written by Louise Pirouet, was included in “Appendix A: Biographical Notes,” on page 369 of “The Expansion of the Church of Uganda (N.A.C.) from Buganda into Northern and Western Uganda between 1891 and 1914, with Special Reference to the work of African Teachers and Evangelists” (PhD Thesis: University of East Africa, 1968). Pirouet published this thesis as Black Evangelists (London: Rex Collings, 1978). However, Black Evangelists does not reproduce the detailed biographies, complete with references to sources, found in Appendix A of the thesis. Print copies are available at Africana Section, Makerere University Library (U 02 P57); The Centre for Christianity Worldwide, Cambridge; and a microfilm copy at the School of Oriental Studies, London. [information from Angus Crichton]