Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty explained

Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty
Prefix:National
Country:Uganda
Author:George Wilberforce Kakoma
Lyrics Date:1962
Composer:George Wilberforce Kakoma
Music Date:1962
Predecessor:"God Save the Queen"
Sound:Ugandan national anthem, performed by the U.S. Navy Band.wav
Sound Title:U.S. Navy Band instrumental version (one verse)

"Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty" is the national anthem of Uganda. George Wilberforce Kakoma composed the music and authored the lyrics. It was adopted as the national anthem in 1962, when the country gained independence from the United Kingdom. It is musically one of the shortest national anthems in the world. Consequently, multiple verses are sung when it is performed in public.

History

From 1894 until the height of decolonisation during the 1960s, Uganda was a protectorate of the United Kingdom within its colonial empire.[1] [2] In the run up to independence, a subcommittee was formed to determine an anthem for the forthcoming state.[3] It proceeded to hold a nationwide contest,[4] with the criteria they stipulated for the anthem being that it should be "short, original, solemn, praising and looking forward to the future".[3]

In the end, the lyrics and tune composed by George Wilberforce Kakoma were selected in July 1962.[3] He wrote the anthem in one day, having listened on Radio Uganda the night before about how none of the entries received so far had been deemed suitable by the subcommittee.[3] His entry was one of four that was shortlisted.[5] The song was officially adopted in 1962, the year the country gained independence.[4] [6] The first public occasion where the anthem was played was at the celebrations marking independence on 9 October 1962.[1] [5]

Kakoma subsequently sued the government in 2008, claiming that he was never adequately remunerated and thus had rights to over four decades of royalty payments.[5] [7] He alleged that the government gave him a mere USh.2,000/=,[5] [7] equivalent to less than £1 in 2008, as a "token of thanks".[7] Kakoma died before the country's Court of Appeal dismissed the case in 2019, finding that the anthem's copyright vested in the government and not the author.[5]

Lyrics

In local languages

Along with the Luganda and Swahili translations, the national anthem has also been translated into several other local languages.[10]

Composition

At only eight bars long, "Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty" is musically one of the shortest national anthems in the world,[11] [12] together with Japan's anthem.[13] Both Michael Bristow, the editor of the book National Anthems of the World,[14] and Philip Sheppard have identified Uganda's national anthem as the shortest.[15] [16] As a result, multiple verses are typically sung when it is performed at public events like international football games.[11] [17]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Encyclopedia: Kenneth. Ingham. Maryinez. Lyons. Encyclopedia Britannica. Uganda – History. 25 February 2020. 14 July 2020. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc..
  2. News: Uganda country profile. BBC News. BBC. 10 May 2018. 14 July 2020.
  3. News: Kakoma composed the anthem in a day. Charles. Musisi. 9 October 2003. 14 July 2020. New Vision. Kampala. https://web.archive.org/web/20200715204310/https://www.newvision.co.ug/news/1300764/kakoma-composed-anthem-day. 15 July 2020.
  4. Book: Minahan, James B.. The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems. 1. ABC-CLIO. 23 December 2009. 929. 9780313344978.
  5. News: Uganda: Copyright In The National Anthem. Phillip. Karugaba. Tracy. Kakongi. 15 August 2019. 15 July 2020. ENSafrica. Mondaq. https://web.archive.org/web/20200715233002/https://www.mondaq.com/copyright/834790/copyright-in-the-national-anthem. 15 July 2020.
  6. Web site: Uganda. 29 June 2020. 14 July 2020. The World Factbook. CIA.
  7. News: Composer demands royalties from Uganda national anthem. Sean. Michaels. 3 October 2008. 15 July 2020. The Guardian. London.
  8. Web site: The National Anthem of Uganda. 15 July 2020. Embassy of the Republic of Uganda in Japan. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uganda. https://web.archive.org/web/20200715093217/http://www.uganda-embassy.jp/anthem.html. 15 July 2020.
  9. Book: Oluyimba olwe Ggwanga Yuganda - The Ugandan National Anthem in Luganda. Wambi Gulere, Cornelius. 4. lg.
  10. Book: Ugandan National Anthem Translated into 25 Languages. 8 October 1998 . Gulere . Cornelius W. .
  11. News: An Olympian challenge: To record all 205 national anthems. Adam. Sherwin. 26 September 2011. 15 July 2020. The Independent. London. https://web.archive.org/web/20200715092102/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/an-olympian-challenge-to-record-all-205-national-anthems-2360910.html. 15 July 2020.
  12. News: London 2012 podium planners fight the fear of the upside-down flag. Peter. Walker. 18 July 2012. 15 July 2020. The Guardian. London.
  13. News: Ten things about national anthems. 21 September 2012. 15 July 2020. Mail & Guardian. Johannesburg. https://web.archive.org/web/20200715090044/https://mg.co.za/article/2012-09-21-00-ten-things-about-national-anthems/. 15 July 2020.
  14. Book: Bristow, M. J.. National Anthems of the World. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. 2006. 9781540013002.
  15. News: Is the British national anthem too short?. Clare. Spencer. 27 July 2011. 15 July 2020. BBC News Magazine. BBC.
  16. News: An Olympian anthem arrangement. 1 March 2012. 15 July 2020. BBC Radio 4 Today. BBC.
  17. News: Uganda team finally arrives at LLWS. Steve. Wulf. ESPN Internet Ventures. ESPN. 15 August 2012. 15 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200715100050/https://tv5.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/8272332/little-league-world-series-welcomes-uganda-little-league-team. 15 July 2020.

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