President Yoweri Museveni has eulogized Fr. Darmian Grimes as a selfless man who strived for the betterment of others at the expense of his wellbeing.
In a message read by Businessman and old student, Patrick Bitature at the burial of Grimes at Namasagali on Saturday, Museveni noted that, Grimes’s act of helping students excel regardless of their social backgrounds shaped their future for good.
Museveni argues that, such acts of non-sectarianism endeared Fr. Grimes to his learners.
Museveni notes that, Fr. Grimes lived a legacy of prioritizing people’s interests over their identity, which largely explains why he is praised for the contribution in the transformation of the society.
Museveni further said that, following his contribution to the education sector, he conferred to Fr. Grimes a medal in 2020.
He challenged Ugandans to emulate the deceased’s attributes of selfless service,
Bitature described Fr. Grimes as a man who harboured a fatherly heart towards him throughout his lifetime.
Bitature narrates how Fr. Grimes expelled him from Namasagali College alongside his female friends who visited him while he sought medical attention at the sickbay after being diagnosed with severe malaria.
Bitature notes that, Fr. Grimes continued to bring him to Namasagali college, which unanimously strengthened their father-son bond.
He however, says that, their bond was further strengthened in 1984 when Fr. Grimes rescued him from detention under the then President Milton Obote’s government operatives, who mistook him for a Museveni bush war fighter.
“I was detained in 1984 and after looking around for me in vain, my brother drove to lookout for Fr. Grimes at Namasagali college, where he didn’t hesitate but stormed the state house alongside Obote’s children demanding for my release. Fr. Grimes openly told off Obote, your sons are here but you have detained mine, release him now,” he said.
Fr. Grimes was a clerical priest from the Mill Hill Missionaries-MHM, who for 30 years redefined Uganda’s education sector by transforming the former Busoga railway line terminal into a modern secondary school of the time.
The railway terminal situated 23 kilometers away from Kamuli town earned the name, Namasagali college, attracting mostly nobles from not only Uganda, but the entire African continent at large.
Fr. Grimes prioritized strengthening the reasoning capacity of his students through talent development in both sports and MDD fields, preparing them to standout in a competitive world.
Fr. Grimes also emphasized the value of good grades in academics, which aligned well with the talent rollouts of all his learners nonetheless.
He was however, a renowned disciplinarian, famous for the 200 codes of conduct which among the many included caring for others, with any breaches leading to dismissal.
To ensure total discipline in the school, Fr. Grimes had setup judicial committees, with sessions in the ‘green area,’ where learners could freely answer to the disciplinary breaches before final verdicts against them are made.
Uganda’s Ambassador to Russia, Moses Kizige says that Grimes empowered them with self confidence skills, which overtime positioned them for leadership roles.
Kizige who prior to this appointment served as the Bugabula North MP and Minister says that, the teaching modules offered them practical touch with the future ahead of and they have been able to transcend through different leadership positions with decency.
Among the many prominent individuals in the different spheres of life, Namasagali college also groomed Rebecca Kadaga, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Affairs.
Kadaga hailed Fr. Grimes for offering a platform for the excellence of all his students irrespective of their backgrounds.
Salam Musumba, the former LCV Chairperson of Kamuli district says that, Fr. Grimes provided an open platform geared towards bringing out the best out of his learners irrespective of their previous disciplinary history.
