Ojapi
Ojapi is a parish in the northwestern subregion of Uganda. Originally part of Tara Subcounty, it was carved out to form Ajira Subcounty in Maracha East Constituency, Maracha District.[1]
Villages in Ojapi Parish include Aliamu, Baria, Erivu, Nacara, Oliapi, Onayi and Palida while neighbouring parishes include Anivu, Ombavu, Pajama and Vura which hosts the Tara headquarters.
Ojapi was part of Arua District until 2006 evidenced by the Post Office Box numbers still used.
Ojapi Air Raid (1991)[edit]
On 20 September 1991 at around 11:45am, two mysterious Antonov planes flew from the Sudan-Uganda border and bombed Ojapi Primary School, Uliapi Church and the neighbourhood causing serious damage including deaths (Charles Driwale in P3; pregnant Mary Jackson, etc), leg amputations (Isaac Azabo), back problems (Fred Adriko) and other losses like houses (Jackson Sadraka and Joel Otoma).[2] Michael Afimani witnessed five bombs (two on a hill near the school but three on the premises). Jimmy Aluma, the Headteacher of Ojapi PS on that tragic day also witnessed the bombing and his child got injured.[3] The survivors formed an umbrella body called Ojapi Air Raid Victims Compensation and Rehabilitation Association. In October 2014 with Chairman Philliam Debo, they wrote to the President of Uganda asking for compensation.
Points of interest[edit]
Human establishments in Ojapi Parish include Ojapi Primary School,[4] Ojapi Catholic Church,[5] St. John Church of Uganda (COU) Uliapi in Nacara Village, government offices, markets and other sights.
Hills viewable in Ojapi anticlockwise from Mt. Liru in the north include Kodro, Gala, Kadri, Adrofiya, Njeke (or Njakai), Orani, Luturujo and Adada. Mt. Wati is in the east. Adventurers and tourists write their names on the rocks and take small ones as souvenirs plus for research purposes. Red monkeys, rock badgers, porcupines and other interesting animals can be found near some of these rocks.
Despite all these rocks, the farmlands are very productive and agriculture is the predominant economic activity. Crops grown include maize, cassava, ground nut, soya, coffee and beans and tobacco, locally regarded as Assets, grown as a major cash crop. Animals are also reared including cows, goats, sheep, guineafowls, chicken plus pigs. On market days like at Ajira, people sell foodstuffs and other household items as the sun sets. The grasshopper is a seasonal staple food and Emblem of Maracha, the Lugbara clan in Ojapi.
There are also various streams or small rivers and forests.
A large number of parish members[6] are farmers[7] though you will also find teachers, priests,[8] engineers, politicians, businesspeople and other professionals.[9]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Polling Stations - 2021 General Election - Visible Polls". visiblepolls.org.
- ^ "Maracha bomb victims appeal to govt over pay". Monitor. July 19, 2020.
- ^ "UPDF revisits pay claims of 1991 bombing victims". Monitor. August 18, 2021.
- ^ Africa Local - Ojapi Primary School in Tara - Maracha
- ^ "Tara is now Full Parish- Arua Diocese". www.dioceseofarua.org.
- ^ UBOS - Population by Parish Census 2014 - Northern Region
- ^ "Shs230m Nusaf projects commissioned in Maracha". Monitor. September 11, 2020.
- ^ "Arua priest on defilement". New Vision.
- ^ "Bitten: Heading Deep into Africa to Fight Malaria - Mountain Life". www.mountainlifemedia.ca. May 18, 2016.