Back in 1972 when Sir Gordon Wavamunno visited Europe, he was astonished by the relics he found in museums. He dreamt to one day start a museum in Uganda but he lacked any souvenirs to put in.
From then on, he collected every valuable asset he had and set about to document his life. Fifty years on, Wavah has amassed a wide collection of treasures to assemble what is without doubt the first fully-fledged private museum at his country home in Nakwero, Gayaza, writes HASSAN BADRU ZZIWA.
Sir Gordon Wavamunno is on a mission to reserve Uganda's rich heritage by keeping every vintage treasure he owns. What started as a personal mission has evolved into an illustration of Uganda's history through his eyes.
"I thought I could replicate what I saw in European museums here but I was short of resources or artefacts to start with. I just grabbed whatever item or asset that was available and kept it. With time, it has proven to be a worthwhile venture," says Wavamunno.
The Observer was privileged to visit the museum and see first-hand the many standouts available. Nakwero is a serene village and Wavah fittingly chose to put the museum there. My first impression when I entered the museum is the famous 1908 letter by Sir Winston Churchill that declared Uganda the pearl of Africa. It took a few minutes for me to get struck by things I only heard about in school.
For instance, the rare collection of cowrie shells, a 17th century local currency, is eye-opening about how our forefathers used to trade. Wavah is an ardent enthusiast of arts and the museum offers a myriad of drawings and sculptures that depict the way of life during the colonial days.
"I used to buy them from exhibitions and each of them has a deep meaning to me," he says. Some artefacts like his grandfather's bicycle are older than 100 years.
What is also telling about the collections in the museum is that it explains Uganda's past in ways I could never have imagined. For instance, it shows the evolution of entertainment in wealthy Ugandan homes. There are at least 10 different eras of gramophones and jukeboxes, some of which used reels to play music.
By now, nostalgia was in the air. The collections extend to the various eras of radios, televisions and telecoms. It is beyond belief how Wavah managed to collect the items and reserve them intact. What is unmissable are the physical architectural plans of some of his famous projects such as Spear Motors headquarters, his palatial home in Munyonyo as well as Lake View hotel in
Mbarara.
They are as artistic as they are telling about his meticulousness to have prototypes for his projects. What further blew me away is the fact that Wavah has a record of all his business ventures, especially his WBS TV. Can you imagine that every show that ever appeared on WBS is kept intact here?
The most obvious takeaways from the museum are the revolutionary collections of art, technology and the politics of Uganda from the pre-colonial days to the current setup. Whereas the works are tailored around his life, the information available at the museum is in fact a reflection of Uganda's evolution from a post-colonial situation in the sixties to the current state of affairs and features.
Wavah also digs deep into his cultural and family heritage by displaying key relics like the Kamuswaga of Kooki ceremonial seat as well as his Nte clan memorabilia. The roots of his business association with Mercedes Benz are there to see as those with Hungary, which he continues to serve as honorary consul.
On a side note, the museum offers a glimpse about Wavah's history of wealth and the several landmark ceremonial photos of Spear Group of Companies shed light on who was who is Uganda's business and political spheres. From former presidents Milton Obote to Idi Amin through Godfrey Binaisa up to Museveni, Wavah offers a glimpse of how he managed to maintain his
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
businesses running successfully even after the numerous regime changes.
Meanwhile, few may know that he once served as a councillor in KCC during the era of former mayor Walusimbi Mpanga or that he sponsored several rally events and even owned a top-tier football club called Spear Motors FC. Wavah plans to open the museum to the public by next year. It is a place everyone should go to when it opens to the public.
In all, there may be a number of private museums in the country but what makes this one special is that there is a lot to learn because it touches all aspects of our history right from culture, business and politics. What's for sure is that at the end of the day, Wavah has set up a place that will outlive him and I have a feeling it will be used as a pilgrimage even when he is long gone.
To take an age-old adage that says a picture is worth a thousand words, no amount of glossy writing can fully describe the trove of artefacts and historical monuments at this museum and the best way is perhaps to for one to visit this place and see to believe.
