Gulu — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has mourned the death of Nathan L'Okori Adiyo, father of the late former Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah, describing him as a pillar who raised responsible and disciplined leaders. Mzee L'Okori passed away on March 20, 2026, due to respiratory failure, at St Mary Hospital, Lacor in Gulu City, following complications.
The President's message was delivered by the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Annet Among, during a requiem mass held at Christ Church Gulu in Gulu City on Monday. "It was with deep sorrow that I received the news announcing the death of Mzee Nathan Okori Adiyo, the father of the late Right Honourable Jacob Oulanyah, the former Speaker of Parliament of Uganda," Museveni said.
The President paid tribute to the deceased for shaping his children and grandchildren into responsible citizens and leaders. "It is evident that he was a strong influence in their lives and he managed to instill the correct values and discipline in his children, especially in his son Jacob Oulanyah, who served with commitment and patriotism as a Member of Parliament and as Speaker of Parliament," Museveni stated.
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He also commended other members of the family, including Andrew Ojok Oulanyah, the Omoro County legislator-elect, for continuing the legacy of public service. In her statement, Speaker Among described the deceased as a father figure, recalling her close relationship with the late Jacob Oulanyah. "I came because we have lost a father. Mzee Okori was a father to me through his son Jacob, who was my very close brother," she said.
Among the recounted her bond with Oulanyah, noting that they maintained a tight-knit circle of friends and remained close even during his final days in Seattle, United States. She added that she had maintained close ties with the family after Oulanyah's death, frequently visiting Mzee L'Okori and supporting the family. "In our culture, daughters take responsibility, and as a daughter to Mzee Okori, I have stood with this family," she said, revealing that she contributed livestock and financial support towards the burial arrangements.
She praised Mzee L'Okori for raising a distinguished leader, noting that his values were reflected in Oulanyah's service as a legislator and Speaker. "It is out of this old man that we got such a brilliant leader who shaped the politics of this country," another added. She pledged continued support to the family, including contributing to community development and welfare initiatives, and urged mourners to emulate the life of the deceased. "What is it that you can do that touches people's lives? Emulate something from the late Okori," she said.
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Retired Chief Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo hailed L'Okori as a man who contributed to the education of his children, a contribution that enabled Oulanyah to succeed. He noted that without the father's vision for education, modern structures at the family home would not have been possible. Jacob Oulanyah, who served as the 11th Speaker of Parliament, died on March 20, 2023, at a hospital in Seattle, United States. Mzee Nathan L'Okori Adiyo will be buried at his ancestral home in Ayom Lony Village, Lalogi Sub-county, Omoro District, on Tuesday.
