Okukola Enkyukakyuka Kibadde kya Muganyulo Gye Ndi

Byayogerwa James A. Thompson

Nnazaalibwa mu 1928 mu bukiikaddyo bw’Amerika. Mu kiseera ekyo, waaliwo amateeka agaali gakugira abazungu okukolagana n’abaddugavu. Abo abaamenyanga amateeka ago baasibibwanga mu kkomera oba baaweebwanga ebibonerezo ebirala ebikakali.

MU KISEERA ekyo, mu bitundu by’Amerika ebimu Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa abazungu n’abaddugavu baalinanga okuba n’ebibiina bya njawulo, ebitundu omulabirizi by’akyalira bya njawulo, ne disitulikiti za njawulo. Mu 1937, taata wange yalondebwa okuba company servant (mu kiseera kino amanyiddwa ng’omukwanaganya w’akakiiko k’abakadde) ow’ekibiina ky’abaddugavu ekyali mu Chattanooga, Tennessee. Ow’oluganda Henry Nichols ye yali company servant ow’ekibiina ky’abazungu ekyali mu kitundu ekyo.

Waliwo ebintu bingi bye nzijukira ebindeetera essanyu ebyaliwo nga nkyali muto. Nnateranga okutuula wabweru ekiro ne mpuliriza taata awamu n’Ow’oluganda Nichols nga banyumya. Wadde nga saategeeranga buli kimu kye baanyumyangako, nnayagalanga nnyo okutuula okumpi ne taata ng’ayogera n’ow’oluganda oyo ku ngeri gye baali bayinza okutwala mu maaso omulimu gw’okubuulira mu kiseera ekyo.

Emabegako, mu 1930, twafuna ekizibu awaka. Maama wange yafa nga wa myaka 20 gyokka egy’obukulu. Bwe kityo, taata yali asigadde yekka okutulabirira nze ne mukulu wange, Doris. Mu kiseera ekyo nnalina emyaka ebiri ate ye Doris yalina emyaka ena. Wadde nga taata yali yaakabatizibwa, yali akulaakulanye mu by’omwoyo.

Ebyokulabirako Ebirungi

Mu 1933, taata yawasa Lillie Mae Gwendolyn Thomas. Bombi baaweereza Yakuwa n’obwesigwa era nze ne Doris baatuteerawo ekyokulabirako ekirungi.

Mu 1938, ebibiina by’Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa mu nsi yonna byasabibwa okuwagira ekiteeso eky’okuba nti abakadde mu bibiina batandika okulonderwa ku kitebe ekikulu e Brooklyn, New York, mu kifo ky’okulonderwa mu bibiina. Wadde ng’ab’oluganda abamu mu Chattanooga baali tebaagala kutandikirawo kukolera ku nkyukakyuka eyo, taata ye enkyukakyuka eyo yagiwagira n’omutima gwe gwonna. Ekyokulabirako kye eky’obwesigwa awamu n’engeri maama gye yamuwagiramu, binnyambye nnyo n’okutuusa leero.

Okubatizibwa n’Okuyingira Obuweereza obw’Ekiseera Kyonna

Mu 1940, ffenna awamu ng’ekibiina, twapangisa bbaasi okututwala mu lukuŋŋaana olunene olwali mu kibuga Detroit ekya Michigan. Abamu ku abo be twagenda nabo mu bbaasi baabatizibwa ku lukuŋŋaana olwo. Ab’oluganda abamu baali beebuuza ensonga lwaki nnali sibatiziddwa ku lukuŋŋaana olwo ate nga nnali nnatandika okubuulira n’obunyiikivu okuviira ddala ku myaka etaano.

Bwe bambuuza lwaki nnali sibatiziddwa, nnabagamba nti, “Simanyi bizingirwa mu kubatizibwa.” Ekyo taata yakiwulira era ne yeewuunya nnyo. Okuva olwo, yakola kyonna ekisoboka okunnyamba okumanya okubatizibwa kye kitegeeza n’ensonga lwaki kikulu okubatizibwa. Oluvannyuma lw’emyezi ena, nga Okitobba 1, 1940, nnabatizibwa mu kidiba ekyali okumpi n’ekibuga Chattanooga.

Bwe nnali wa myaka 14, nnatandika okuweereza nga payoniya mu buli luwummula. Nnabuuliranga mu bubuga obutono mu Tennessee ne mu Georgia. Nnakeeranga nnyo, ne ntegekayo emmere gye nnaalya eky’emisana, ne nninnya bbaasi oba eggaali y’omukka ku ssaawa 12 ez’oku makya ne ŋŋenda okubuulira. Nnaddangayo eka ku ssaawa nga 12 ez’akawungeezi. Emmere gye nnatwalanga emirundi mingi nnagimalangawo nga n’ekiseera ky’ekyemisana tekinnatuuka. Wadde nga nnabeeranga ne ssente, nnali sisobola kugenda ku dduuka kugula kya kulya olw’okuba nnali muddugavu. Lumu nnayingira mu dduuka erimu okugula ice-cream naye ne bangoba. Kyokka waliwo omukyala omuzungu ow’ekisa eyagenda n’anzigirayo ice-cream n’amundeetera ebweru.

We nnatandikira okusoma siniya, abantu bangi mu bukiikaddyo bw’Amerika baali batandise okulwanirira eddembe ly’obuntu. Ebibiina, gamba nga NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) byakubiriza abayizi okulwanirira eddembe ly’obuntu. Amasomero g’abaddugavu agasinga obungi, nga mw’otwalidde n’eryaffe, gaakubiriza abayizi baago bonna okwegatta ku kibiina ekyo. Ku ssomero baampikirizanga okwegatta ku kibiina ekyo nga bagamba nti nnina “okulwanirira baddugavu bannange.” Naye ekyo nnakigaana. Nnabagamba nti Katonda tasosola mu bantu era nti nze obwesige bwange nnali mbutadde mu Katonda nti y’ajja okumalawo obutali bwenkanya obwo.​—Yok. 17:14; Bik. 10:34, 35.

Amangu ddala nga nnaakamaliriza emisomo gya siniya, nnasalawo okugenda okubeera mu kibuga New York. Naye, bwe nnali ŋŋenda, nnasalawo okukyalirako mikwano gyange abaali babeera mu Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, be nnali nnasisinkana ku lukuŋŋaana olunene. Ekibiina ekyali mu kibuga ekyo kye kibiina kye nnasooka okubaamu ng’abaddugavu n’abazungu bakuŋŋaanira wamu. Mu kiseera kyo, omulabirizi w’ekitundu yali akyalidde ekibiina ekyo era yaŋŋamba nti yali agenda kumpa ekitundu mu lukuŋŋaana olwali luddako. Ekyo kyandeetera okwagala okusigala mu kibiina ekyo.

Omu ku mikwano gye nnafuna mu Philadelphia yali mwannyinaffe omuto ayitibwa Geraldine White​—nze gwe nneeyitira Gerri. Yali amanyi bulungi Ebyawandiikibwa era ng’asobola bulungi okwogera n’abantu ng’abuulira nnyumba ku nnyumba. Ekintu ekyasinga okumunjagaza kwe kuba nti naye yalina ekiruubirirwa, nga nange kye nnalina, eky’okufuuka payoniya. Twafumbiriganwa nga Apuli 23, 1949.

Okugenda mu Ssomero lya Gireyaadi

Twalina ekiruubirirwa eky’okugenda mu Ssomero lya Gireyaadi n’okuweereza ng’abaminsani mu nsi endala. Twakola enkyukakyuka mu bulamu bwaffe okusobola okugenda mu ssomero eryo. Bwe twali tetunnagenda mu ssomero eryo, twasabibwa okuweerezaako mu Lawnside, New Jersey; mu Chester, Pennsylvania; n’oluvannyuma mu kibuga Atlantic, New Jersey. Bwe twali mu kibuga Atlantic, twasaba okugenda mu Ssomero lya Gireyaadi, okuva bwe kiri nti twali tuwezezza emyaka ebiri mu bufumbo. Naye waaliwo obuzibu. Buzibu ki?

Ng’emyaka gya 1950 gyakatandika, abavubuka bangi baalagirwa okuyingira amagye okusobola okulwana olutalo olwali mu Korea. Ekitongole eky’omu Philadelphia ekyali kiwandiisa abantu okugenda mu lutalo kyali kyagala nnange ŋŋende mu lutalo olwo. Kirabika Abajulirwa ba Yakuwa baali babeekengera olw’okugaana okwenyigira mu ntalo. Naye oluvannyuma, omulamuzi yaŋŋamba nti ekitongole ekikessi ekya FBI kyali kinnoonyerezzaako era ne kizuulwa nti nnali njogera mazima bwe nnagamba nti nnali siriiko ludda lwe mpagira mu lutalo olwo. Bwe kityo nga Jjanwali 11, 1952, nnakkirizibwa obutagenda mu lutalo olw’okuba nnali mubuulizi.

Mu Agusito w’omwaka ogwo, nze ne Gerri twayitibwa okugenda mu Ssomero lya Gireyaadi ery’omulundi ogwa 20 eryatandika mu Ssebutemba. Twali tulowooza nti oluvannyuma lw’essomero eryo, twali ba kusindikibwa mu nsi endala. Mwannyinaze, Doris, yali mu Ssomero lya Gireyaadi ery’omulundi ogwa 13 era nga mu kiseera ekyo yali aweerereza mu Brazil. Nze ne Gerri kyatwewuunyisa nnyo bwe twasindikibwa okukyalira ebibiina by’abaddugavu mu Alabama! Ekyo tekyatusanyusa nnyo, okuva bwe kiri nti twali twagala kuweereza mu nsi ndala.

Ekibiina kye twasooka okukyalira kyali mu Huntsville. Bwe twatuuka mu kitundu ekyo, twagenda mu maka ga mwannyinaffe gye twali tugenda okusula. Bwe twali tuyingiza ebintu byaffe mu nnyumba ye, twamuwulira ng’ayogerera ku ssimu ng’agamba nti, “Abaana batuuse.” Mu kiseera ekyo ffembi twalina emyaka 24 era ng’oli bw’atulaba alowooza nti tuli bato n’okusingako awo. Baasigala batuyita Baana ekiseera kyonna kye twamala nga tuweereza mu kitundu ekyo.

Abantu abasinga obungi mu bukiikaddyo bw’Amerika baali bassaamu nnyo Bayibuli ekitiibwa. Bwe kityo, bwe twabanga tubuulira twateranga okwogera ku bintu bino ebisatu:

(1) Embeera eriwo mu nsi.

(2) Essuubi Bayibuli ly’ewa.

(3) Ekyo Bayibuli ky’etugamba okukola.

Oluvannyuma, twawanga omuntu akatabo akannyonnyola Bayibuli akatuukirawo. Olw’okuba enkola eyo yavangamu ebibala, nnasabibwa okulaga ekyokulabirako nga nkozesa enkola eyo, mu lukuŋŋaana olunene olwaliwo mu 1953 mu kibuga New York.

Mu 1953, nnalondebwa okuba omulabirizi wa disitulikiti ow’ebibiina by’abaddugavu ebyali mu bukiikaddyo bw’Amerika. Nnakyaliranga ebibiina ebyali mu bitundu bya Virginia, Florida nga mw’otwalidde n’ebyo ebyali mu Alabama ne mu Tennessee. Abalabirizi abatambula baalina okuba abeetegefu okugumira embeera yonna gye bandisanze. Ng’ekyokulabirako, ennyumba ezimu mwe twasulanga tezaabangamu binaabiro bya mu nnyumba, era twanaabiranga mu kibbaafu ky’e bbaati ekyabanga okumpi n’essigiri. Ekirungi kiri nti, ekyo ky’ekifo ekyali kisingayo okubuguma mu nnyumba!

Obusosoze mu Langi

Bwe twali tuweereza mu bukiikaddyo bw’Amerika, kyali kitwetaagisa okuba abeegendereza ennyo okusobola okukola omulimu gwaffe. Abaddugavu baali tebakkirizibwa kutwala ngoye zaabwe mu bifo gye booleza engoye. Bwe kityo, Gerri bwe yatwalangayo engoye yagambanga nti za “Muky. Thompson.” Bangi baalowoozanga nti Gerri yali mukozi wa “Muky. Thompson.” Mu kiseera ekyo, abalabirizi ba disitulikiti baali balaga vidiyo eyitibwa The New World Society in Action. Bwe twabanga twetaaga ttivi ennene okulagirako vidiyo eyo, nnakubiranga essimu ab’edduuka eryali lipangisa ttivi ne mbagamba nti “Mw. Thompson” yali ayagala kupangisa ku ttivi yaabwe. Oluvannyuma, nnagendanga ku dduuka ne ngikimayo. Twabanga bakkakkamu era tetwateranga kufuna buzibu nga tubuulira.

Ate era waaliwo n’obusosoze obw’engeri endala. Abantu abaavanga mu bukiikakkono bw’Amerika baali basosolwa nnyo mu kitundu ekyo. Lumu, olupapula lw’amawulire olw’omu kitundu ekyo lwagamba nti James A. Thompson, Jr., owa Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York yali agenda kuwa emboozi ku lukuŋŋaana olunene. Abamu baalowooza nti nnali nva mu New York, bwe kityo abakulira essomero lye twali tupangisizza okufuniramu olukuŋŋaana olwo baasazaamu okusaba kwaffe. Nnasalawo okugenda ne mbabuulira nti nnasomera mu Chattanooga. Bwe kityo, baatukkiriza okuba n’olukuŋŋaana lwaffe mu ssomero lyabwe.

Mu myaka gya 1950, obusosoze mu langi bwali bwa maanyi nnyo era ebiseera ebimu abantu baatuukanga n’okuttiŋŋana. Ku nkuŋŋaana za disitulikiti eziwerako ezaaliwo mu 1954, Abajulirwa abamu kyabayisa bubi okulaba nga mu boogezi bonna temwalimu wa luganda n’omu muddugavu. Twakubiriza ab’oluganda abaddugavu okuba abagumiikiriza. Mu lukuŋŋaana olunene olwaddako, nange nnali omu ku boogezi. Okuva olwo, ab’oluganda abawerako abaddugavu baaweebwanga emboozi ku nkuŋŋaana ennene.

Oluvannyuma lw’ekiseera, obusosoze mu langi mu bukiikaddyo bw’Amerika bwagenda bukendeera, era ab’oluganda abazungu n’abaddugavu baatandika okukuŋŋaanira awamu. Bwe kityo, ab’oluganda abamu baasabibwa okugenda mu bibiina ebirala, era enkyukakyuka zaalina okukolebwa mu b’oluganda abatwala obukulembeze mu bibiina awamu n’ebitundu ebibiina bye by’alina okubuuliramu. Ab’oluganda abamu, abazungu n’abaddugavu, tebaasanyukira nkyukakyuka eyo. Naye abasinga obungi, okufaananako Kitaffe ow’omu ggulu, baali tebasosola. Mu butuufu, bangi baalina mikwano gyabwe egy’okulusegere be baali batafaanaganya nabo langi. Ekyo nnali nnakirabako n’awaka mu myaka gya 1930 ne 1940 bwe nnali nkyali muto.

Obuvunaanyizibwa Obulala

Mu Jjanwali 1969, nze ne Gerri twasindikibwa okugenda okuweereza e Guyana, ekiri mu Amerika ow’ebukiikaddyo. Twasookera Brooklyn, New York, gye bantendekera okusobola okulabirira omulimu gw’okubuulira mu Guyana. Twatuuka mu Guyana mu Jjulaayi 1969. Oluvannyuma lw’okumala emyaka 16 nga mpeereza ng’omulabirizi atambula, tekyali kyangu kumanyiira kubeera mu kifo kimu. Gerri yali aweereza ng’omuminsani, ate nga nze mpeereza ku ofiisi y’ettabi.

Nnakolanga emirimu mingi ku ofiisi y’ettabi omwali okusaawa omuddo, okusindika ebitabo mu bibiina 28 ebyali mu Guyana, n’okuwuliziganya n’ekitebe ekikulu e Brooklyn. Buli lunaku nnakolanga okumala essaawa 14 oba 15. Ffembi twali tukola nnyo naye twafunanga essanyu lingi mu buweereza bwaffe. We twatuukira mu Guyana, waaliyo ababuulizi 950; leero waliyo ababuulizi abasukka mu 2,500.

Embeera y’obudde mu Guyana yali nnungi era waalingayo n’ebibala bingi n’enva endiirwa bye twawoomerwanga. Naye ekyasinga okutuleetera essanyu kwe kuba nti waaliyo abantu ab’emitima emirungi abaali baagala okuyiga ebikwata ku Bwakabaka bwa Katonda. Gerri yateranga okuyigiriza abayizi ba Bayibuli nga 20 buli wiiki. Bangi ku bantu be twayigiriza Bayibuli baabatizibwa era abamu ku bo ne bafuuka ba payoniya, abakadde, era abamu baagenda ne mu Ssomero lya Gireyaadi ne bafuuka abaminsani.

Obulwadde n’Ebizibu Ebirala

Mu 1983 bazadde bange abaali babeera mu Amerika baali beetaaga obuyambi. Nze, Gerri, ne Doris, twasisinkana ne twogera ku nsonga eyo. Doris, eyali amaze emyaka 35 ng’aweereza ng’omuminsani mu Brazil, yasalawo okuddayo eka okubalabirira. Yagamba nti yali talaba nsonga lwaki abaminsani babiri bava mu buweereza, ate ng’omuntu omu asobola okukola omulimu ogwo. Bazadde baffe bwe baafa, Doris yasigala mu Chattanooga era kati aweereza nga payoniya ow’enjawulo.

Mu 1995 nnakeberebwa ne kizuulwa nti nnalina kkansa w’akawago era bwe ntyo nnalina okuddayo mu Amerika. Twasalawo okubeera mu kibuga Goldsboro, eky’omu North Carolina, ekiri wakati wa Tennessee, ab’eŋŋanda zange gye babeera, ne Pennsylvania ab’eŋŋanda za Gerri gye babeera. Obulwadde bwange obwa kkansa kati tebukyannuma nnyo, era kati tuweereza nga bapayoniya ab’enjawulo mu Goldsboro.

Mmaze emyaka egisukka 65 mu buweereza obw’ekiseera kyonna. Ndi musanyufu olw’emikisa Yakuwa gy’atuwadde nze ne Gerri olw’enkyukakyuka ze tukoze okusobola okumuweereza. Ng’ebigambo bya Dawudi bino bituufu nnyo: ‘Eri omwesigwa Yakuwa anaabanga mwesigwa’!​—2 Sam. 22:26, NW.

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Taata n’Ow’oluganda Nichols banteerawo ekyokulabirako ekirungi

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Nze ne Gerri, nga tunaatera okugenda mu Gireyaadi, 1952

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Bwe twava mu Ssomero lya Gireyaadi, twasindikibwa okukyalira ebibiina mu bukiikaddyo bw’Amerika

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Abalabirizi abatambula ne bakyala baabwe nga beetegekera olukuŋŋaana lwa disitulikiti mu 1966

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Nga mpeereza ng’omuminsani mu Guyana