Henry Luke Orombi
Archbishop of the Church of the Province of Uganda
You can read an extensive history of the Church of Uganda here.
Early beginnings and education
Most Rev. Henry Luke Orombi was born on 11th October 1949 in Goli Jupangira, the present location of the headquarters of Nebbi Diocese, of the late Luka Odongo Jalobo of Amor Clan, Pakwach, and the late Susana Nyandukla Nyar’Alwi, Jonam County in Nebbi District. He grew up in Pakwach and attended primary and junior secondary school education at Pajobi Junior Secondary School. After a successful completion of Junior Secondary School (J2) in 1965, he was admitted to Elgon Technical College. Unfortunately his father could not afford the fees for Elgon Technical College because his stepbrother, the late Phinehas Ucakacon, was already in secondary school at Mvara SS in Arua.
Much to Orombi’s chagrin, his father sent him to Arua TTC saying he could only afford Teacher Training College. Thus he trained to become a teacher. It was while a student in Arua TTC that Orombi became a born-again Christian. On completion of his training in 1969, he was posted to Ambalal P.7 School in Lira Town and began teaching in 1970. He got married to the former Phoebe Angeira Mugeny of Andibo, Panyango Sub-county, Jonam County in June of 1972.
Early preaching ministry
Orombi started active preaching when he was a teacher in Lira. As an accomplished guitar player, he composed many gospel songs and choruses that became popular in youth and student conferences all over the country. He would preach and play his guitar in open-air rallies, schools and youth conferences. His preaching and music ministry particularly touched many young people; many more came to a personal and saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. For example, the present bishop of Lango Diocese, Rt. Rev. John Charles Odurkami, was converted through his preaching at this time.
Theological training and expanded ministry
The late Archbishop Janani Luwum, then Bishop of Northern Uganda Diocese, spotted his talent and, in December of 1973, brought him to the Diocesan headquarters in Gulu as assistant Diocesan Youth Worker and Religious Education Advisor until 1974. A year later, Bishop Luwum sent him to Bishop Tucker Theological Training College, Mukono, for a four-year Diploma in Theology course from 1975-78. When he was a second year student at Bishop Tucker College, Lango Diocese was formed out of Northern Uganda Diocese in 1976. The Langi students at Mukono became the responsibility of Lango Diocese and Acholi students reverted to Northern Uganda Diocese.
Orombi, a Jonam-Alur, was asked to choose between Northern Uganda and Lango. He was in a dilemma because either choice would have alienated one from the other. Then the late Archbishop Silvanus Wani, Bishop of Madi/West Nile Diocese at the time, had the “Wisdom of Solomon” and said his “original home” of Madi/West Nile Diocese would take him so that Northern Uganda and Lango Dioceses could have peace. This is briefly how Rt. Rev. Henry Orombi calls the Diocese of Lango, Northern Uganda, including Kitgum, and Madi/West Nile his home.
After graduating from Bishop Tucker College at the top of his class in 1978, Orombi was ordained deacon at the beginning of 1979 and priested the same year, at the end, by the Rt. Rev. Remelia Ringtho (now retired) who had succeeded Silvanus Wani. Bishop Ringtho also appointed him Diocesan Youth Worker from 1978 to 1980. Perhaps, his most successful ministry as a youth evangelist was in Arua. His home in the diocesan compound in Mvara was the “youth headquarters” where young people were free to come in and go out whenever they wanted. Thereafter, he got a scholarship to St. John’s College, Nottingham, in the United Kingdom, where he studied from 1980 to 1983. He graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Theology of Nottingham University. After return to Uganda, he resumed his youth work till 1986. Then, a year later, he was appointed Archdeacon, Goli Archdeaconry, which he developed to become Nebbi Diocese; he was consecrated and enthroned its first bishop in 1993.
In the ten years he was bishop, Orombi transformed Nebbi Diocese from a young rural and underdeveloped diocese into one of the fastest growing in the Church of Uganda. It has a vibrant Christian witness, expanding modern infrastructure and facilities with extensive national, regional and international partnerships and networks.
Family background
Archbishop Orombi has been shaped by a diverse interplay of forces and experiences, touched by divine love and guided by the sovereign hand of Almighty God right from his youth. His father, Luka Odongo Jalobo, left his village of Amor as a teenager to join the African Inland Missionaries (AIM) in Goli in the early 1920s. He went against the wishes of his own father. Young Jalobo completed his catechism and was baptised “Luka”, after St. Luke the Evangelist – also Henry Orombi’s middle name, “Luke”.
While in training for catechism, which, in those days, also included reading (especially the Bible), writing and arithmetic (the 3Rs), Luke Jalobo became a gifted preacher skillful in Bible exposition. Herein lie the roots of Archbishop Orombi’s oratory and communication gift. He would have been one of the first clergy from Jonam with the late Rev. Canon Apollo Okech (former Ambassador Robert Canaan Ucungi’s father), if he had not opted to continue for more education at Gulu High School (Normal School) in the early 1930s where the late Erinayo Oryema, former Inspector General of Police, was his teacher. He later joined the colonial Police Service, served briefly, then trained as an agricultural extension instructor at Serere in Soroti. He became an assistant agricultural extension instructor in charge of the introduction of coffee to Nebbi. He worked in Warr, Paidha and Goli in the 1940s when Archbishop Orombi was born. After retirement, he became a businessman dealing in cotton buying and later fish trade. He was a man of vast and faithful friendship aptly described by his contemporaries as “Luka Jalobo ja wat” meaning, “Luka Jalobo is a man of the people. He passed away in 1989.
Archbishop Orombi’s mother, Susana Nyandukla Nyar’Alwi, was a solid rock of strength and stability. A mother to eleven children, five of whom died young, she raised the remaining six children Julena Umika, Lydia Aromborck, Archbishop Orombi, George Piwang, Jesse Tolit and Jonathan Ringe with dedication and perseverance through thick and thin. She was a born-again woman whose simple faith and quiet trust in Jesus was a living model for her children. Her favorite hymn, “Leaning on the everlasting arms of Jesus” is also one of Archbishop Orombi’s all time favorites. She passed away in 1991. His oldest sister Julena Umika and her husband, retired Rev. Canon Elia Umika, have had an outstanding ministry in Nebbi Diocese. She is a preacher and leader in her own right, an effective community mobilizer whose eldest son, Micah Rwothumio Umika, is pastor of University Community Fellowship in Kampala. Lydia lives with her family in Nebbi; George Piwang, a lay theologian, is a lecturer in Development studies, Gulu University; Jesse Tolit works at the family business and lives with his family in Pakwach while the last born Jonathan Ringe, is a student at the Uganda Christian University, Mukono. They are testimony to the imprint of their mother, Susana Nyar’Alwi.
Father and Mother’s Clan pedigree
Orombi comes from the Amor Clan of Pakwach whose ancestral chief Okwach and his P’Okwach chiefdom gave rise to the name of Pakwach Town. The Amor are also found among the Bagungu in Bunyoro and are called “Kimor” as well as among the Jopadhola of Tororo where they are known as “Amor”. Orombi’s grandfather, Odongo Avol Olony was a sub chief and a polygamous man with more than (8) wives who was known for his leadership, stern discipline and generosity. He had many children and quite a number of grand and great grand children and his home was like a large settlement. He was an ardent practioner of traditional African religion vehemently opposed to his second-born son (Orombi’s father) becoming a Christian. However, his leadership abilities, still talked about by those who remember him, were without question. Orombi’s grandmother, Acen Nyar’Atyak, after whom his first daughter, Helen Acen, was named was a paragon of beauty and generosity. Thus from his father’s clan side, Archbishop Orombi inherited leadership, oratory, friendship, hospitality and handsome features.
His mother, Susana Nyandukla Nyar’Alwi comes from Alwi Clan, Panyango, Jonam County, that boasts of some of the most brilliant and industrious women in Nebbi District. Orombi’s maternal grandfather Yusufu Jatim was 6’5” giant from whom Orombi gets his height and gait. He was a World War I & II Sergeant Major Veteran who fought in the KAR in Asia and other places in East Africa including Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania where Orombi’s mother was born in the 1920s. His maternal grandfather, too, was a polygamous man with over 10 wives and had several “settlement-homes” in Arua, Nyaravur-Oryang and Panyigoro. His maternal grandmother, Meu Nya’Mbaro, from Mbaro, Padyere District, was a woman of steadfastness and diligence who was willing to travel with the Archbishop’s grandfather, even to Tanzania, where the his mother was born. From his mother’s side; Archbishop Orombi gets his brilliance, boldness, tall athletic features, dogged determination and steadfastness.
Evangelist, leader, orator and a family man chosen from youth
Phoebe Orombi, the Archbishop’s wife, has been a unique companion. She is the quiet tower of strength and, together, they have four children: Helen Acen, Robert Ogenrwoth, Daniel Jalobo and Deborah who passed away in England when they were about to return in 1983.
Helen, the eldest, has completed a Masters Degree in Economic Development in the USA and plans to enroll for a PhD in Christian Faith and Public Policy this autumn. Robert has graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environment Studies from Makerere University and Daniel, a gifted musician like his father, is working on making it as professional musician.
The life and profile of Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Most Rev. Henry Luke Orombi, can best be summed up in the words of Prophet Jeremiah:
I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi was elected by the House of Bishops of the Church of the Province of Uganda (Anglican) on 4th July 2003. He was enthroned the 7th Archbishop of the Church of Uganda on 25th January, 2004, at the Provincial Cathedral of St. Paul’s, Namirembe, Kampala, Uganda, and as the 6th Bishop of the Diocese of Kampala on 1st February, 2004, at All Saints Cathedral. He succeeds The Most Rev. Dr. Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo who led the Church of Uganda with great wisdom from 1995 to 2003.