Nile Breweries Limited (NBL) held a farewell party to see off its former head of legal and corporate affairs, Onapito Ekomoloit after he assumed a new role as the company’s board chair.
At the pompous party that was held at the Nile Breweries headquarters in Luzira on June 16, a number of people were present to witness Onapito who has served the company for the last 17 years pass on the mantle to Mr Emmanuel Njuki. The ceremony was coupled with a book launch of his autobiography titled ‘Tears & Triumph’ which highlights his life journey.
Among these were notable people from the central government, friends, family, colleagues, and associates in his walk of life.
In his remarks, Mr Adu Rando, the Managing Director of Nile Breweries shared that Onapito’s name is synonymous with the company and it has been a thrilling journey having him share his vast knowledge to the betterment of the brand.
In his keynote speech, Musa Ecweru the Minister of State for Works and Transport who was the guest of honour hailed Onapito for doing a good job at Nile breweries for the past 17 years without any scandal to his name.
He shared that Onapito manifested a true son of the Teso-Sub region in all he did which kept him soaring to greater heights and creating impact wherever he worked.
“I want to thank Onapito Ekomoloit for raising the flag for Wera Sub-County in Amuru district and the entire Teso Sub-region. I also want to thank NBL for creating close to 30,000 jobs in Teso, this translates to supporting close to 30,000 families and homesteads,” he said.
The minister added that he hopes Nile Breweries increases employment from 30,000 jobs and see numbers grow to enhance livelihood and transform lives.
Former Minister of Trade and Industry Amelia Kyambedde who worked alongside Onapito in State House during her five-year tenure praised him for his passion for work.
She described him as a reserved person who does not engage in idle chatter and when approached with a question, he takes the time to evaluate before providing any response.
Ms. Kyambadde said that despite the absence of technology at that time, Onapito consistently managed to deliver news updates whenever they were in remote areas.
Delivering his speech, Onapito who could not hide his excitement on seeing a number of people who turned up to celebrate him thanked NBL for not only employing him for 17 years as director of Legal and Corporate Affairs but also appointing him to the new position of board chairman.
“In my earlier days, I would often envision a future where I would work with NBL, launch my own book, and host esteemed guests like yourselves. Today, I stand before you, having transformed from a raw and inexperienced individual to a refined and accomplished person,” he said.
He explained that the cover photo of his book (him with President Museveni) is so deliberate although some people think that it is a cheap short, but asked people to read and find out the attachment of this photo.
“This could have been my last photo in the world. It was taken 30 minutes after I would have died and the story is in the book. Every story therein is a very significant one in my life. The title of the book is also very deliberate and the only way to know it is to read the book,” he said.
Onapito’s memoir “Tears and Triumph,” tells the story of a young boy raised in a struggling village in Teso, North Eastern Region of Uganda, who later achieves national prominence.
Despite facing numerous challenges from an early age, such as the untimely death of his mother, Onapito managed to overcome adversity and achieve remarkable success in his later life.
Although he initially aspired to become a lawyer, Onapito took a different path and became a highly regarded journalist. He later served as a Member of Parliament and eventually became the Press Secretary to President Yoweri Museveni.
He joined Nile Breweries Limited, where he held the prestigious position of Legal and Corporate Affairs director for 17 years.
Despite his accomplishments in the corporate realm, Onapito never lost his connection to his media background. He continues to be a prominent figure in Uganda’s media talk shows, demonstrating his unwavering ties to his roots.
The book leaves readers yearning for more as it showcases the power of perseverance and determination in the face of overwhelming odds.
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