Articles by David Isabirye

DAVID ISABIRYE: Tribute to Ronald Adigas; the loyal, committed fallen Rugby Gem

Famous Roman Orator Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) remains a darling to-date for his quotations that include “The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living”. This is a bold reality as we remember and celebrate the life of former Uganda Rugby Cranes Prop and ardent Entebbe Mongers player Ronald Adigas. Sunday, 26th October 2025 will forever remain a dark day for the sporting fraternity in Entebbe Municipality, the entire Uganda and particularly the Rugby family. On a fateful morning, news filtered through about the sudden and shocking death of Ronald Adigas, a former Uganda Rugby Cranes prop. At first, It was very hard to believe such news given the fact that deceased was actively involved in the annual St Theresa primary school day celebrations a day earlier with the trademark customary smiling face, freely dancing off and cracked all sorts of fond jokes with former students. Moments after the celebrations, he also reported for work at his Entebbe International Airport duty station, at the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) where he worked on the evening shift for the SN Brussels flight. Sadly, Adigas suffered a cardiac arrest hours after retiring from work and died instantly. By the time he collapsed, he was by the road side in Nkumba, Katabi Town Council (Wakiso), just next by his private side business, a chicken stall that he had established over the years to make ends meet. In fact, as a routine, he had passed to by check on the gentleman he employed and possibly balance the account books before heading home for the night’s rest. Sadly, Adigas, a giant by structure suffered an attack, lay on the ground, and the rest is now history. I vividly recall encountering with Adigas several years ago. Back then, I was an S1 student at Entebbe Secondary School. Her sister Irene Driciru was a classmate right from O-Level and the brother Andrew Asioka was a great sprinter and teammate on that famous Entebbe SS football team (2009-2022). Ever jovial, Adigas was well structured, fearless, very solid, strong, big and tall with a slight cris-cut leg formulation. I occasionally joked with him to cross over to football; but he simply replied with a smile. Adigas stood firm as a giant as he trained and competitively played Rugby, then a relatively new sport at the school. Obviously, he commanded authority at all times. He spoke and all his teammates attentively listened. He loved Rugby to the brim and was always ready to serve this sport by passion (voluntarily), loyalty, dedication, determination and commitment with due diligence. Adigas’ commitment to the sport; I recall was instrumental at the start of Entebbe Mongers Rugby Club back in the early 1990’s alongside other persons as Isaac Kazibwe, Gilson Batuse, Oscar Olaro, Kigongo Ssebalamu, Andrew Olweny, Ian Odokonyero, Victor Wadia, the Twins Herbert Kato and magical kicker Adrian Wasswa, Simon Wakabi alongside many more people who joined along the way. Over the years, Entebbe Mongers grew steadily; in numbers, firm in administrative structures and it became a club not to be reckoned with on the land, attracting a fan-base and potential stakeholders including Plascon paints of late. Adigas was a team player with awesome organizational abilities, time management skills, he was humble, a hard worker and yes; a shrewd team leader of sorts. Tales are told how he politely turned down enticing offers from the best Rugby clubs based in Kampala and Uganda in general as Heathens, Kobs and Pirates; setting for them tough conditions as he yearned to grow with the Entebbe Mongers’ brand. At the House of Pain, first in Manyago (Entebbe SS playground), he was known as a vivid timekeeper, a character who motivated teammates to train, respect but not fear the opponents and a die-hard who yearned to win at all costs. His Prop business on the Rugby field left down many opponents. He was a fear factor in the Entebbe Mongers team, a key pillar that lifted the Sailors’ side to greater heights, even at the lowest ebb. Because of his unique talent and sheer determination to crack down walls of the opposition, he deservedly earned the treasured national team call to the Uganda Rugby Cranes, alongside other teammates as Olweny, and later on, many others. For his unique energy levels, work ethic, command on the field of play as well as the famous hand-off tactic, he definitely commanded a starting slot on the Rugby Cranes team for some years (2005 to 2013). He was part of the Uganda Rugby Cranes team that won Gold as they became African Champions way back in 2007 during a championship in Madagascar. Adigas still returned to his native Entebbe Mongers. He remained grounded as he motivated very many young players, initiating them to a physical sport that demands commitment at all times. Calm and composed, Adigas was exceptional. He respected the media and loved to work for his club, personal family and the Rugby fraternity. He truly loved Rugby and by the time of his demise, he voluntarily trained the props as he spared time off his busy schedule to serve and give back to the sport that made him popular. Along with the other seniors on the team, Adigas was key in Entebbe Monger’s acquition of a private stadium at the lake side scenic Busambaga in Katabi, Entebbe Municipality, given the close collaboration the town authorities. He has been a great father who loved his entire family exceptionally well and unconditionally. On Thursday, 30th October 2025, there is a requiem mass at St John’s Church Entebbe (opposite Entebbe State House); just adjacent Entebbe Club where Adigas often conducted physical drills in the golf course and playing field (Kakeeka). His family, Entebbe residents, Entebbe Mongers Rugby Football Club and the general public will then pay final respect to the body at the treasured House of Pain stadium in Busambaga, alongside the other Rugby members from elsewhere before the body will be transported to Madi Okollo, in the West Nile region for burial. Madi-Okollo, the final resting confine for Ronald Adigas is a tranquil place I personally visited just a week ago will surely befittingly receive the body of a Giant, as the soul settles nowhere else but in Heaven. Rest in Eternal Peace, Ronald Adigas, the Super Prop, the Superstar.

4 days ago

Articles by David Isabirye

DAVID ISABIRYE: Tribute to Ronald Adigas; the loyal, committed fallen Rugby Gem

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