Princess Elizabeth of Toro
Encyclopedia
Princess Elizabeth Christobel Edith Bagaaya Akiiki of Toro is the Batebe of the Kingdom of Toro. She is a Ugandan lawyer
, politician
, diplomat
, model
and actress. She was the first female
East African
to be admitted to the English Bar. She is a paternal aunt of the current King
of Toro, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV
. She briefly (February 1974 - November 1974) served as Minister of Foreign Affairs under Idi Amin
.
, the eleventh (11th) Omukama of Toro, who reigned between 1928 and 1965. Her mother was Kezia Byanjeru Abwooli, a daughter of Nikodemo Kakoro (a senior chief of the king). Her title from birth was Omubiitokati or Princess.
After finishing elementary school, she was sent to Gayaza High School
, a prestigious female boarding high school in Buganda
, followed by Sherborne School for Girls, in England
, where she was the only black
student. "I felt that I was on trial and that my failure to excel would reflect badly on the entire black race." she later wrote. After one year, she was accepted to Cambridge
(specifically Girton College), the third African woman in the institution's history. In 1962 she graduated from Cambridge with a law
degree. Three years later, in 1965, Elizabeth Bagaaya became a Barrister-at-Law, becoming the first woman from East Africa to be admitted to the English Bar.
, the twelfth (12th) Omukama of Toro, who reigned from 1965 until 1995. At the coronation
, Elizabeth received the title and office of Batebe (Princess Royal), which traditionally, made her the most powerful woman in Toro, and the most trusted adviser of the King
.
King Fredrick Mutesa II of Buganda
, another of Uganda's traditional kingdoms, was now the President
, with his Prime Minister
, Milton Obote
. Barely one year after the coronation
of the Omukama Olimi III, Obote attacked the Buganda Palace
, sending Sir Edward Muteesa II in exile, and declared himself president. Soon he "abolished" all Uganda
n traditional kingdoms including Toro. Elizabeth was afraid for her brother's life, but he escaped to London
.
Elizabeth later completed an internship at a law firm, and became Uganda
's first female lawyer. Elizabeth was a virtual prisoner in her own country
, until Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom
sent her an invitation to model in a charity fashion show. The Princess was a smash hit, and soon became a highly successful fashion model, being featured in many magazines. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
met Elizabeth at a party, and convinced her to move to New York City
. In 1971 Milton Obote was overthrown by General Idi Amin
. Elizabeth returned to Uganda. Amin's rule was arguably even more repressive than Obote's, with Amin executing and imprisoning many people. In 1974 Amin appointed Elizabeth Minister of Foreign Affairs.
, then to Vienna
, then to London. Four years later, Elizabeth returned to Uganda, to help with Uganda's first free national elections, which were won by Milton Obote, who continued killing his enemies. Elizabeth and her lover, Prince Wilberforce Nyabongo, son of Prince Leo Sharp Ochaki, escaped to London in 1980, and married in 1981. Finally in 1985, Obote was overthrown and following a brief period of military rule, was replaced by Yoweri Museveni
. In 1986 Elizabeth was appointed ambassador to the United States
, a job she held until 1988. Later that year Nyabongo, an aviation engineer, was killed in a plane crash at age 32 years.
Following the death of her husband, Elizabeth opted to leave public service and get involved in charity work, in addition to being an official guardian of her brother's son, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who was born in 1992, and is the current reigning Toro monarch since 1995. Following a period of service as Uganda's Ambassador to Germany
and the Vatican
, Princess Elizabeth accepted an appointment as Uganda's High Commissioner
to Nigeria
, based in Abuja
, that country's capital.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
and actress. She was the first female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
East African
East African
East African may refer to:*Any person or object of, or pertaining to, East Africa*East African Airlines, an airline based in Kampala, Uganda*East African Safari Air, a now defunct airline based in Kenya*The EastAfrican, a weekly newspaper in East Africa...
to be admitted to the English Bar. She is a paternal aunt of the current King
Omukama of Toro
The Omukama of Toro is the name given to rulers of the central African kingdom of Toro. The kingdom lasted as an independent state from the 16th to the 19th century...
of Toro, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV
Rukidi IV of Toro
Rukirabasaija Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, King Oyo, is the reigning Omukama of Toro, in Uganda. He was born on 16 April 1992 to King Patrick David Mathew Kaboyo Olimi III and Queen Best Kemigisa Kaboyo. Three and half years later in 1995, Oyo ascended the throne and succeeded his father to...
. She briefly (February 1974 - November 1974) served as Minister of Foreign Affairs under Idi Amin
Idi Amin
Idi Amin Dada was a military leader and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment, the King's African Rifles in 1946. Eventually he held the rank of Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its Commander before seizing power in the military...
.
Early life & education
Princess Elizabeth Christobel Edith Bagaaya was born in 1936 to Lieutenant Sir George David Matthew Kamurasi Rukidi IIIRukidi III of Toro
Rukirabasaija Sir George David Matthew Kamurasi Rukidi III was Omukama of the Kingdom of Toro from 1928 until 1965. He was the eleventh Omukama of Toro.-Claim to the throne:...
, the eleventh (11th) Omukama of Toro, who reigned between 1928 and 1965. Her mother was Kezia Byanjeru Abwooli, a daughter of Nikodemo Kakoro (a senior chief of the king). Her title from birth was Omubiitokati or Princess.
After finishing elementary school, she was sent to Gayaza High School
Gayaza High School
Gayaza High School is an all-girls boarding school covering grades 8 -13 in Uganda. It is the oldest girls' school in the country.-Location:The school is located in the town of Gayaza, in Wakiso District, approximately northeast of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city. The school grounds...
, a prestigious female boarding high school in Buganda
Buganda
Buganda is a subnational kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Ganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day Uganda, comprising all of Uganda's Central Region, including the Ugandan capital Kampala, with the exception of the disputed eastern Kayunga District...
, followed by Sherborne School for Girls, in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where she was the only black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
student. "I felt that I was on trial and that my failure to excel would reflect badly on the entire black race." she later wrote. After one year, she was accepted to Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
(specifically Girton College), the third African woman in the institution's history. In 1962 she graduated from Cambridge with a law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
degree. Three years later, in 1965, Elizabeth Bagaaya became a Barrister-at-Law, becoming the first woman from East Africa to be admitted to the English Bar.
Royal life & modeling
Around this time her father died, and her brother Patrick was enthroned as Rukirabasaija Patrick David Matthew Koboyo Olimi IIIOlimi III of Toro
Rukirabasaija Patrick David Matthew Koboyo Olimi III was Omukama of the Kingdom of Toro, from 1965 until 1995. He was the 12th Omukama of Toro.-Claim to the throne:...
, the twelfth (12th) Omukama of Toro, who reigned from 1965 until 1995. At the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
, Elizabeth received the title and office of Batebe (Princess Royal), which traditionally, made her the most powerful woman in Toro, and the most trusted adviser of the King
Omukama of Toro
The Omukama of Toro is the name given to rulers of the central African kingdom of Toro. The kingdom lasted as an independent state from the 16th to the 19th century...
.
King Fredrick Mutesa II of Buganda
Buganda
Buganda is a subnational kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Ganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day Uganda, comprising all of Uganda's Central Region, including the Ugandan capital Kampala, with the exception of the disputed eastern Kayunga District...
, another of Uganda's traditional kingdoms, was now the President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, with his Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, Milton Obote
Milton Obote
Apolo Milton Obote , Prime Minister of Uganda from 1962 to 1966 and President of Uganda from 1966 to 1971, then again from 1980 to 1985. He was a Ugandan political leader who led Uganda towards independence from the British colonial administration in 1962.He was overthrown by Idi Amin in 1971, but...
. Barely one year after the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of the Omukama Olimi III, Obote attacked the Buganda Palace
Mengo
Mengo can refer to:*Mengo, Uganda*Clube de Regatas do Flamengo...
, sending Sir Edward Muteesa II in exile, and declared himself president. Soon he "abolished" all Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
n traditional kingdoms including Toro. Elizabeth was afraid for her brother's life, but he escaped to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Elizabeth later completed an internship at a law firm, and became Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
's first female lawyer. Elizabeth was a virtual prisoner in her own country
Country
A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously...
, until Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sent her an invitation to model in a charity fashion show. The Princess was a smash hit, and soon became a highly successful fashion model, being featured in many magazines. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier "Jackie" Kennedy Onassis was the wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, and served as First Lady of the United States during his presidency from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. Five years later she married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle...
met Elizabeth at a party, and convinced her to move to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1971 Milton Obote was overthrown by General Idi Amin
Idi Amin
Idi Amin Dada was a military leader and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment, the King's African Rifles in 1946. Eventually he held the rank of Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its Commander before seizing power in the military...
. Elizabeth returned to Uganda. Amin's rule was arguably even more repressive than Obote's, with Amin executing and imprisoning many people. In 1974 Amin appointed Elizabeth Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Exile & return
In February 1975 Elizabeth escaped to KenyaKenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, then to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, then to London. Four years later, Elizabeth returned to Uganda, to help with Uganda's first free national elections, which were won by Milton Obote, who continued killing his enemies. Elizabeth and her lover, Prince Wilberforce Nyabongo, son of Prince Leo Sharp Ochaki, escaped to London in 1980, and married in 1981. Finally in 1985, Obote was overthrown and following a brief period of military rule, was replaced by Yoweri Museveni
Yoweri Museveni
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is a Ugandan politician and statesman. He has been President of Uganda since 26 January 1986.Museveni was involved in the war that deposed Idi Amin Dada, ending his rule in 1979, and in the rebellion that subsequently led to the demise of the Milton Obote regime in 1985...
. In 1986 Elizabeth was appointed ambassador to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, a job she held until 1988. Later that year Nyabongo, an aviation engineer, was killed in a plane crash at age 32 years.
Following the death of her husband, Elizabeth opted to leave public service and get involved in charity work, in addition to being an official guardian of her brother's son, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who was born in 1992, and is the current reigning Toro monarch since 1995. Following a period of service as Uganda's Ambassador to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, Princess Elizabeth accepted an appointment as Uganda's High Commissioner
High Commissioner
High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
to Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, based in Abuja
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
, that country's capital.
External links
- Biography of Elizabeth Bagaaya
- Princess Elizabeth Bagaaya of Toro
- Toro royal family site
- Toro royal family genealogy
- http://nihirafame.blogspot.com/2010/12/princess-elizabeth-bagaaya-africas.html
See also
- Rukidi III of ToroRukidi III of ToroRukirabasaija Sir George David Matthew Kamurasi Rukidi III was Omukama of the Kingdom of Toro from 1928 until 1965. He was the eleventh Omukama of Toro.-Claim to the throne:...
- http://nihirafame.blogspot.com/2010/12/princess-elizabeth-bagaaya-africas.html