Lango cultural unity, investment, and heritage preservation dominated discussions when the Paramount Chief of Lango, His Royal Highness Eng. Dr. Michael Moses Odongo Okune met members of the Lango diaspora in the United Kingdom for the first time since his official gazettement as Won Nyaci me Lango.
The meeting, hosted by the Lango Association UK at Jiam Glory Ministries Hall in Charlton, London, on October 10, 2026, brought together community leaders and senior Ugandan officials to discuss challenges facing the Lango sub-region and opportunities for development.
In a statement following the meeting, Lango Association UK chairman Geoffrey Odur Akaki said the diaspora had appealed to the cultural leader to prioritise reconciliation and restore unity within the cultural institution.
Odur said the association had called for dialogue among the competing factions to address divisions affecting the institution and the wider community.
He said the meeting also raised concerns about the proliferation of new clans and internal disputes, as well as the need for improved roads, electricity, access to clean water, employment opportunities and the operationalisation of planned industrial parks in the region.
The diaspora further called for the establishment of a modern museum to preserve Lango’s cultural artefacts and history. Other concerns included school dropouts, alcohol abuse, poverty, rape and teenage pregnancies, which participants said required coordinated community interventions.
Responding to the concerns, Odongo Okune said the cultural institution would not recognise new clans and directed the Itogo, or Council of Clan Chiefs, to work with existing clans to promote cohesion and resolve internal disputes.
He also urged members of the diaspora to invest in health, education, and agro-processing, arguing that value addition could create employment and improve incomes for communities whose livelihoods largely depend on subsistence farming.
The cultural leader identified internal wrangles as a major impediment to development, including the implementation of government programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM). He said Tekwaro Lango is involved in mediating disputes, supporting vulnerable children through scholarships and reclaiming cultural institution assets.
Senior Ugandan officials at the meeting, including Senior Presidential Advisor for Trade and Investment Nicholas Karamagi and Ambassador Rosa Malango of Operation Wealth Creation, highlighted opportunities for Lango producers to access export markets, particularly for shea butter and honey, as well as business opportunities for women-led enterprises.
Odur said the association planned to move beyond offering advice and become an active development partner by identifying grants, business networks, and trade opportunities in the UK and Europe for producers and entrepreneurs in Lango.
He added that the association intends to establish an annual Lango Cultural Day in the United Kingdom and invite the Won Nyaci to participate in future events.
Odur called on the community to reject divisions based on politics, religion, and social differences, saying cultural identity should remain a unifying factor among the Lango people.
He said the association hoped the engagement would strengthen cooperation between the diaspora and the cultural institution, with the aim of advancing reconciliation, preserving Lango heritage and supporting development in the sub-region.