The College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) is set to honor Zadok Adolu -Otojoka as part of the activities to Mark the Mak @100 celebrations.
The college through the Department of Performing Arts and Film spearhead by Milton Wabyona has come up with an event, dubbed “ Zadok Adolu-Otojoka Biography Recital: Lessons from Half a Century of Music Teaching”.
This recital will be held on March 31, 2022, at Makerere University, where Adolu-Otojoka will be honored by the university faculty, students and alumni for his invaluable and monumental contribution to academia.
Wabyona said, the honor is premised on the fact that the value of history in determining future outcomes is strongly implied in the notion that educators can only better prepare for the future with adequate knowledge of the past.
“The Zadok Adolu-Otojoka Biography Recital is a musical arts presentation aimed at exploring through the 52-years of professional music teaching by Zadok Adolu-Otojoka, with a view to learning and understanding the trends, as well as predicting the future of the music education discipline in Uganda”, Wabyona explained
He said, Zadok Adolu-Otojoka is one of the highly celebrated icons of music education and professional music performance in Uganda and East Africa. Educated in Uganda and in the United States, Adolu-Otojoka has taught music at all levels of the formal education pyramid in East Africa, with the most distinguished acclaim.
At the peak of his teaching career in Uganda, he served as Head of Department of Music, Dance and Drama (now Performing Arts and Film) at Makerere University in the mid- to late-1990s. At Makerere, he was particularly famous for his charismatic conducting of the university anthem and the mesmerizing leadership of the academic procession during graduation ceremonies.
Adolu-Otojoka is revered for his extra-ordinary talent in both Western and African musical art forms and passion for the music profession, in which he excelled and mentored generations.
This biography recital is based on the article: “Zadok Adolu-Otojoka and Music Education in Uganda: An Oral History” by Milton Wabyona, published on January 27, 2022, in an American Journal of Historical Research in Music Education. The purpose of this recital is to highlight some of the senior educator’s experiences, approaches and recommendations presented in his oral history.
The recital repertoire will primarily focus on some of Adolu-Otojoka’s favorite works, particularly, those highlighted in his oral history as well as recitations of select sections of his life story.
The performance forces will include some of Adolu-Otojoka’s former students, acquaintances, professional musicians and music faculty alongside current music students from Makerere University.
“We believe Adolu-Otojoka’s recital will not only provide valuable inspiration for the young music education discipline in Uganda, but also insights regarding multicultural music education perspectives. As Makerere University celebrates 100 years of existence, Adolu-Otojoka’s recital provides a timely historical moment with valuable experiences to reflect upon for the future of the discipline and that of our alma mater,” Wabyona stated.