The magnificent and artistic structures constructed at the Wipolo shrine are an impression of two pillars signifying the two martyrdoms, Daudi Okelo and Jildo Irwa, who were killed in northern Uganda in 1918.
Available historical facts indicate that Daudi Okelo and Jildo Irwa were some of the early converts from the Acholi region; Daudi Okelo was born in 1902 in Ogom-Payira, a village in northern Uganda, by pagan parents, Lode and Amona.
At only 14 years of age, David Okello frequented catechism classes and had received baptism. He also received his Holly Communion from Father Cesare Gambaretto on 6th June 1916.
His counterpart, Jildo Irwa, was born in 1906 in the village, Bar-Kitoba, on the road from Kitgum, leading to Padibe, also by pagan parents’ mother, Atoo, and Okeny, the father, who later converted to Christianity.
Jildo was also baptized by Father Cesare Gambaretto on 6th June 1916. Both Jildo and Okello received their first holy communion on the same day and baptism on 15th October 1916.
According to Seminarian James Ojok, the incharge of pastoral work at the shrine, Okello and Irwa were killed just one year after their deployment to care for the fledgling church in the area.
“Following the death of Antonia, the catechist in charge of Panymol in 1917, was replaced by Daudi Okelo and deputized by a 12-year Jildo Irwa, who was chosen for the job and dispatched to Panymol to begin their catechism. Antonio, incidentally, was Daudi’s stepbrother,” he also remarked.
The area was insecure due to the slave trade and tribal wars associated with a colonial government that was expanding control over the area, which resulted in the arrest of Odida, the chief of Panymol.
This led to the hanging of the subjects to the chief of Panymol and the order of Daudi Okelo and Jildo Irwa to denounce their faith if they still needed their lives. The two refused and were killed by stabbing them to death in 1918, and their bodies were abandoned for four days.
Their relics were buried here at the Wipolo shrine in Agago and were canonized as saints of God, Making a total of 24 Ugandan catholic martyrs celebrated on 3rd June in Namugongo every year.
During the media engagement organized by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) at the shrine, local leaders emphasized the need for the promotion of the Wipolo martyrs’ shrine in memory of the two martyrdoms.
Joseph Mukasa, the Lai-mutto LC III chairperson, appealed to the government for more support towards the renovation and development of the Wipolo martyrs shrine and other historical sites in the region.
The UTB’s head of public relations and communication, Dr. Simplicious Gessa noted that having a faith-based tourism site within this circuit leverages pilgrimage potential, making it a strategic marketing initiative for the country’s tourism sector.
Meanwhile, the Uganda Tourism Board, an entity that is mandated with marketing and promoting Uganda’s tourism destination and outside, has embarked on profiling all tourism sites in the northern region.
The move is in line with preparations to commemorate the two martyrdoms slated for the 20th of October, 2024, which is celebrated every year. However, leaders here appealed to the government to ensure the security of the pilgrims.
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