From wealth to Curse: Lawyer Omara Atubo Launches Book on Lango Cattle Loss

From Wealth to Curse: Counsel Omara Atubo Launches Book on Lango Cattle Loss

By Okidi Patrick

LIRA CITY, UGANDA— April 10, 2026: Celebrated lawyer and former cabinet minister, Hon. Counsel Daniel Omara Atubo, has officially launched his latest book, “Lango Cattle: From Wealth to Curse”, a raw and historical account of the region’s transition from an economic powerhouse to a land scarred by livestock loss.
The launch, held in Lira City Hall on Friday, April 10, 2026, was graced by former Uganda Human Rights Commissioner Joel Aliro Omara and a host of dignitaries, including religious leaders, elders, and legal minds.
A Record of History and Heartbreak: The book, which Atubo says took six months of intensive writing, chronicles the “Dok Alango” (Lango cattle) story through the eyes of victims. It delves into the dark period between 1986 and 1989 when the sub-region suffered widespread cattle raiding and loss.
“I want Lango to develop a culture of writing and reading their own history,” Atubo said. “We must document the struggle for independence in the 1950s, the rise of Milton Obote, the 1971 coup by Idi Amin, and the subsequent return of the exiles in 1980.”
Born in 1947 and now aged 79, Atubo shared personal reflections of his time at Makerere Law School alongside Aliro Omara before both fled into exile, only to return and serve in the 1980s.

Commissioner Joel Aliro Omara, who officially launched the book, described it as more than just a historical record. “This is a call for stronger policies to ensure such a scenario never happens again. We must invest in good governance and justice for the victims,” he stated.
Quoting an old Lango proverb, “Nyuka ka oton icip pe nangere” (one must not give up even when things seem lost), Aliro Omara thanked Atubo for his honesty and courage in writing the book without fear or favour.
Enriching the Community
The Deputy Mayor of Lira City, Rebecca Alwedo Ogole, who represented Mayor Sam Atul, noted that the book would serve as a vital educational tool for the current generation to understand the cultural and economic importance of cattle to the Lango people.
The event was attended by notable figures, including Bishop Emeritus Rt. Rev. John Charles Odur Kami, Lango War Debt Claimant Association leader Ogwang Adonyo, and Rolex Akena Ogwal among others.