By: ‘dayo Adedayo
I have often wondered: if Africa is the cradle of civilisation, why then does its brilliance seem so hidden in our modern times?
This question, soft but insistent, travelled with me as the wheels of the plane kissed the runway at Entebbe International Airport. It was my first time in this part of the continent, and yet, from the very beginning, Uganda felt less like a discovery and more like a gentle homecoming.
From the aircraft, where protocol officers awaited, to the embrace of our host, Rulinda Fabrice Brad, the Mayor of Entebbe. I was struck by the grace of my reception. Rulinda, a fine young gentleman with wisdom beyond his years, carries his country’s pride in his voice and its warmth in his smile.
His knowledge of Nigeria and his friendships with so many of my countrymen made me feel as though an invisible bridge connected our two nations, spanning across borders, histories, and dreams.
The journey to our hotel, the Lake Victoria Golf Resort and Spa, was nothing short of enchanting.
At dawn
As dawn unveiled the horizon, my thoughts raced with possibilities, how Africans must learn to holiday within Africa, to open our borders, and to see ourselves not as divided by lines but as united by destiny. With over two billion of us, we hold within our numbers the power of an untapped empire, waiting only for us to believe in ourselves.
Lake Victoria
And then, Lake Victoria. The resort, an 18-hole golf course, opened in 2009, sits like a jewel upon her waters, its sprawling greens breathing tranquillity into the soul.
Even with my bad knee slowing me, I could not resist wandering the vast grounds, my heart drinking in the splendour of every corner.
The lawns seemed to stretch into infinity, kissed by the morning light, while the air itself carried whispers of opportunities, possibilities that perhaps the crowded economies of America, Asia, or Europe could no longer promise.
Hospitality haven
Uganda is not just beautiful; it is tender, generous, and alive. Its people carry kindness like a second skin, offering it freely to every stranger.
Here, hospitality is not an act. It is a way of life. You do not simply visit Uganda; you feel Uganda. You taste it in the richness of the food, you hear it in the rhythms of its culture, you see it in the lush embrace of its landscapes, and above all, you experience it in the warmth of its people.
Though I am here for only three days, I know with certainty this is not farewell. I will return with friends, with family, with open arms, to wander deeper into this land of splendour, to explore its famed National Park, the largest in Africa, and to etch Uganda more permanently into the story of my life.
Uganda is not merely a destination. It is an awakening. It is a place that invites you not just to admire its beauty but to invest in its promise to partake in its unfolding tale of growth.
And so I say to anyone who reads these words: come to Uganda. Come to be charmed, to be changed, to be reminded that Africa still cradles the seeds of greatness and that here, in Uganda, they are waiting to bloom.
