Tooro covers lion sculptures in mourning ritual for King Oyo

What the report says

Tooro Kingdom in western Uganda has begun traditional mourning rites after the death of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, known as King Oyo. According to The Independent Uganda, lion sculptures at Karuzika Palace, the palace gate and other public places were wrapped in bark cloth to mark the absence of a reigning monarch. The covering started after the formal announcement of the king’s death and the opening of a nine-day mourning period.

The report says the lion is an important symbol in Tooro tradition, where the monarch is referred to as “Entale ya Tooro,” or the Lion of Tooro. Zebadayo Mwesige, described as a former Tooro Kingdom Minister of Culture and a performer of traditional rites, said the lions will stay covered until a new king is chosen and enthroned. He explained that the gesture shows the transfer of authority while the kingdom remains without a ruler.

The newspaper reported that King Oyo died on Thursday evening in the United States, where he had been receiving medical treatment. It also noted that he was born in 1992 and crowned in 1995 at age three after the death of his father, and that the kingdom had been preparing to mark his coronation anniversary in September. More broadly, the ritual reflects the role of symbolic objects and customs in royal succession ceremonies in Tooro.