Heirs at all Costs – The Story of Omukama Nyamuhanga and Maid Nyabagabe
Omukama Nyamuhanga is the 7th Omukama of Bunyoro-Kitara, having ruled somewhere in the early 11th Century, his father was Omukama Kabengera Kazooba Ihangi, of the Batembuzi dynasty coming from the Bagabu clan.
Nyamuhanga ruled for a long time but his attempts to get a heir to the throne where futile as non of his wives would produce a male child to take over the throne once gone, since the foundation of the Empire of kitara, the customs were only a son would succeed his father.
Nyamuhanga consulted a diviner about his demise, the diviner advised him to marry a girl called Nyabagabe a daughter to one his servants called Igoro.
Lucky enough Nyabagabe was able to bore a child, the child was named Nkya[meaning “Lucky”] because it was considered a luck for the king to have a child.
People were delighted at Nyabagabe’s good luck. They were glad that the daughter of a mere servant had married a king.
Even today when something lucky happened to someone, people would comment: “That one must have been born at about the time Nyabagabe was in labor.” Omukama(king) Nyamuhanga is still remembered today by many people.