A Tribute to Prof. Dr. Solomon Mbabi-Katana Adyeeri: A Pioneer of East African Music and Education
Prof. Dr. Solomon Mbabi-Katana Adyeeri (21st April 1922 – 28th July 2019) — educator, composer, ethnomusicologist, parliamentarian, and cultural custodian — led a life of extraordinary breadth and impact. Born in Kigaaya, Hoima, Uganda, his journey from a local primary school to the world’s finest halls of music and academia stands as a testament to his relentless intellect and passion for African musical heritage.
His academic path was both distinguished and international. After formative years at Kings College Budo and Makerere University College, he pursued advanced studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London, Washington State University, and finally Northwestern University in the USA, where he earned a PhD in Music Education. His qualifications — including a Master of Arts in Music and a Licentiateship of the Royal Academy of Music — were matched only by his dedication to teaching.
Prof. Dr. Mbabi-Katana’s teaching career began in 1947 at his alma mater, Kings College Budo. He taught across continents: from Holland Park School in London to Nyakasura and Kabalega Senior Secondary School in Uganda. Between 1961 and 1968, he conducted a pioneering Research Program in African Music, sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation for the University of East Africa at Makerere University College. There, he also trained a generation of music teachers, planting seeds for the scholarly study of African music.
In the United States, from 1969 to 1971, he held part-time positions at Roosevelt University, Loyola University, Kendall College, and Malcolm X College in Chicago. From 1970 to 1972, he served as Assistant Professor of Music at Malcolm X College, bringing East African musical knowledge to American students.
Beyond the classroom, he served Uganda with equal vigor. He was a Member of Parliament, a Member of the Uganda Commission for the Preservation of Ancient and Historical Monuments (1961–1963), a Member of the Uganda Commission for UNESCO (1964), Chairman of the Kampala Teachers Service Sub Committee (1965), and Chairman of the Uganda Tea Growers Cooperation (1967).
As a composer and director, his creative work was groundbreaking. Between 1949 and 1952, he composed, directed, and produced three operas at Kings College, Budo. In 1968, he brought an opera to the National Theater in Kampala, alongside many songs and short instrumental pieces.
His written legacy endures. He authored Songs of East Africa Book One (Macmillan, 1965) and Introduction to East African Music for Schools (Uganda Adult Education Foundation, 1967). His papers appeared in The Journal of African Music (Johannesburg) and Urban Notes (Michigan State University), and he contributed the introduction to Makeba: The World of African Song (Quadrangle Books, Chicago, 1971). His additional publications — “The History of Amakondere (Royal Trumpet Sets of the Interlacustrine States of East Africa)” and “The Uganda Likembe (Thumb Piano): its History, Notational and Compositional Techniques” — remain essential readings for students of African music.
Prof. Dr. Solomon Mbabi-Katana Adyeeri passed away on 28th July 2019. A service celebrating his extraordinary life was held at St. John’s Church of Uganda, Kigaaya, on Wednesday 31st July 2019 at 10:00 am. He was not merely a scholar of music. He was a guardian of tradition, a builder of institutions, and a bridge between Uganda and the wider world. His life’s work echoes wherever East African music is studied, taught, and celebrated.
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