Tribute
to Professor Charles Ssali …
from Dr. Felix I D Konotey-Ahulu
(Consultant Physician in the UK & Ghana)
I still feel
quite numbed by the news of the passing of my good friend, the genius,
Professor Charles Ssali. My friendship with him for nearly 15 years
seemed as if it was for decades more. We were bonded. The true mark
of a genius is originality plus the ability to build upon previous
knowledge through astute observation and a critical analysis of
available evidence. Professor Ssali embodied such qualities.
Charles Ssali would check any information provided by so-called
experts, and was able to diagnose the weaknesses and strengths of
what was generally presented and accepted as fact. His superb British
training in Medicine, Surgery, Pathology and Immunology equipped
him to distinguish rubbish from truth to such an extent that he
even baffled those who trained in the same countries as him, and
who were not so able tell nonsense from gem. What made the difference
was that his experience back home in Uganda caused him to challenge
accepted wisdom, however eminent the people such so-called wisdom
appeared to come from.
For instance, when great experts were concentrating on drugs manufactured
to destroy the germ known as HIV, Professor Ssali was concentrating
on building up human defences against the beast. One only had to
listen to those who took his advice to realise how many were able
to go back to their farms in Uganda or to their occupations elsewhere.
I for one shall miss him dearly, because interacting with him made
one think very clearly. He was also a very spiritual man. Only the
truly wise realise that life is more than material things, and that
there is life after death.
"I am the resurrection and the life"; says The Lord Jesus
Christ in St John Chapter 11 verses 25 & 26, "he that believeth
in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth
and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"
The Charles Ssali I knew, believed this, and this lessens our pain
when we realize that he is no longer around us.
My heartfelt Condolences (and those of my wife) go to Charles' Beloved
Helpmeet, and all the family who shared his struggles in life. His
work, and his inspiration will go on, God helping us.
© Copyright 2001
Mariandina Nutritional Health Products
