THE LOW DOWN - CYRUS AOMU
This week, we bring you a relatively new face in the Kampala South Family. The tall dark and handsome Cyrus Titus Aomu!! Well, less gossip and more facts about the man in his own words.
ET: WHO IS ROTARIAN CYRUS?
CA: I am a trained Civil Engineer with experience in the building and water sectors. Also, for four years while i was Area Manager in Bushenyi i developed skills in utility management which i complemented with an MBA from the Heriot - Watt University - Scotland. My MBA graduation is scheduled for 18th June 2013.
My 5th career posting was to Bushenyi district as Area Engineer in charge of overseeing NWSC's water treatment and supply system. I arrived there on 20th November 2006. My landlord then was a Rotarian and he encouraged me to join rotary on many occasions. I didn't have a reason to but he was relentless....
Fast forward to mid 2012, a contemporary of mine - the then District Manager of Umeme Mr. Enock Mutinga invited me to the rotary fellowships of the RC of Bushenyi which meets every Wednesday 6pm - 7pm. After some time I figured that the caliber of people I found there were would add value to my persona.
Approximately 6 years after my arrival in Bushenyi, I was inducted into Rotary on Saturday 13th October 2012 at the Rotary peace park in Bushenyi - it was also the day for our annual road run. My former landlord had a grin on his face and he kept on saying, "It was about time".
I am involved in the club's Kikandwa project as of today- so i guess that puts me under service projects.
ET: WHO ARE YOU OUTSIDE ROTARY?
CA: My father is from Soroti whereas my mother is from Mbale. I am their second born child. I have three brothers and 1 sister. I am happy when I am around them. The thing about a family unit is that nothing much really changes......its always the same. The bullies keep bullying. The quiet ones always stay silent and those that throw the odd joke keep doing it.
I am married to Lillian Male and we have two daughters- Pherry - 33 months & Sherry - 15 months.
I have many friends!! Those I have had since my days in Mwiri where I did my A-levels, those I made at campus (Livingstone) and of course others you meet in the walk of life. My friends make me laugh alot... they are so refreshing on any given day.
ET: SO WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN & GAMES
CA: I love to play tennis except that I have forgotten when I last held a tennis racket. No wonder Iam port bellying........... I want to purchase a new Tennis Kit this year. I also love to watch the English premier league and Formul 1. I love travelling – very optimistic that rotary will open doors for me.
ET: LET’S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS
CA: I always tell myself that provided the timing is right, I will always do/get involved in something which I feel adds value to me. I joined Rotary majorly because I wanted to build my network of professionals and business people. That way I felt I would get to learn new things from a different environment as well as meet new people.
The service above self aspect of rotary is always something I can live with.
ET: WHAT IS YOUR HIGHER CALLING?
CA: I desire to be financially free by the time I am 40.
Whether I will actually retire from active professional service in future - I can't say. My take is that whereas one can and must retire from formal employment at some point, there is actually no such thing as retirement especially when you are an engineer/doctor/accountant/lawyer- you name it.
ET: ANY WORDS OF WISDOM?
CA: Do not complicate your life. The simpler the better.
ET: ANY INTERESTING BOOKS YOU HAVEREAD?
CA: None stands out. Reading a book is the last thing on my mind….Thank God school is over.
ET: AND WHATS YOUR CRAZIEST MOMENT?
CA: Once when we had gone visiting my late grandmother in Teso, I lit a match stick and tried to see how fast a grass thatched hut could burn. Within a few seconds the hut was engulfed in flames and everyone was fetching water to try and put the fire out. Unluckily for my grandmother the next hut also caught fire.
I actually can't remember how old I was. So, that evening with two huts burnt to ashes my father, mother, brothers, sisters and I spent the night in our grandmother’s house.
ET: ANY LAST WORDS
CA: FIRST- I ask too many questions so please bear with me. It is just the way I am wired. I find it the easiest and safest way to satisfy my curiosity.
SECOND- Please ignore the sometimes serious look I have on my face - Ask Nancy Kajwalo and Nassuna Mirembe my university course group mates. After getting to know me they started bullying and teasing me until we left campus.