Ngo-Smack Rivalry

Ngo-sMack Rivalry

Namilyango College and St. Mary’s College Kisubi have endured and sustained one of the most fierce school rivalries for decades. The Ngonians refer to their bitter rivals as the “Weevils” where as the Smackists return the favour in the same spirit bantering their foes as “fumblers”.

This rivalry has been evidenced in academics, intensified in schools’ rugby competitions where the two Colleges are very dominant and spread across to Ugandan club rugby with giants Kobs (which comprises of a very large number of former Namilyango College Students) and Pirates ( which comprises mostly of Old Boys of Kisubi and Kings College Buddo) bitterly locking horns in each of their games. But that is a story for another day!

Today we explore the origins of the the two famous phrases – fumbers & weevils – that the two archrivals have passionately exchanged in references to each other since The 70’s.

the story of the fumblers

By Deo Lubega
(McKee House 1975-1978)

Another question that was raised was about the when and why students of Namilyango were referred to as Fumblers?

It was in 1971 when Trinity College Nabbingo hosted a seminar and invited the students from Namilyango College and Kings College Budo. After the seminar the guests were hosted to a drink and eat in the Dining Hall, whereas the students from Budo were patient; they waited to be ushered in and told where they would sit. The students of Namilyango could not wait to be ushered in! They just found their way to the tables and started helping themselves to the drinks and eats.

The students of Budo {remember Budo is mixed and they came along with girls} just looked on with awe and amazement and they commented “Look at these Fumblers” the girls of Nabbingo captured the name. After the event ,news spread among the other schools that the students of Namilyango are Fumblers, this was spearheaded by the students from SMACK for obvious reasons.

The story of the weevils

By Deo Lubega
(McKee House 1975-1978)

Having relayed the story of Namilyango here is the one for SMACK;

It is interesting to note that the girls from Namagunga were the source of these names because; after the saga of the Namilyango Toss, the students of SMACK jubilated and an entente with Namagunga was opened. So a year or two after the Toss the students of Namagunga went to Kisubi for a function, to raise the notch higher than the bread of Namilyango, the Kisubi students decided to serve their visitors {read Namagunga} with food that was not one course.

On the menu was fried beans, when the girls tested the beans they found some Weevils in the beans! Much as they kept their cool and ate them, when they returned home it became the talk of the week. The boys of Kisubi served us beans with Weevils! At least the Namilyango boys served us with bread that was buttered, how dare the Kisubi boys serve us with Weevils. When the news reached Namilyango the boys jubilated and they started calling the Kisubi boys “Weevils”

Just like for the Toss, the news spread along the communities and from then on where beans were served with weevils floating people would comment your beans have got Kisubi boys! In the post-independence years the terms Namilyango Toss and Weevils were commonly used in the girls schools, it was not until the story I told you of 1971 that the Namilyango Toss faded and it was replaced by Namilyango Fumblers.

RElated: THE NAMILYANGO TOSS

Have you ever heard of the phrase “Namilyango Toss” ?
If yes, then we guess that you have always pondered how it came about.
Even if this is your first time hearing about it, we promise that you will leave enlightened.

Sure, tell me more.