Ugandan dental surgeon and distinguished businessman, Dr. Martin Jerome Okech Aliker, has passed on at 95.
At the time of his death, Dr Aliker served as a Senior Presidential Adviser and at boards of nearly forty Ugandan companies. He also served as the founding chancellor of Gulu University, a public university.
Dr. Aliker was born in Gulu District on 21 October 1928 to Rwot Lacito Okech and Julaina Auma, a daughter of Musa Ali, the first ordained Anglican priest in Acholi region.
He attended Gulu High School for his primary education, before joining King’s College Budo for his O-Level studies.
In 1948, he was admitted to Makerere University, however, before he completed his studies at Makerere, he won a scholarship to Northwestern University, in Chicago, Illinois, United States, where he studied political science, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study dental surgery at Northwestern, graduating with a Doctorate of Dental Surgery. Later, he was awarded the title of Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons by the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
He founded the first black-owned dental practice in Kampala and has invested in several businesses in Uganda since 1961.
In 1963, he married his better half Camille and the couple celebrated 60 of love on Saturday, February 2023 at their home in Gulu Town.
After the fall of Idi Amin in 1979, he worked briefly with Presidents Lule and Binaisa and also began to carry out missions for President Museveni.
He was appointed by President Yoweri Museveni as Foreign Affairs minister.
He also acted as an emissary for President Museveni to President Omar Al Bashir of Sudan and between President Muammar Gaddafi of Libya and the White House under both President Bush in connection with the Lockerbie incident.
In 2018, he launched an autobiography of his illustrious life titled ‘The Bell is Ringing: Martin Aliker’s story.’
