I read recently on the BBC News website a story about a former Oxford student who was surprised to find that he was roomed next door to the Crown Prince of Japan, now Emperor Naruhito.  It took my eye because I too was at University with royalty – namely Rodney Sempa (Anglicised name) the nephew of the previously deposed King of Uganda, who, although he was known as King Freddie, his full Sunday name was Kabaka Sir Edward Frederick William David Walugembe Mutebi Luwangula Muteesa II of Buganda.

We were not quite so politically correct in the early 70’s as many “It Was OK in the 70/80’s etc” TV programmes will testify and a black man at university, especially a blue-chip like Durham, was a rarity.

Rodney was a good sport though and took ribbing in good part.  We intended no offence and he took none.  These days it would have elicited squeals of outrage as it should;  these days.  Back then society’s norms were hugely different and it would be silly to judge them by those of today.  If you disagree my response would be “Well go back and change them then”.

“A good sport” too in the sense that he was a competent rugby player, taking position on the wing because of his speed in the university team.  We all had nick-names, of course, and mine was “Fats”.  (I suppose if I was playing rugby today it would be “Calorifically Challenged”).  The other prop forward was “Bungalow” because he had nowt upstairs and Rodney, unimaginatively, was “Abubu”.  This stuck after he got grafted into a well-known rugby song along with a posh Scots laird called Robin (“Angus”) Sinclair that was sung to and from away matches.  Fellow former rugger buggers might recognise the original from one of its verses.

They shagged day and night

Through that North Eastern light;

Old Angus he revved like a car

But he could not compete

With the slow steady beat

Of Sir Rodney Abubu Sempa.

I think back occasionally on those days and if I ever met with him again (he’d would be in his 70’s now too) I’d like to apologise.

“No need, old boy” I’m sure he’d say.  “No need at all”.

He was the most gentlemanly of we middle class warriors.