Mzee Okee Barmich Valerian was born on 1st January 1946 in Licwa West Village, Licwa Parish, Lokung Sub-County, Lamwo District. He was the son of Okeny Michelin Awaki Oya of the Pangira P’Ocii Clan and Lamoo Suzan of Poyinga Clan from Pawaja, Kangole North Village, Paloga Sub-County, Lamwo District.
Education
He began his primary education in 1954 at Pangira Bush School. He subsequently joined Lokung Karatac Catholic School (now Ayago Primary School), attended Monsignor Antonio Vignato Junior Secondary School in Kitgum (1960–1961), then Comboni College, Ngetta, Lira (1961–1965). He completed his Advanced Level at Teso College Aloet, Soroti (1966–1969), then earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Accounting at Makerere University (1970–1971), followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Education.
Career
He began teaching at Ngomlac Primary School, where he produced twelve First Grade pupils. He later served at Kitgum High School from 1971. He was appointed as an examiner with the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) and participated in examinations marking in Nairobi, Kenya (1986–1990). He taught at Kitgum High School, Gulu High School, Lira High School, Lira Palwo, Teso College Aloet, Mbale Secondary School, and Pajule College, where he also served as Head Teacher. He was the founder of Lokung Secondary School and authored a book on O-Level Commerce.
Beyond education, he served as Accountant and Internal Auditor at Vitafoam (U) Limited in Jinja, Head of the Internal Audit Department at Uganda Industrial Properties Ltd, and Head of Accounts at Star Building Construction and Engineering (1990–1995).
Parliamentary Leadership
In 1996, he was elected Member of Parliament for Lamwo Constituency under the NRM Party — the first MP to introduce the NRM to Lamwo. During his tenure (1996–2001), he served on the Committee on Finance, Planning and Economic Development, self-funded the construction of a health clinic in Patika Pader Parish, and participated in the Kacoke Madit peace conferences in London in the late 1990s.
Public Service & Church
He served as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for Lamwo District and member of the PAC for Kitgum District. He was Chairperson of the Board of Governors of Lokung Secondary School (2013–2016) and a member of the Older Persons League, Lamwo District.
In the Catholic Church, he served as Director of Finance and Planning at St Francis Sunflower Press (Padibe Catholic Mission), Chairperson of CARITAS at Padibe Catholic Parish, Secretary of the Land Committee, member of the Parish Pastoral Council, and First Chairperson of the Assumption of Mary Parish, Lokung.
