Kampala, (UG): Former Monitor Publications Limited (MPL) board chairperson and renowned Kampala dental surgeon, Dr Martin Aliker, is dead. He was 95.
Dr Aliker, a highly respected dentist and intellectual businessman passed on this morning, with details surrounding his cause of death still scantly by press time.
The Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Anitah Annet Among eulogized the late as a true patriot who dedicated his life to serving his country, and sent her condolences to the Aliker Family during such a difficult time.
“It is with great sadness that I received the news of the passing of Dr. Martin Aliker, a highly respected dentist, intellectual, businessman, and true patriot who dedicated his life to serving his country. My deepest condolences go out to the Aliker family, friends, and relatives during this difficult time,” Ms Among posted via her X account.
“May the Lord grant his soul eternal rest,” she added.
Profile Background
Born in Gulu District in 1925, Aliker was an alumnus of Kings College Budo and Makerere University. He qualified as Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) from Northwestern University, Chicago, 1959.
He was an influential Ugandan Business Leader and Investor, holding Directorships with a variety of companies including: Uganda Breweries Limited (1961-2001); Cooper Motor Corporation (1962-72, 2000-06); Longman Publishing, Uganda (1965-87); Phoenix Assurance Company of East Africa (1969-93); Coca-Cola Africa Region (1991-2004); Nation Media Group, 2001-11; Heritage Oil, Uganda (2003-10); and many others.
As an executive of repute which led him to chair different boards of noteworthy companies, Dr Aliker was the pioneer East African dental surgeon who set up the first black-owned private dental practice in East Africa.
During his time as Monitor Publications Board Chair, Dr Martin Aliker was very instrumental in making the paper’s position of independence understood and recognised by the various stakeholders in Uganda
He served on boards of many companies, including Coca-Cola, Uganda Breweries, Stanbic bank, and Standard Chartered bank, among others.
After his doctorate studies in the United States, Aliker returned to Uganda and took up employment as a government dental surgeon. Later, he left the civil service and set up the first private dental practice in Uganda owned by an African.
From 2004 until 2014, he served as the founding chancellor of Gulu University, a public university.
Aliker as a Businessman
In the early 1960s, Dr Aliker began buying shares in blue chip companies, including the Uganda Commercial Bank and the National Insurance Company.
By October 2014, Dr Aliker was a shareholder in the following publicly-traded Ugandan companies: (a) Stanbic Bank Uganda (b) Uganda Clays Limited (c) Nation Media Group (d) National Insurance Corporation (e) East African Breweries, among others.
Personal life
Dr Aliker was a married man and husband to his beautiful wife Camille Aliker, an American, with whom they bore four children: Julie, a teacher; Martin, an athlete; Philip, an economist and lawyer; and Paul Okello, a dentist.
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