The Nile Republic

As Southern Sudan is on the verge of becoming a new nation, there have been talked about the future of Southern Sudan including what the newest state's name would be. Suggested names range from Cush/Kush, and Southern Sudan.

The truth is, those who stoodby these name suggestions are all in-tuned with history. They are comrades with whom I have respect for their suggestions. As a Southerner, I personally have no problem with either name for our new nation. However, I rather want whatever name the stakeholders in South Sudan finally agreed to have history richness, and pride that all people of the region should be proud of from, and many years to come.

So let people examine these names' suggestions carefully. First of, Cush was a great historical empire that has roots in ancient time dated back to 11th BC to 4AD. It's flourisness was truimphant of that time, its bounders were widely respected. There is no dispute about the historical richness of Cush to be a burner for a new nation. The problem is, Cush for those who are conversed in Sudan's history, Cush was empire that encompassed larger territories from Egypt to Aswan in Ethipia to Lake Chad in what is today the Republic of Chad, and of course to Nubian region of Merowe where it headquarter flourished. The problem I see here is, Cush does not have any historical connection to far end of Southern Sudan namely the greater Equatoria, Jonglei, Lake, Great Bahr El Ghazal and others southern regions. By calling the new nation Cush, we are robbing these regions of their rights to historical representation. It with this in mind that I see name Cush not fit for our to be born nation.

Southern Sudan on the other hand has been floated around. The truth is, we are already Southern Sudanese even before separation talk begun. In my understanding, Southern Sudan is just a region like other region in Sudan which basically means that, it okay for a new nation to carries the name of Southern Sudan. However, what would this mean to historical connotation of the region? I don't like the idea that the to be born nation carries negativity of being a nation born of separatism. I would like when my children and grandchildren study the history of this to be nation, they can read and study something positive from it past. For this reason, I declined to accept Southern Sudan as a name for the to be born nation.

As I am sitting here thinking about what I can embrace as naming of the new nation is concerned. I wounder about the Nile River. A river that has been the symbol of wealth, pride, hope, and aspirations for nearly millions of years since the inception of time. What about The Nile Repubic? Why are there no talks about naming the to be born nation, The Nile Repubic? It sounds good, it has historical connenctions that satisfied aspirations of all people in Southern Sudan.

I think I have found a name that I would be proud of as a Nilean forever. I am in favor of calling the to be born nation, The Nile Republic? What about you?