On July 9th 2011, this year, we witnessed the raising of a yellow-guarding stared flag. We sang the Republic of South Sudan National Anthem for the first time and above all, we heard the proclamation of independence for South Sudan and the tears of sorrow we shed six years earlier were replaced by tears of joys as each of us saw our flag flying high over the grave site of our founding father. What a day that was, a day on which our suffering gave birth to a bright future. What began sixty one plus years ago became reality as South Sudanese witnessing history unfolding in their eyes. To many, it still seems like an exciting dream in the middle of the night which ends every moment one opens their eyes. To others, this is a day that they never thought would happen in their lives time.
So I wonder, what our brothers and sisters, the generation Deng Nhial, Ajang Duot, Leek Deng Malual, Ngundeng, and many others are saying in their graves. What is Deng Nhial saying? Is he saying my premature death was not in vain? Is he saying good job my children and grandchildren; you will never die by proxy? Surely, there must be some kind of celebration or debate going on in the afterlife. How can we hear Deng Nhial Message? How about prophet Ngundeng? What is he saying? What is Deng Nhial generation telling the new arrivals of Nyuon Beny, Kuanyin Bol, Nyanchingak, Majier Gai, Arok Thon Arok, and the top general Dr. Garang De Mabior? How will we ever know what these people are telling us?
Hypothetically, this sounds like a fairy tale right? No, I don’t think so…. The answer is with us. When Deng Nhial went to the bush, he was tired of exclusion. He did not want to be a second class citizen. When Ngundeng prophesized one hundred years ago, he foresaw what to come and he believed that one day his people will be freed from the bondage of humiliation. So what is the message that these forefathers are telling us? Perhaps, they are saying, “we started the journey and you finished it. We shown you the road and you traveled it. We lid the fire, and you kept it alive. We started with Anya Nya I and Anya Nya II finished the job.” It sounds to me that the narrative is it was a joint effort of the dead and the livings.
To this I say, yes, indeed it was a joint effort and thanks you for starting it. Thank you for showing us the road to travel. Thank you Anya Nya I for starting and Thank you SPLM/A for finishing the job. With these words, I say, the hard work begins. The work to build a sustainable South Sudan has begun and it will require children, women, and men, young and old to transcend individual averageness. It will require our excellence, steadfastness, hospitality, resilience, creativity, endurance, and strong leadership. We all know our aspiration and hopes are so high. To achieve them, we each needs to chip in whatever each of us thinks to build us up and not tearing us apart. It’s a better tomorrow that killed Deng Nhial generation, and it is unquestionably that it is the better future that took the lives of our two millions beloved citizens including Dr. Garang De Mabior.
As we reflect every year, I hope we all gather not to mourn Dr. Garang again, but to celebrate his life and lives of those who have sacrificed their bloods to culminate into the birth of our Republic, The Republic of South Sudan. I hope, we don't to look into the graves of Dr. John Garang or any grave of our gone heroes; but instead, we thrive to look beyond their graves yards. If this is true to each of you, then you need to ask yourself this question, what would be my contribution to the nation building? What am I going to be bringing back home? Of course, this would require sacrifices, new thinking and self determination. This means, we need to bury our laziness and get to work. If you have a job and you have time, don’t waste your time on video games, board games or table games. Instead, use most of your free time to educate yourself with some skills that will be valuable when you go back home.
If you don’t have a job, don’t get discourage, keeping looking and if you don’t get one, it is better to go back to school instead of wasting your valuable time. If we get discouraged, then we have let down those who fought to give us a nation we now call our own. If you have resentment against someone your brother, sister, neighbor, or against the other tribe, the time for holding on to such resentments is gone. Let your grudges and resentment die with the Old Republic. The Republic of South Sudan needs everybody to treat each other with compassion and love for this will be our way forward. Let tribalism dies with the Old Republic. In fact, I encourage young and old to live the Lost Boys life. Among the Lost Boys as you some of you may know, there is no Dinka, no Nuer, no Bari, and no Acholi.
To young people who went to Pinyudo, Itang, and Dimo, you may understand what I am talking about. To some of us who never lived the Lost Boys life, I say, stop spreading hate message that would tear up our new government. It fragile and needs our protection. If you have something you don’t like about our leaders, don’t start gossips and rumors, rumors and tribal politics are reasons why it took us this long to be a nation. So let not repeat the same old mistake again. If you have something you don’t like, seek clarification and understanding before you logon to your facebook, MySpace or other blogs to spread negative and destructive rumors. Finally, to make all our martyrs including Dr. Garang, whom we dearly missed proud, don’t be blinded by the excitement of the present, walk and sleep with one eye opens for the enemy of peace is still working hard to hold us back from moving forward. May God Almighty, guide President Kiir to lead our country into the right direction of peace, harmony and prosperity.
