By Simon Yel Yel,
Jan 04, 2016(Nyamilepedia) —- As I write this letter, I am deeply overwhelmed by the wisest and bold decision our president has ever taken in creation of twenty eight states that set the entire nation into cordial jubilation. Little did anyone know that the presidential order on 2nd October will materialize!
Before I delve into real reasons of writing you this open letter, I would like to say congratulations in the first place for having won our president’s heart to appoint you as the first governor of the newly created Gogrial State. Congratulations!
Mr. governor, I write this open letter purposely to alert you on the enormity of the job at vanguard but prior to this, I want to strongly assure you before I go to the centerpiece of my message that you are set to perform highly because of two main reasons; firstly, you have the most capable colleagues already at your disposal in the then cabinet of Hon. Akec Tong Aleu. These are great leaders that are already loaded into your back pocket or account and definitely you will just add in few for top up. And secondly, you are left in the headquarters of the divided Warrap state which is no longer as bushy as it was at the beginning and in contrast to your counterparts who are going to embark on their journeys from the scratch. Therefore, your first priority will not be building or raising the foundation of the state government like what your colleagues will do in Twic and Tonj but how to deliver services. I believe these are the two reasons why I rate you to be in better position and expect you to perform better with any lame excuses.
I can vividly remember what Ustaz Louis Anei Kuendit said in the honoring ceremony of Hon. Akec Tong in Freedom hall; he said “The problem of Warrap state is political instability; ministers are sacked and appointed every now and then”. I would love to see Gogrial state politicking different sorts of politics not like the one of the then Warrap state. Your colleagues in the then cabinet of Akech are great people and I think it gonna be good if you can team up together for the betterment of Gogrial state. I hope you have the same trust in these guys just as your predecessor was, because when Hon. Akec Tong gave both of you his full trust and when he made both of you to appear in his cabinet, your appearance has raised the hopes and hypes of every citizens of then Warrap State for the reason that all of you were seen as potential leaders that Warrap State got for the first time.
Mr. Governor, most of Gogrial State citizens including me were inspired by the speech you gave while addressing politicians and public at Kuajok freedom square just few days after presidential order for establishing 28 new states was announced in which you pressed that the current colleagues of yours in Cabinet are fit in their places and should you assume the gubernatorial position in the new state of Gogrial you would carry on with them without any doubt. That affirms your trust in your predecessor Hon. Akec Tong as he was your trustee for he brought you to his government and the same trust with same capability and criteria he had for you are the same he owed to other colleagues whom you left with now in Gogrial State today.
Should you doubt anyone of your colleagues who were with you in the last three months cabinet, then I suggest that you vet them by evaluating their performances in their respective ministries in the last three months because these three months will serve as your probation periods for which you can judge them and evaluate their activeness.
Mind you Mr. Governor, don’t let your gate open to the gossipers who may exploit you for their individual interests to keep you apart with your potential leaders. Good leaders are those that stick to their promises and therefore they deliver what they promised their people with. In then Warrap Politics, the notions is always that leaders are made to go off their vision by some individuals whose jobs are to exploit the leaders to the best of their interests, please, in my personal point of view, I would rather advice you to mind your business and don’t listen to who will tell you to let go your current partial cabinet and persuade you to form the new one even if the blackmail is that you will not get their support comes 2018 elections, if you perform spectacularly it will be people alone who will push you to keep going.
Mr. Governor, Since my open letter to you seeks to alert you of the job at vanguard, I would like you to observe the few points I have for you here below, first of these points is to keep strong tie with your neighboring counterparts, indeed it would be great to see you working hand in hand with your predecessor Hon. Akec Tong of New Tonj State, and your neighboring governor of Twic State, Hon. Bona Panek Biar, so as to be able to deliver better services to our newly created states of Gogrial, Tonj and Twic State respectively. Moreover, your cabinet, Hon. Bona Panek’s Cabinet and that of your neighboring governor Hon. Akec Tong need to understand that the unity and love among Warrap State people still exist in our hearts and minds and the recent division or creation of two states out of one by the president of the republic was a mere administrative kind of division that must not be adhered to by those who think we are socially and politically divided by the president. We are still one people!
Last but not least, Another point I would like you to take here is very crucial to you, it is what can let you be remembered in the history of Gogrial state forever if you lend me your ears and submit to it; Mr. governor, remember that Gogrial state did not exist before and since you have become the first ever governor of this new state, you are accountable to history at its front pages, anything you do will go down in history as it is, whether it is bad or good thing, history will not forget it. But to set a good trend for an environment where citizens can be heard and their ideas implemented, you need to model the way- set an example and be an exemplary to others by adhering to and advancing the rights and responsibilities contained in our constitution. Show zero tolerance to those who seek to destroy it and inspire a shared vision to make a difference.
Above all, my message to you is to do what made others world leaders to become most successful, by so doing, all you need are only three things which are; Listen to your people’s primacy and do what two common men on the street like or want than to do what your two cabinet ministers like, Be people’s servant than people’s BOSS; And Offer security to the people and allow freedom of expression, these three things can let you be remembered.
In then Warrap state, there was no freedom of expression in social Medias and social gatherings for the people to speak their minds about the state government. Rule of CIDs or secret police and expulsion of critics can’t quite people and adore your administration; however, they can only keep quite when you allow them to speak their minds or exercise their right of expression of free speech by constructively criticizing you and your system or administration and then answer them with facts about what your administration has achieved and accept the faults that your administration has committed and correct them.
As a leader, it is easy to be out of touch with people and their essential needs irrespective of whatever the efforts you might put to avail yourself to them, in this regards, people near you will rise to that opportunity and usually they may lie to you about what people or citizens think about your administration in an attempt to win your trust and favor and be seen as your most loyalist. I suggest you should create a direct link with your people without mediators in between you and them; this will let you swan what your closest people tell you about your performances and how the average citizens feel.
In conclusion, one thing you should remember to observe at all time is that ambition is made of sterner stuff. You cannot achieve the goals of your vow if you will take instructions and advises from opportunists or those who have never succeeded, or wherever, in the course of your duty. You will never succeed if you fear taking risk in leadership. To leave a mark, no mountain should be too high to scale or stone too heavy to turn. If you can commit yourself to pay any price, to bear any burden, meet any hardship in all decisions you will take; observe and pay whatever it may cost you be it better or worse in the interest of Gogrial populations then your place in the history is granted.
Simon Yel Yel is reachable at simonyel55@yahoo.com or 0914474471
