By Beek Mabior
January 24th 2020 (Nyamilepedia) – On this earth, there are those who devote and commit themselves to serve humanity and their societies with all their hearts and energies. Such group of people sacrificed themselves with sincere fidelity and hard work in order to bring transformation and betterment to mankind. They work hard to make sure that peace, harmony, equality and prosperity is brought to the people they govern. They work tirelessly day and night to ensure that what they people desire greatly is deliver, be it peace, unity, reconciliation and services delivery such as basic amenities and other vital developmental projects. They look at the needs and challenges of their people in order to free their communities from the burden of hardships, hopelessness, underdevelopment, illiteracy, disunity and senseless conflicts.
They endeavor and aspire to establish an excellent foundation of change and development that will massively benefit both the current and future generations of their societies. And I think Hon. Philip Aguer is one of such unique and smart people on earth. He’s a man who have left a classic political legacy during his governorship in Jonglei state in Upper Nile region. He also made some improvement in the development of our state despite of the economic meltdown facing the entire South Sudan.
Who is Hon. Philip Aguer and what are his contributions and accomplishments in the republic of South Sudan and in Jonglei state in particular?, Hon. Philip Aguer is the former army spokesman of the Sudan people liberation army(SPLA) which is now change to South Sudan people defense force (SSPDF). He is also the former Jonglei state governor which was created after the creation of twenty eight states by the government of South Sudan. He is also a former freedom fighter who fought against the social, economic and political marginalization of Southerners by the oppressive and dictatorial Arabs’ regimes in the Khartoum. He fought in the SPLA with his fellow comrades in the liberation war for the independence of Southern Sudan until they achieved the mission.
He serve in the military for many years with loyalty and commitment and he was later on promoted to the rank of colonel and eventually appointed as the spokesman of the country national army. He was later on again appointed as a civilian governor of jonglei state after the creation of twenty eight states by his Excellency the president of the republic due to his excellent track records in the army and the entire nation. Moreover, Hon. Philip Aguer was born in jonglei state and he’s from the home county of the late hero and father of the nation Dr. John Garang. He held from Twic East County of greater Bor and his hometown is Bor. Bor is sub-divided into four sections Twic East, Duk, Athooc and Gok counties. In addition to that, Hon. Philip Aguer is a University graduate with an excellent skills and knowledge in the academic field. He possess great educational achievements despite his many years in the military service while doing his patriotic duty of serving the nation he love dearly.
He have never betrayed the course of liberation process nor did he ever stab the movement in the back. He hugely fought against oppression and slavery of people and he possess a deep-seated democratic values in him despite his military background. He’s a purely a civilian leader and man of the people by nature but a soldier by circumstances due to his opposition against injustice and servitude. Furthermore, since his appointment in 2015 after the community recommendation. Relations among the communities of the greater Jonglei region were tense and violence was rampant. But after taking over the governorship of the state. He immediately start working on the burning and life-threatening issue of violence and insecurity.
He initiated a serious peace dialogues with his counterparts from the neighboring states of Murle, Gawar Nuer, Lou Nuer, Mundari and Dinka among those communities. Hence security, peace and friendship improved tremendously within a short span of time. He have always championed a peaceful resolution of conflict through dialogue and amicable settlement. He have told people in Jonglei several times that peace with neighboring tribes and the whole of South Sudan is the best cure for meaningless conflicts and that people have to embrace to live peacefully with each other no matter what.
For instance, Mr. Philip Aguer have tried so much with the former Boma state governor Baba Medan, former Terenkeka state governor Mr. Ali Malou, John Kong, Gony Biliu, Bor Philip and the current Boma state governor Mr. David Yau Yau to bring peace and reconciliation among their communities and promote peaceful co-existence. After all those peace dialogues, change was felt, there was freedom of movement among the communities even in the rebel-held areas. Also trade opened up in areas like Anyidi between murle and Bor Dinka and around Duk with Lou Nuer, and there was an ongoing police recruitment process among the states which were meant to be jointly train together and deploy along the states’ boundaries to improve the security among they states. It was a wise idea initiated by Hon. Philip Aguer in order to improve the entire security in Jonglei and in other bordering states. On the developmental level at the state, roads and water channels were opened and the state guest house was renovated with millions of South Sudanese pounds.
There was a tremendous educational improvement and that was confirm by the great academic performances of Jonglei state leading many times in both primary and secondary national examinations. That massive excellent academic results were due to the efforts his government put in supporting educational programs at the state level. Additionally, there was an ongoing construction of the state secretariat since the first was old and built during the colonial rule. So dear readers, as you can see from those achievements, I hope I’ve sufficiently prove beyond any reasonable doubt that Hon. Philip Aguer is a peacemaker, reformist and a wise leader in my sincere conviction.
And if it was not due to the economic crisis and financial constraints, Mr. Philip Aguer could have hugely transform our state in development because of the vision and mission he have for Jonglei state. He’s a leader who possess almost similar leadership attributes with the late hero Dr. John Garang, Aggrey Jaden, Deng Nhial and judge Abel Alier and if it was not because the power to appoint and dismiss is with our president Kiir, we’d have love to have him for more years as our governor in order to enable him complete the golden vision he have for our state. He’s a unifying, industrious, non-controversial and visionary leader who hate divisiveness and fake leadership.
He’s a man of great humility and wisdom and that was portrayed after his dismissal when he welcomed his firing with acceptance and greatly appreciated the head of state and welcome his successor with pure heart and handed office to him without ill-feeling. He choose the academic field instead of the popular and obvious path that’s common with our political figures once they’re relieved from power. He choose to become a University lecturer citing that there’re more ways of serving the society beside politics. He didn’t turn against the people’s party SPLM.
So my question to the presidency is, what type of leaders do the SPLM want apart from these unique and rare smart political leaders of this nature and many of his former counterparts like Bor Philip, Luis Lobong, Joseph Monytuil, Daniel Bagdabu, Anthony Adil, Rizik Zakariah, Baba Medan and many other dynamic leaders in South Sudan who’re loyal and patriotic to their country. Why should the leaders like Bor Philip, Philip Aguer and many other wise leaders across South Sudan be idle when they’ve so much wisdom and knowledge to offer to the whole nation? It’s an entirely waste of human asset when great leaders are idle. It’s a great waste not only to the people’s party but to the entire nation. And I’d to appeal to the people’s President Mr. Kiir to do something about that. To appoint those who’ll assist him to build a country and implement the SPLM’s slogan of “taking towns to the people and not people to towns “Finally, I’m completely not related to Mr. Hon. Philip Aguer and I’m not his friend. I’ve never met him and I’m not writing this article for financial reward.
I know There’s a deeply misconception today in South Sudan when anyone appreciate someone, there’s always a quick conclusion in some people’s minds that you’re begging or looking for political job due to the hardship of life. I’m neither looking for financial benefit nor for a job. I’m only highlighting appreciate and market his nice accomplishments so that it’ll encourage good work and leadership among our citizens. If I was looking for money and political job, I’d have just direct my eulogy to the most powerful political figures like President Kiir and his two deputies instead of appreciating Hon. Philip Aguer who’s no longer a governor now.
We should not undermine our reputations and values because of economic meltdown. This economic and political crises facing our lovely nation will end with time ‘’In Sha Allah ’’and there’s no need to live in hopelessness and self-pity. Today is hard, tomorrow will be harder and the next tomorrow will be a sunshine, success and happiness. So keep your hope alive and don kill it, this stormy weather of our state of economy shall too come to pass one day, believe me when our country achieve stability and peace.
Life is a journey and it keep on changing. So those who may wrongly misinterpret or misquote this message should think twice. I’m just only a cheerleader of his great leadership talents and they rest whom I have mention. I don’t appreciate leaders in order to get benefits and political work. I’m not from the same county with Hon. Philip Aguer. I’m from Anyidi, Gok section of Bor.
I don’t appreciate people for nothing and without showing the facts. I first see what you’ve done before I praise you. There’re those who would rather commit suicide than to appreciate someone who is not their own due to animosity, segregation, nepotism and tribalism but I’m not like those kind of people and I’m a free independent thinker and a unity lover and I’ll not deny anyone credit if he/she deserve it. Thank you and long live our beloved former governor Hon. Philip Aguer!
The author is a concerned South Sudan citizen and can be contacted via: betterarticle165@gmail.com
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