OpEd, Politics

You can lose something before you get it

 

You are not welcome here. This country has its owners, the alpha and omega of the land. The men who make money and still don’t know what to do with it.  You failed to get that job, right?  It wasn’t your fault.

You actually met all the requirements, but one thing stands out. Your father dodged a lot of bullets during the liberation struggle; he should have died during the war. He has to be punished for giving birth to you and for selling his goats to see you through school.

This is the reality about us; you are just not needed here. You can find something to do with your degree. You can sell it and start a business. And don’t forget, this country has men who are willing to buy papers. There is nothing money can’t do.

It takes a lot to auto correct this country. Everyone is faking it. You can buy an expensive car and you don’t have a house. This is not a problem as long as everyone thinks you have arrived.

In fact, real life happens here. And if you have not paid for anything, you will double pay for it, sometimes with your life. God forbid.

If you are a university student, your grades will be nothing if you don’t have somebody to throw your leg ahead. There is no joke in this country.  Don’t stop buying those handouts, even when you don’t know why they are printed. But what I know is that most of these 50-page handouts are printed to make you pass the exams.

You don’t need to learn in class. A lot will make you learn in this country.  You know why your father comes home with some worn out shoes. And why your mother is no longer selling those tomatoes, keep wasting their school fees.  This is South Sudan, maybe they think you are doing well in school.

I pray that you don’t run too fast because, if you do, you will be left behind. It is simple, you just get tired, and you are no more. There are those who own everything here. And listen, we are all passing by. You think your life is miserable? You go to the hospital and see what is happening there.

One time you get somebody who is on dialysis and another day, it is another young man who has been diagnosed with cancer. The list is endless. And because your salary has been delayed, you think your life is meaningless. The thunder that will fire you is still doing push-ups in the forest.

You still have a chance to be grateful for the gift of life and most importantly, your health. You don’t know when this life ends. If you have an idea about what will happen tomorrow, then you can open your shrine. You are a wizard. In fact, witchcraft is a lucrative business in South Sudan.

This is because our people are too desperate.  For those who want it too quick, they will pay a lot of money to a witchdoctor who lives in a most filthy place of the city.  The medicine man will sing some mysterious songs for some minutes to confuse you, then he will shake his magic wand and this time, he will tell you the biggest lie, “My son, the gods have finally spoken. Your uncle is the reason why you are poor”. You now know why we have problems in many families today.

This journey ends at nothing, don’t hurry, the way it starts is not a big deal. You are not sure if you will get there or not but something tells you that you have not started yet. This is South Sudan. A country that is on its way to an unknown destination. The journey is long. Some people miss out on the journey but as long as it is not leading anywhere it is not a big loss.

For others, it is none of their business as long as the country is moving at their pace. The journey starts from birth and ends at death.  It happens too first. Also in this country, you can be rich for a month and return to zero next month. You have to always be ready for the mundane, the unknown because this country lives to tell you what you don’t need to hear and also denies you the opportunity if you want to know something. Once again, you are welcome to South Sudan.

 

 

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