Toronto boys rob people, but people always point in the direction they have taken. But death robs people and no one could say it has gone this way or that way. The cowardly death does not even greet people after it has robbed them of a very important person. Death does not get satisfied. It robs people today and robs them tomorrow.
As it robs people in South Sudan, it also robs people in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and the robbing continues in other countries. It is unfortunate that death is unseeable and has no habitat. If it were visible and had a habitat, people of the world would get united and stage a fatal war against it. I want death killed! I really want it killed!
Imagine death has robbed South Sudan of a notable economist, distinguished lecturer, charismatic leader, and caring father, Prof. Dr. Marial Awou Yol on the 14th of September 2023. I wish he were killed in a fight with a neighbouring country. That fight would never end. But he just died a natural death. When a war is staged against another community, there are notable people who are protected from being killed when you are defeated. People put them in the middle as fighting takes place in the peripheries. This is to make sure they are not shot, speared or caught by the opponents.
Prof. Marial Awou is one of them. If another community had staged a war against Pajaak Community and the war was in favour of that community, Pajiek would have protected Prof. Awou from being killed by the opponents. Such an important person is rare to get. In all the positions he has held, there is no single day Pajaak Community was insulted because of his unwise decisions. He was decisive throughout his leadership and management.
If there was someone who believed much in “slow but sure” type of leadership, that person was Prof. Marial Awou Yol. It is a heavy loss to South Sudan, Lakes State, Yirol East County, Tinagau Payam. Specifically, it is a painful loss to Pajaak Community. South Sudan has a number of notable economists, distinguished lecturers, charismatic leaders and caring fathers and so, Prof. Marial Awou Yol may be replaced by people of his calibre.
But it will take Tinagau Payam years to replace Prof. Marial Awou. Prof. Awou was the only Ph.D. holder in the whole Payam and the tragedy is that, no Ph.D. candidate as I speak. So, the vacuum is so big that its filling will take years. Prof. Marial Awou was a successful man. He has raised his family and built it to a heightened level.
He has only one child and he has educated him to the level of a Master’s Degree. He has only one wife and he has diplomatically nursed her to the level of being a South Sudan’s Ambassador to India. He had only one vision; to sponsor as many students as possible, and he died doing it.
He has done enough; no person comes on earth to do 100% in 100%. The rest of the things are for his dear son and his beloved wife to complete. As we mourn for Prof. Marial Awou Yol, let us also take courage and celebrate him. During his days with us, he used to burn himself to give us light and this grants us an opportunity to celebrate him and continue celebrating him. The Lord gives and the Lord takes. May his soul rest in eternal peace, Amen.
The author is a medical student, University of Juba.