Of the 7.2 million people facing food shortage in South Sudan, roughly 4.0 million are youth, out of a separate report of 1.2 million children with acute malnutrition in South Sudan.
This clearly tells that a youthful part of the population is at an increased risk of food shortage. As food aid has greatly reduced, I assume at least two young people die everyday in South Sudan. Who knows those young people dying may be the ones South Sudan has been waiting for?
Who actually knows those innocent souls being sent to grave early may be the ones to pay the civil servants and soldiers on a monthly basis? Who really knows those young leaders dying may be the ones born devoid of corruption, tribalism and nepotism? Who knows the future leaders dying of hunger now may be the ones born without greediness, hence rebellion-free? Who truly knows the young leaders dying may be the ones to utilise oil wisely? Who knows the malnourished young leaders dying may be the ones who will lead by what they are and, not who they are?
It is worrisome seeing future leaders being admitted in hospitals for malnutrition. This has a profound effect on the growing brain. As someone being adequately prepared to take power with a more decisive mind, the reductive adaptation system of severe acute malnutrition would impair the brain. This is for young leaders below five years of age.
For the case of adult young leaders of age 6 to 45 years, persistent starvation would impair their brains or sent them to the graveyard. It would be somehow acceptable if it impairs their brains, but if it sends them to the graveyard, who would replace the leaders of today? There is need to care for the leaders of tomorrow. I repeat, there is need to take a good care of future leaders.
There is a lot good to expect from the hungry young leaders in South Sudan. However, I have observed that the leaders of today are only taking a very good care of their own children to make sure they will be the ones to replace them in future. As children of today’s leaders study overseas where studies are more improved and food is in abundance, they are getting quality education and immunity against malnutrition.
I pity myself as a young leader preparing to take over from the leaders of today. I too pity my equivalent young leaders who are in preparation for future leadership, but are wrestling with hunger and all other hardships knowingly imposed on them by the leaders of today. It is clear. Any malnourished future leader should get informed that he/she is not being fed well by the leaders of today as a political weapon to give their children unopposed opportunities to lead.
This comes in the sense that instead of malnourished future leaders competing for leadership with well-fed children of today’s leaders, they be correcting the longstanding effects of malnourishment. And as they take time correcting the effects of malnourishment, the roots of well-fed future leaders get firm in the leadership.
Future leaders are dying in 10 states and 3 Administrative Areas and to everyone’s dismay, they migrate to Juba city, thinking that things are going to improve, but unfortunately things go from worse to worst in Juba. They think the government provides loaves of bread and the citizens look for sauce as it is done in other countries, but unfortunately, the government even takes away the little food the citizens have, taking future leaders much closer to the graveyard.
It is high time for the government to gear towards the SDG Zero hunger. As the whole world is working to eradicate hunger by 2030, South Sudan is not spared. In fact, South Sudan should take the lead in the affairs of hunger eradication because hunger is chronic in South Sudan.
Thanks for reading “Sowing The Seed Of Truth”.