By Buda Ladu
Central Equatoria State Governor Augustino Jadalla Kamilo Wani, on Saturday, presented President Salva Kiir Mayardit with cultural gifts as a gesture of friendship, leadership and power.
Governor Jadalla was accompanied during the courtesy visit, by his counterpart from Eastern Equatoria State, Governor Louis Lobong Lojore, during this cultural exchange.
The delegation also included senior state and national government officials, as well as representatives from various community cultural groups.
As part of the visit, Governor Jadalla delivered several traditional gifts, including two bulls and a cow. In the Dinka culture, the bulls are known as Marial, Mabior, and Nayar (the cow), each holding significant symbolic meaning.
According to a statement from the governor’s office, these cultural gifts symbolize friendship, peace, leadership, power, and procreation, respectively.
Eastern Equatoria State Governor Louis Lobong spoke on behalf of the visiting delegation.
“This is a symbol of peace,” Lobong described the cultural visit while speaking to the media.
“We are all working to support the president to bring about peace and stability in this country,” he added.
For his part, Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro, the Minister of Presidential Affairs, welcomed the visiting team and conveyed the president’s heartfelt gratitude for the courtesy cultural visit.
“The President is very happy, and he is encouraging all South Sudanese to respect and love the culture of every South Sudanese ethnic group in the country,” he stated.
Bakosoro emphasized President Kiir’s assurance to all citizens that there will be no return to war, again stating that “this is what we need to do in order to move our country forward.”