TIME TO DRY THE TEARS AND VOW TO DEVELOP OUR LANDS FOR ALL
BY HICKS AMBIRA.Dear Ma'di and Acholi, I am so grateful to congratulate Brigadier Emilio Igga, on his appointment as the Ma'di Corridor Chief Administrator. As I mentioned in many of my articles, we are fighting a war of the brains but not of the guns. Therefore, I feel fulfilled that his appointment has come at the right time when Ma'di needs Leadership of this kind. I know we have a thousand and one problems to solve but will take it one at a time. If I can be of any use to our community, I promised to help you where possible like those days we worked with you while in NCA.
However, in this letter, I would also like to touche on a few things which will be of use to our society. Thank you Mr. Commissioner of Magwi for your meaningful and educative statements for the two-in-one communities. Acholi and Ma'di are one people and that is what it should be. Gabriel Oyiki brought that differences which lead to lost of lives in the past and now Johnson Juma Okot /JJ Okot once again want to mimic his steps. We shouldn't give ways to their demonic forces. Who told them that they are Acholi?
In Africa, it is only your mother who knows who your father is but would not say if she got you from outside to protect her marriage. Since we don't have DNA test, we remain sons and daughters to the man who is legally married to your mother. May I then remind the Okots that Ma'di and Acholi are like salt and sugar once dissolved in a jar, you can't separate them. No Ma'di or Acholi is a pure blood. Above all, Historians said, Acholi is a product of Luo and Ma'di. Believe it or not, this is not the issue here. We want to catch up in development without interruption from people with selfish aims. I am pretty sure, given a chance, our communities will be in the world map.
Who we are: Should be defined by God who made us. We didn't choose who we are or what we should be. Being you is you.
Truth: Truth has two sides. Knowing it and Denying it.
1- Knowing the truth sets you free and sometimes opens up a new gate for your future. It gives you a sense for reconciliation and forgiveness. It lasts though accepted by a few.
2-Denying the truth makes the individuals bitter:- To themselves, others, community and to their surroundings. Those who deny truth are often hurt and always want to go down with others such as the Okots.
Land
As far as land issue between Ma'di and Acholi is concerned, I blame the Turks and the British for causing the confusion and misery for the Ma'di. However, for knowledge purposes, I would like to tell you in brief some of the truth. Land shouldn't be an issue to divide us. Nobody can expand or transfer land. To claim more land even when we have not develop what we already have doesn't make sense.
Before 1854 when the Turk used the Acholi from Palabeck, Patiko,around the border of Uganda and the Bari to help them fight Ma'di, the Latuho were the only community that bordered the Ma'di in the east. From River Ayi and beyond the present border Nimule was Ma'di. Names such as “Magwi” meant ma-gwi [let me tell you the secret] though the Latuho used it for a plant that was predominantly found there. Pa-Nyikwarw is named after Nyikwara, the brother of Jukiri. Both were Ma'di Lukai. Obbo meant bark.[this was a place were Ma'di collected tree-bark for making clothes.There are many more to talk about but this is not the time.
Indeed when the Turks succeeded with the help of Acholi and Bari, Ma'di became split into two major groups[Sudan and Uganda]. The Nyikwara family and Lukai from Mugali went to Kitgum and in the border areas. Today if we talk of blood relations, at least 80% of Acholi in Kigum, Gulu and between Gulu and Nimule have Ma'di blood.
When the Ma'di came back from exile, they found the Acholi have filled some of the land. This made them to mix more. Almost every Ma'di spoke Acholi. Opari had the best school in the area under American evangelist and many Acholi came there for education. At one time, the word “Acholi- Madi was used to refer to the community in the area.Until the British took over from the Turks, Ma'dis were enemy and that was why they spoke Acholi to hide identity.
With the above few information, if you kill anyone in any of the communities, you may be killing your uncle, aunt, cousin sister or brother or closed relative that you don't know. Why then do it? We have a chance to make our area envy and loved by many. So let us start now
BY HICKS AMBIRA
Juba
South Sudan.
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