John Garang: the Charisma and Determination

When it comes to having charismatic leaders in any of our life aspects, the Sudanese people, unfortunately, are unlucky. Most of those who have governed the country since the eve of independence were, and are, ethically and intellectually unsuited for assuming national posts. The reasons for this pathetic fact are varied, but the intellectuals bear the larger share of responsibility.
If we want to peruse the effect of the Sudanese political contributions and their ability to gain consensus among people, we would find that the result will be an absolute disappointment. Yes, there are some political leaders who made great tangible efforts, but the problem is that they were biased against certain segments of society.
On the other hand, the national figures who have engaged in social, cultural, economic and diplomatic affairs are not far better in assimilating the national sense or convincing the hearts and minds of the Sudanese majority. Subsequently, Sudanese developmental hopes to evolve their givens are not achieved so far.
In fact, Sudan before and after the South Sudan’s independence has been a country that lacks visions, Statesmanship, agreed upon identity, and you can add more if necessary. In such a societal vacuum few leaders tried to initiate ideas that help in addressing the exact causes of the crises we have been facing for decades.
Throughout the last half century Sudan’s political systems have exiled the country’s honest figures because of ideology, race, selfishness, oppression and other motives. Death, as a factor, also, was part of the reasons why we were unlucky to be “presided” by “symbolic national leaders”.
The late John Garang, among those leaders who for different reasons died before we could gain all their great political talents, was a wisdom lover that matters at a time of need. He had convinced the majority of Sudanese by his legacy that brought about freedom for South Sudan people and paved the way for the oppressed and marginalized peoples to keep up the struggle, so that they can prevail and see light at the end of the tunnel.
Halting the political inspiration from continuation, the Garang death deprived Sudan, South Sudan, the region, Africa and elsewhere, from benefiting a lot from his whole inimitable rationality, wisdom and vision. And it might be true to say this: if he had been alive, then Garang could have changed the whole situation in Sudan. But lack of luck is a fate that you cannot confront easily.
It is so sad that Garang's visions and determination did not find an opportunity to reshape Sudan’s national entity, and then make unity attractive. Now Sudanese are looking, at a moment of disappointment, for new political leaders who understand the importance of the coexistence principles, and the values Garang called for in order to safe Sudan.
Frankly, finding those principled leaders who make history and remain alive for centuries by their prophetic contributions is not an easy task. But still we hope that this generation and the coming one can get the leaders who realize the necessity of confederation, if not reunification, for both Sudan and South Sudan.

I had the pleasure to know him closely at the beginning of the eighties at the Department of Rural Economy, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum. At that time. he was a colonel at the Sudanese army when he came to teach a marketing course as a part-timer. At the academic professional level, Dr. Grang used to hold a PH.D in marketing from Iowa State University. He was an excellent academician in his rare field of specialization. He cooperated with us in teaching untill he moved to the south to start his mutiny against Numerie in 1982. I never saw him since until I heard about his tragic demise in July 2007. I was on my vacation in Canada at that summer when he was appointed as a deputy to Al Bashir. I had the intension to visit him congratulating when I go to Sudan. Unfortunately he passed away while I was still in Canada. It was shocking news to me and to my family. At the personal level, he was a very nice guy to know with a tendency towards appreciated humor. Quite frequently, his joyful spirit haunts my memories from time to time. I am sure if he were still around, Southern Sudan might had never been separated from the main land. He always dreamt of a united Sudan where all share equal opportunities and rights. He was a very simple man with a very focused ambition towards a just future for all Sudanese citizens. Thank you Mr. Salah to write about his leadership charisma and political capabilities.

Dear Ibrahim Abelazez Osman
Thanks for the kindly comments on the article you made and for your honest feeling about the late John Garang who was just a different leader, distinguished academic and a man to trust.
In fact, Garang, as I wrote before, is the only one who let us speak loudly of the issues of our identity without fear. Also, he was honest in his thought to reshape the country with the concept of justice, equality and progress. But we were so unfortunate that we lost him before gaining all the wisdom he demonstrated. However, our hope is that the new and coming generation may find in his legacy a way to reunite the two” Sudans”. I apologize for delaying response to you and thank you again.

I raise the comments of Brother Mabior Angok from Facebook.



Mabior Malou Angok · University of Bahr El-Ghazal

Charismatic leaders with prophetic ambitions and visions of political salvation for their people and land like Dr. John Garang are always not favored by the circumstances against which they aimed to silent, therefore their straight paths(steps of concentration)and visionary skills are supposed to be copied by the succeeding powers inorder to achieve the expected goals and neutralize the ever threatening misfits through political determination. by Mabior Malou Angok from juba south Sudan.