My Life as a Refugee

By Odu Kpwere Amari'di

Sadly, refugees are some of the most traumatized people in the world. Although their backgrounds vary, all share a commonality of determination and perseverance to overcome their complex challenges, both in the past and in the future while attempting to move forward into a new chapter.

Odu Kpwere Amari'di, a South Sudanese immigrant living in Canada, details his journey through life to date, beginning with his birth in Uganda to refugee parents who fled Sudan during war and eventually returned to their homeland with him to build a new life. As he reveals a compelling look into his humble African background through relatable anecdotes about his childhood memories, regrets, missed opportunities, and other experiences intertwined with historical narratives, Amari’di explains why he is a refugee, the continuing plight of refugees, and the struggles as their fight continues to shun the perceptions and judgments and bear a burden of shame for allegedly abandoning their home countries in pursuit of a better life.

My Life as a Refugee is the memoir of a South Sudanese immigrant that chronicles his life from birth to date as he learned valuable lessons about life, love, and inclusion while persevering through his challenges.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781665505147

Odu Kpwere Amari'di

Odu Kpwere Amari'di was born in Uganda to refugee parents who fled Sudan during the Anyanya Civil War. After his family returned to Sudan, Amari’di eventually immigrated to Canada where he resides today.

Book preview

© 2020 Odu Kpwere Amari’di. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 10/28/2020

ISBN: 978-1-6655-0516-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-0515-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-0514-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020920865

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Please Note:

Some notes in italics are stories inserted into the middle of the original story.

Special Notes:

Most of the articles in this book were written pre-covid19 pandemic era.

The scope of this book will not address most of the changes that came after covid19.

This book acknowledges that we live in a new era and a completely different world, the world has changed so much, but the basics are still the same.

The new normal effects are recognized, and perhaps new lifestyles may also give us new perspectives in understanding our world in a new way.

This book also acknowledges that although change is a very difficult thing. It takes time for change to happen, but the truth is changes are inevitable, we are human beings, and humans do change, and so whatever happened in the past is considered history; and somebody once said that history is the best teacher; that’s true only when we remember history and not forget it because it’s also said that those who forgot their history are doom to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Short stories

These short stories and comments are meant to complement and elucidate the essence of the main articles to elaborate some points for easy understanding.

CONTENTS

Preface

Acknowledgements

Disclaimer

How to Understand My Writings

Chapter One

Introduction

About the Book

Writing this Book

What This Book Is Not About

Book writing

The Story of the Featherless Rooster

Situation Analysis

Chapter Two

Where Am I From?

How I Became a Refugee

The Legacy of Slavery

Chapter Three

Celebrating a Hero for South Sudan

Who Is Saturnino Ohure?

The Beginning

But how did it all come to this?

The Triggers

Full-Scale War

The Peace Talks

The Autonomous Era

Chapter Four

The Era of Globalism

Building Walls or Building Bridges—Which One Is Better?

The Current Refugee Issues

How Much Is Enough?

Do Refugees Hate Their Homeland?

Refugees and Taxations

Refugee Camps

Chapter Five

The History of Refugees

The First Displacement

The Second Displacement

Sanctuary Centres: Canada and the Global Forced Displacement Crisis

Cities of Refuge

Examples of Refugees in the Bible

The Escape to Egypt

The Displacement of Ismail and His Mother

The Story of Jacob

History of Migration

The Jewish Diaspora

Lest We Forget

European Refugees in Africa, the Middle East, and India

The Middle East hosted European refugees as well

Is the World Becoming a Refugee Village?

Will Europeans Learn How Africa Treats Refugees?

Chapter Six

The Personal Experience of a Refugee’s Life Story

The Attack on September 11, 2001 (a.k.a., 911)

The System and Their Attack Dogs

The Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989

The Tank Man

Edward Snowden

Julian Assange

Chelsea Manning

Petition by African Americans Seeking Asylum from African Governments

The supplication, in part, states:

Protest in Louisiana

Traffic checks and being pulled over by the police

International Outcry

All Lives Matter

My Meeting with Canadian Citizens Living in Africa

The Current Refugee Situation

Canadian Values

What Are the Feelings of Canadians towards New Arrivals?

Does Canadians Get Jealous Seeing Immigrants Succeed?

Poem: The First Lover in the Prairies

Chapter Seven

The Definition of Refugee

The Refugee Crisis Fund

Voluntary vs Forced Migration

Cultural Integration

Refugee/Immigrant Success Stories—Stories of Hope

Hon. PC MP Ahmed Hussen

Refugee/Immigrants Daughters success stories:

Sons of Refugees/Immigrants

A South Sudanese Refugee Success Story

Bionic Prosthetics

A Syrian Refugee’s Success Story

Former War-Torn Somalia Refugee Returns to Serve as MP

Donald Trump’s Ban on Refugees

The Olympics

Internal Displacement/Refugees

IDPs in Canada

Gander, Newfoundland

Refugees in Uganda

Some facts to note about refugee host continents:

More facts about Refugees in Uganda:

Inter National vs Interprovincial Migration

A Refugee Situation Analysis

Chapter Eigth

Biography in Brief

Our Family

Who Was My Father?

Subsequent Invasions of Ma’diland

The Issues about Birth Dates

Women and Education

From Refugees to Returnees

The Thatched Roof Huts

Chapter Nine

Life in the Countryside

Back to Granny

Granny and Snakebite Healing

The Blessings of Our Elderly People

Growing Up in Southern Sudan

Chapter Ten

My Life Story

Living in the Rural

The Judiciary System

Peacefulness

Fiduciary Rights Settlements

Weather

Living in village versus Urban

Chapter Eleven

The White Man Who Transformed My Life in the Village

The Brave White Man in the Village

My First Encounter with Erlingo

Schooling in the Village

Chapter Twelve

Bullying

Child Soldiers

Joseph Sold into Slavery

David and Goliath

Why Bullies Bully

A Story; How We Dealt With a Bully

All Dictators are Bullies

Are Bullies Created?

What Exactly Is Bullying?

The Miranda Warning

Why Do Bullies Bully?

Chapter Thirteen

The Goat Herder

A Goat-herder’s Curiosity

The Battle with a Giant Snake

African Rock Python Kills Two Boys

Pageri Primary School

The Imperial Effects

History Notes:

The Effects of Arab and Islamic Culture on Africans

Chapter Fourteen

The Trip to Torit

The Elbow-Out-the-Window Incident

Odong’s Personality

Arrival at Torit

Father-Son Meeting

Life in Torit

Chapter Fifteen

My Early (childhood) School Years

Special Gratitude

Going Back to the Village

The Brothers

Our Sisters

Women in Ma’di Culture

Father and Son Meeting, Continued

Dad’s Personality

Lessons from My Grandma

The Story of Mr. Hadwoka

The Assaults on a Foreign Entity

Back to the Village

Hadwoka and Ms. Lynx

Chapter Sixteen

Taban’s Story

Type of Education for Children

Things Invented by Black People

Life without Black People by Joe Madison

Chapter Seventeen

The Troubles of South Sudan

Our Diversity

Unity with Purpose

The English Noble Addressing the British Parliament

Nations of South Sudanese People

The Falatah People

Effects of Modernization on All Tribes of South Sudan

Tribal Issues

The Culture of Death

Natural Death

Honouring of the Dead

Diehard Tribalism

Ideological Freedom

Economic Freedom

Spiritual/Faith-Based Freedom

Chapter Eighteen

South Sudan

One example in history is the Tower of Babel.

Restructuring of Modern Societies in South Sudan

Some Solutions to Tribalism

Language

In Memory of Nelson Mandela’s Final Day with Us

Legacy

Marriages

Tribalism

The Blame Games

Education

Rate of School Drop-Out Children Rising

Privatization of Education

Tribal Politics

The Culture of Gossip

Handling Disagreements

Focusing on What Matters

The Story of the Good Samaritan

Professional Associations

Chiefs and their Roles

Civic Literacy

Civic Curriculum

Our Youth

Chapter Nineteen

The Most Tragic African Story

Home-Based Education

Wealth

Health

Security

National Security

Food Security

Worship and Religion

Deciphering

The Generational Curses

Witchcraft and Voodoo

Talking Spirits

Offertory to the Spirits

Biblical Practices

When Blessings Become Curses

Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS)

Multiculturalism

Cattle Rustling

Cattle rustling are not cultural practice but deadly organised crime

By Duncan E Omondi Gumba

Chapter Twenty

The Story of South Sudan

Historical Justifications

North-South Conflict

To Find Lasting Peace in Sudan

Where Do I Belong?

Tribes

Tribalism

Definition of Tribalism

Factors Resulting in Ethnic Conflicts

Tribe vs Tribalism

Scenario

Tribal Feuds

Resources

Grazing Lands

Suspicion of Dominance

Child Abduction

Revenge Attacks

Mistrust

Power Imbalance

Generational Curses

What the Future Holds for Generations to Come

Future Visions

To Our Fellows Citizens;

Professions vs Titles

Spiritual Warfare

Chapter Twenty One

The Challenges of South Sudan

Loss of Self-Esteem

Violence

Ethnic Cleansing and Genocides

The Civil War

The Genocide in Rwanda

A Silver Lining in a Dark Sky

Majority vs Minority

Minority Groups

Definitions Minority

Sociology

Gender and Sexual Minorities

Visible Minorities

Religious Minorities

Age Minorities

People with Disabilities

Political Minorities

Involuntary Minorities in Education

Voluntary Minorities in Education

Law and Government

The Powerful Minority Club

Chapter Twenty Two

Ethnic Conflicts in South Sudan

Discrimination of All Kinds Is Evil

United Nations Indicts Pres. Kiir and Army Chief for Planning Massive-Scale Offensive in Juba

The United States Bans Weapons Export to South Sudan

References

PREFACE

After we got repatriated to Sudan as returnees from Uganda in the late 1970s, I lived with my mother and brothers and sisters in the Arapi area until 1981. Then I moved to Torit, where my father lives with my brothers and sisters. Torit was like a mini-metropolitan town by then. It was the district capital of the Eastern Equatoria region. I started my elementary school in Torit in 1982, a school run by the Catholic Church, called St. Theresa Missionary. In 1983, I moved back to Ma’diland area and continued with my primary school, then moved back to Torit again in 1984 to pursue school. But shortly after that, the civil war was in full force, and once again, in 1986, I returned to Ma’diland with the hope of improving my education. But things took a different turn when the war intensified throughout Eastern and Central Equatoria.

Then I moved to Juba, the regional capital of Southern Sudan, where I finished my primary school in Arapi Primary School. I joint the seminary school with the hope of becoming a priest, but as the situation got worse when SPLA forces were gaining ground, the war spread west, and in fact, the whole of Southern Sudan and some parts of the country. In 1988, for the first time, I decided to move to Khartoum, the capital city of the Republic of Sudan, in Khartoum, where I completed high school in 1995, with the hope of going to university. All of a sudden, the government of Sudan changed not all but most government institutions to a more strictly Islamic and Arabized system; I was devastated about the sudden changes.

I had a hard time understanding why I should be subjected to systems to which I was not orientated. Ever since I was young, I had heard about the bad things the Northerners did and were still doing, to our people, but I had never experienced so many injustices until I moved to Khartoum. In 1995, after completing my secondary school, I could no longer bear witness to any more of the abuses, but I had to do something. Being at my situation and age by then, I could not find any way to change my circumstances radically, so I decided to leave everything and got out of Khartoum, not knowing what my fate might bring.

I boarded a bus and left Khartoum and went to Eastern Sudan, passing through Gadaref, in an agricultural region in Eastern Sudan. I left with a group of friends and crossed the border to Ethiopia. By then, the SPLA movement had its wings around those areas. That seems an opportunity to vent my anger towards the regime in Khartoum, which robbed me of all that I had planned. So I joined the SPLA, and we were trained in the fields for three months. The movement gave me a gun, and I was ready to go to the front of warzones. Then I was picked to go to Southern Sudan town of Pachala, which had just been recaptured from the enemy forces. I was so excited to be chosen among fifty-plus people out of thousands of recruits. We travelled through Asmara, the capital city of Eritrea; we were flown by a Russian-made military aeroplane (Hercules) and landed in a secret army base in the border between Ethiopia and Sudan. I later found out that the place was called Punyido, in the Gambella District. From there, we travelled overnight to Pachala, just about a week after it fell into the hands of the SPLA forces. That was my first time experiencing a real warlike environment.

I could not have imagined how quickly my views about death would change. It was as if I was now very prepared to kill and to be killed at any time for the love of that nation. I was armed with assault rifle G3 and AK-47; both are Russian-made guns. As far as I can remember, the only things I used those guns for was shooting wild animals for food. I didn’t get the opportunity to face the enemy because it was the rainy season. The fighting usually subsided during rainy seasons, as the flooded valleys and rivers and streams restricted soldiers from moving in the bushes, roads were cut off, and it was simply impossible to travel far distances, so we were stuck in Pachala for that entire period.

I still remember the time when a flood swept the whole Upper Nile region. One night, we started to notice some changes around the surrounding of the barracks; we discovered the entire area had been covered underwater. We had no idea where it was coming from because there was no rain, not even a sign of precipitation, in the Pachala area. It could have been raining in a far distant region, but all we saw was that we were all under floodwater; it was my first experience with such a flood without rain.

I ended in a refugee camp in Ethiopia and lived there for about four years. After that, I was resettled to Canada. I arrived in Canada in 1998. The rest of the story is narrated in this book.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Before I proceed, I would like to give thanks to the only one who has been and is still my backbone and driving force. His name is Yesuah El Messiah, known to English-speaking people as Jesus Christ.

Secondly, I would like to sincerely thank my family for encouraging me in the process of writing this book. To my family, my siblings, to all my relatives and the people of South Sudan.

Thirdly, I would like to thank the people of this great land of Canada for letting me into their beautiful nation. I would have never had the opportunity to thank you without the publication of this book, which allows me to reach out to more people than if I travelled across the country, thanking and hugging as many people as I could, which is almost impossible now in the era of COVID 19, due to social distancing guidelines.

DISCLAIMER

First, I would like to make it clear to all parties. When I talk about any individual or group or nationality in this book, I am referring only to any activities that people have done that are politically motivated. It could be just one person who has done this, but as Ma’ di people say; One frog can make a whole pool dirty. The references made here are for political reasons; they are for religious purposes; they are for economic reasons, and they are for cultural reasons. What do I mean by that? For example:

• In reference to white people, I discuss issues such as the Apartheid regime in South Africa, when skin colour was used to rate humanity. Those in that system abiding with those policies thought they were protecting the white race. They believed them and put them into practice for many years until Apartheid was overthrown and the theory was determined defunct.

• I refer to a tribal group headed by JCE that committed atrocities and claimed they were doing it to protect the Dinka people.

• I call out groups like the KKK, would put nooses on black people’s necks and hang them for being black, claiming that they are doing so to protect the white race.

• I criticize the Western world for teaming up against multiculturalism and opposing immigration and criticizing refugees under the pretext they are trying to protect Western civilization. I take offence to that.

• I mention when the Jellaba from North Sudan punished our peoples because they said that they were trying to promote Arab culture and spread Islam.

I have issues with such notions, which I call ideological bankruptcy.

But I have to make it clear that I don’t hold grudges with individuals. I don’t hate anybody because of who you are. It’s only political motives that are tearing us apart. I do understand that everyone has the right to protect their kind, and so I want to protect mine; likewise, I know that we are all humans, and we have every day needs. Therefore, I have no problems with people wanting to compete for resources; I think competition is healthy, as long as we encourage empathy. I am opposed to anyone or any group that has the notion, We have to exterminate our competitors to succeed. I think that is a selfish and anti-human ideology that every goodhearted person of this world must stand up against, and we must not allow such doctrines to contaminate our mindset.

When we remain silent in the face of evil, we should consider ourselves contributing to the atrocities. That’s why, in this book, I don’t want anyone to think they or their groups have been singled out. I think I am part of the problem if I consider myself to be perfect. To me, no one is immune from imperfection. The danger is when we believe we are better than others; that is the beginning of every problem of this world. It is called pride. It’s been said somewhere, Pride comes before the fall. Pride is the source of every evil—not money, not people, not material, not riches or poverty. We all hate it when other people are proud, but we have failed to avoid pride.

This book is intended for everybody, but it is also not for everyone. Readers’ discretion is strongly advised. Some of the materials in this book may be offensive to others. The author recommends reading this book in its entirety to equip your understandings. Thus, first of all, you need to finish reading the entire book, each chapter, before making prejudgments. However, approach it with an open mind. Some of the materials will be good sources of information, containing advice that will assist us as humankind in the twenty-first century.

HOW TO UNDERSTAND MY WRITINGS

To understand my viewpoints, one must read the book in its entirety. They are intended to enlighten some people. They may be too simplistic for others, who might already know about everything mentioned. Others are urged to look at some of these points as a survival kit in their new land. No one who is sick needs a doctor. Some of us are suffering silently, and we avoid sharing our viewpoints because we want to avoid criticism. We continue to suppress our emotions until things get out of hand. Unfortunately, when we get to our breaking point, we turn to damaging behaviours or join the wrong groups. Sometimes, we turn to violence and physical abuse. Therefore, these writings are meant to inform you that there are still people out there who are willing to listen to your stories; they are interested in discussions. They are ready to offer their opinions, with the hope that they might prevent you from making the wrong choices. This book will provoke and agitate specific, raising topics that are often avoided, getting us to the discussion table. This is not an option but a must. Readers are cautioned not to overreact out of emotion. Instead, be patient and let us seek solutions, so we don’t resort to emotional outbursts.

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CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

These days, there is a lot of hatred towards refugees. Part of writing this book is to teach the global audience what makes people become refugees. The words refugees and immigrants have become synonymous due to the nature of current affairs of the world, such that it is difficult to distinguish between the two groups among the ordinary public. In these days of turmoil, almost everyone who leaves their native lands to go to another place has a reason why they moved. One way or another, they have been affected by something similar: environmental reasons, lack of economic opportunity, political hostility leading to insecurity, freedom of expression, persecution because of their choices, or inequality and injustice just for being who they want to be.

As stated on the cover of this book, the title explains it all: I am a refugee. However, the actual topic of the book is Why I am a refugee. The media and developed nations continue to rumble and grumble, complaining about me as a refugee. I am also quite disturbed when they ask the question, Why are you here? I ask myself, why did I become a refugee in the first place? How did it all begin? The first thing that people need to understand is that refugees are the most traumatized people in the world; if I had my choice, I would like to return to my village and live peacefully, but we all know that this is merely wishful thinking. Refugees can only stay in their new foreign lands and take the abuse, or they can take the risk and return to the land they left behind and fight for their rights, and in the process, they will also create more refugees. Either way, they must struggle to overcome. Just because we left our homelands to come to safe places doesn’t necessarily mean the fight is over. Yes, in the beginning, it felt like that. It feels as if you have left the challenges. Then you settle, and you realize that you are not out of the woods yet. I had to face the feeling that I was a runaway coward, that I had abandoned my nation and people. The weight of the shame is heavy.

On the other hand, while I am in a land of refuge, the guilt sets in. It’s as if all eyes are zooming in on me because of my being distinctly different from my outward appearance. Even just the looks from people wherever I go are terrifying. The hostility from certain groups and the feeling that you are not welcome here is overwhelming. Sometimes it feels as if it’s better to just shut yourself out from the public. But of course, that is not possible, because I am expected to contribute to the society in which I live. I have to find ways to help somehow and make a difference. No matter how small my contributions might be, it is better to do something and not to shy away.

Therefore, the answer to why I am a refugee has a long explanation. I want people to understand that it wasn’t my making; I didn’t create the problems that existed in my native land. I am here because I want to understand something too. Why have these very people on whose land refugees are seeking shelter created these problems for us, leaving us alone to fix their messed-up creation? I would like to know if they can help me to come up with solutions so that we can return to our homelands, bringing back the most necessary basic human needs, such as living in a peaceful atmosphere, having schools for children, having potable water, and having access to hospitals. That way, we can stay at home and not run around like people who do not love our nations. I love my motherland, and if there were a way to go back and live a normal life, which I have always yearned for, I would go back in a heartbeat.

About the Book

This book is about bits and pieces of various topics. It contains memories from my childhood, nostalgia, regrets, eulogies, missed opportunities, progressions, regressions, lamentations, and so forth. Most of all, it is about thanksgiving.

It is interspersed with historical narratives because, to me, history not only gives me hope that change is sometimes useful but reminds me of my lowly and humble background and how far I have come to be in this moment. Although I do have some regrets, for the most part, positive changes have taken place for which I am so thankful. It is said, Those who forget about history are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past.

I Am a Refugee is written in simple language, so it is easy to understand. The stories in this book are personal to the author, explaining how an ordinary refugee life may look.

Telling so personal story is challenging. It requires a lot of focus and attention to detail, some of which may seem simple and boring. But the essence of the story is to narrate and transmit things not openly discussed in ordinary conversations.

"I am not educated, nor am I an expert in any particular field …

but I am sincere, and my sincerity is my credential."

—Malcolm X

Writing this Book

"Just because I disagree with you does not mean I hate

you. We need to relearn that in our society."

—Morgan Freeman

One of the reasons for writing this book is to express my personal opinions, which I wouldn’t get the opportunity to express well in public. In the presence of an audience, there is not enough time to say everything. Besides that, one must have a lot of confidence to speak eloquently. Even though I am willing to tell my stories, in front of an audience, it requires a lot of courage. In Canada, there are other factors, such as one’s limits in linguistic arts, to precisely expressing opinions as intended. Being a newcomer to a place, I am always struggling to speak, let alone in public forums. Again, for someone such as me, being a polyglot but not fluent in all of the languages I know, it is never easy to express myself as succinctly as the native-born people in this great nation of Canada. However, in writing, a person is all alone and freely can express oneself.

The purpose of this writing is to share my ideas. The author’s intention is not only for self-enrichment but rather for radicalizing the next generations of young people so that they may turn their faces away from the current failed systems. The intent is to open up conversations about topics that we usually avoid at all costs, such as the following:

• Is it true that the rich keep getting richer and the poor are getting poorer?

• Who is behind the instigations of the racial tensions, and could we ultimately stamp out racism?

• How can we normalize relationships between hostile groups and the rest of society?

• Why are there so many gaps between them versus us?

• What is the direction forward as far as Africa is concerned?

This book intends to reach to people from various backgrounds, but specifically peoples of Afro descent.

One of the purposes of writing this book is to contribute to children’s hospitals; portions of all sales of this book will be contributed to sick children and alleviating child poverty. Having suffered from sickness and poverty at an early age, the author has been touched by the suffering of innocent souls. Children are supposed to enjoy their childhood and not suffer from treatable diseases, malnutrition; they should not be robbed by things, not of their making. Please consider donating to children’s wellness all over the world.

Some people may ask me why I wrote this book even when I am doing well financially and live in one of the most peaceful nations on earth. They ask why I don’t enjoy the privileges and freedom and remain quiet instead of creating unwarranted problems for myself. I agree in each case. I could live a satisfactory lifestyle and never have to worry. I mean, now that I have a good career, why do I need to worry anymore? I shouldn’t be the one to complain or speak out for others, should I? Yes, that’s correct to some extent. I am financially stable not because someone gave me money or because I won a lottery but because I have managed my finances well and I learned very early in life to take good care of myself. Ever since I arrived in Canada over twenty years ago, I worked nonstop, except for the periods when I went for training in the trade schools.

The only times I was on employment insurance (a.k.a., EI) was for two months each year for four years while attending my trade school. I have paid my fair share of taxes, and I spent almost all of my income here in Canada, except for building a house for my ailing mother back home and helping some relatives overseas here and there. I invested my money in RRSPs, mortgages, and some savings for dark days.

As far as writing this book, I am putting far more than just money on the line. Maybe I am risking all. I may lose everything and go back to zero by voicing my concerns. But if that’s what it takes, what have you got to lose? as Donald Trump says.

The question of why I wrote this book is somewhat complicated to answer in a single statement. But to sum it up, I want to tell my side of the story from my perspective. Most often, when I mingle with people from different backgrounds, often in the general public, from the initial interaction, people ask me similar questions. For example, whether they do it intentionally or ignorantly, they make comments such as, How come you are not taller? implying that everyone from South Sudan must be tall. People also ask me, Are you a Dinka or Nuer? I am neither a Dinka nor a Nuer. This is not to say there is anything against these two great tribes, but for anyone to assume that everyone who comes from South Sudan must be a Dinka or a Nuer reflects a lack of knowledge about the regions.

South Sudan and the neighbouring areas have remained isolated to most outsiders from the ancient eras. For example, our late hero Dr John Garang once said, In South Sudan, there are some places that mankind have never stepped their foot on since the time of Adam and Eve. Now, compare that to some of the places on this earth that have been crisscrossed. Every inch of the land has already been trodden on, over and over, for centuries. For instance, when I was in the air, flying over from Europe to North America, I saw that all the ground had been divided into squares or rectangles. There are straight lines almost everywhere, even in remote forests, places back home we referred to as the jungles. Back home, we don’t have borderlines, fences, or markings in the jungles. Everything was free, and you can roam around without restrictions, except wild animals. In that case, you could say that South Sudan could be referred to as a virgin land in comparison to other parts of the world. The question remains: Who will break South Sudan’s virginity if she’s still not broken?

As far as population, we are still relying on data that was compiled before the nation got its independence. The Republic of South Sudan gained independence from the United Sudan to become the newest nation on the earth in 2011.

Another reason for writing this book is to encourage skeptics, as I was, about writing a book. I have always thought that writing books were something to be left to highly educated professionals. Yes, in the old days, finding a publisher required enormous effort and investment. But today, with the help of the technology and the availability of resources, in the hands of a new generation of self-publishing organizations, even people like me, who wouldn’t have had any chance in life, can now put their stories out there. My stories are crude but authentic, and I tell it as it is, with little regard for political correctness and no timidity.

Even professional writers were once novices. They gained knowledge by reading and acquiring skills from previous writers, keeping the cycle alive until they became the best storytellers and booksellers of their generation. Perhaps the significant difference between a professional writer and a novice one is the availability of raw materials; in other words, it is quicker for a professional writer to put their thought processes together compared to a starting writer. Hence, experience does matter. For experienced writers, it is much easier to gather information and new ideas from the various resources and references available to them.

I believe that with a disciplined approach, a keen interest, and precise focus on an idea or topic, anyone can start and finish writing a book. Persistence and hard work are a must in the writing profession. First, start your research by reading a variety of materials related to your topic of interest. Anyone is capable of developing the art and skill of writing and producing new reading materials. By putting ideas together, you can create articles or books.

Nevertheless, the most daunting obstacle comes from the writer him or herself. If you prejudge yourself and presume that no one will be interested in reading your materials, you need to overcome that challenge. No one can do that for you, but you.

It is crucial to understand right from the get-go what kind of material you wish to offer to your readers. Take cooking, for example. A chef in the kitchen knows what kinds of flavours he or she wants in the food, so the final dish is ready to eat. If it doesn’t feel right, then they have failed. Writing is similar. You must have a vision to keep readers turning the pages.

Because I love good food, once again, I will use the example of cooking. When eating some foods, even when you feel full, you still want to eat more; you are craving for more. It’s the same with books. Whether its children’s books, comic books, cookbooks, sports writing, or simply one’s daily life experiences, if you can turn them into exciting stories, you are on the right track.

In this book, you will taste many different flavours of narrative: from personal perspectives to other people’s real-life experiences and living testimonies. These are one-of-a-kind stories the likes of which you may have never been exposed to.

However, being a new writer, I think I have the excuse of saying, I wish I knew this or that, I will make it different the next time, etc., and for sure, I will try to improve if I don’t get it right the first time. But I will try to make it interesting from the beginning to the end. Perfection can be achieved only after refining, and that is why I am asking for your input. The more critiques and corrections I get, the better my book will be in the next edition. But for now, we are going to dive in, just the way it is. I hope to take you on a wild ride and that some of the stories in this book will remain with you for a lifetime.

Last but not least, I often have had a difficult time finishing most books that I started to read. This is because I am not a fan of big words or complicated jargons. I don’t have a problem with limited usage of terminologies, but it must be moderately conservative. Too many jargons become a distraction, and soon, even beautiful stories become challenging to understand, and I lose interest in the material. That’s why I will be reasonable in my usage of big words; those found here tend to be the standard terms we use daily.

What This Book Is Not About

This book is not about hate speech. The materials in this book are not intended to be used as legal advice for any reason. They are not meant to provide financial guidance. Neither for religious information or counselling purposes. They are not intended to replace education. The opinions are those of the author, and experts in different fields and backgrounds have been quoted. It contains both fictitious and true stories, and names have been altered in some instances.

Human beings are close to making driverless vehicles. We make drones that fly anywhere we want without human beings inside them, such as those operated in Yemen during the civil war, killing thousands of innocent people, or those used by farmers to monitor their crops. Here we see two uses of drones but for opposite ends. Humankind has come so far in the building of robotics, man’s future assistant. Accompanied by AI or artificial intelligence, these will replace many jobs. This might create situations where factory and assembly workers lose their jobs, but today, this loss is blamed on refugees and immigrants.

But we will leave those topics for another chapter. Humankind is going into the deepest waters to explore marine resources. We are just a few steps away from finding lives in outer-space bodies, and we are about to start new lifestyles on other planets; it’s only a matter of time.

Three predictions for the future, according to billionaire tech titan Elon Musk: Humankind had already gone to the moon a long time ago. We are talking about the existence of extraterrestrial beings, and we are determined to prove the existence of aliens somewhere out there. There are too many testimonials and witnesses about the presence of unidentified flying objects (a.k.a., UFO) from witnesses all over the world. Maybe it is about time for someone to come out in the open and put these questions to rest. Am I the only one who is very much disturbed, or are there others out there also who spend countless nights sleeplessly turning and tossing in bed thinking about these things? Please, someone, help me!

Before going into space, maybe I need some help here on this earth, as we continue to look for more aliens in the outer world. How about right here, on this earth? Aren’t we aliens here on planet earth, this very planet we call our home? Even before going into space in search of more aliens, wouldn’t it be wise for us first to discover our alien nation’s right here on earth? You may have heard on the media that some people are being called illegal aliens.

None of this is to suggest that we humans don’t want to improve relationships with one another because of petty differences, such as personal beliefs, ethnicity, racial backgrounds, sexual orientations, or freedom to choose. Although it looks as if we ignore these issues purposefully, that doesn’t mean that we should cease making other progress in different areas in life. No, it is not the author’s suggestion to neglect the development taking place all over around the world and to focus only on building better human relationships. No, we need to keep moving forward. Focussing on the social issues affecting our societies and overlooking developmental progress is self-damaging, doing a disservice to humanity. As time goes on, I think we must come closer together than where we are today. We shouldn’t deny that we have made some progress, but it’s not far enough yet. However, having a balanced approach is just as vital, whether we are talking about space-exploration programs, new inventions, developing robotic AI technologies, being creative with new ideas, facing new challenges, caring for the environment, and being good stewards of nature’s creations. These are all relevant topics.

Book writing

I had always thought that writing a book was reserved for highly educated professionals. It is true that writing an excellent book comes with a lot of challenges and takes time and dedication. There is a lot of work you have to put into it, and lots of sacrifices, such as time, resources, and even emotions, which can suck out all your energy in a moment.

However, even professional writers gain their knowledge by putting effort into the process of writing good books. They too learn from those who came before them. Then they become competent in the process. There is no silver bullet; I suppose practising makes things whole, although starting to write is the most challenging task. You also will not be perfect in your first draft in most cases.

The difference is that a professional writer is quick to gather information to form new ideas. They have multitudes of resources and references available to them that they have assembled throughout the research. The good news is that, with the help of technology and the advancements of our day, the information age had made it much easier to gather information, compared to the days when authors used typewriters. Those days, they often had to travel to the sources of their data, sometimes long distances, spending more resources and energy. In today’s world, some things have changed, but the fundamentals remain the same. As a writer, one must have a disciplined approach and keen interest. With a precision focus on an idea or a topic, anybody can start to research by reading various materials. And you will be capable of producing an impressive piece of art if you can put your ideas together—you can write a good article or even a book or more. It is vital to know what kind of material you want to offer to the readers. Whether it is producing a history book, a cookbook, a memoir of your daily life experiences, or a comic book, writers can create a good story out of any events.

Once again, I would like to encourage those who are doubtful, as I used to be about writing a book. Today, with the help of technology and the availability of resources in the hands of a new generation of self-publishing organizations, people like me, have a chance to publish a book, I am seeing my dreams coming to fruition.

To elaborate using a simple example, here is the story of a chicken. This is the type of relatable anecdotes you may find in this book.

The Story of the Featherless Rooster

A farmer has a lot of chickens. One day, one of his chickens strays from his house and falls into a pool of water just outside his farm. This chicken always likes to venture just a little farther than the others, as it is big and strong. After falling in the pool, as chickens can’t swim, it almost dies, but luckily, the owner can track the fowl and rescue it before it drowns. When he brings the bird home, the feathers of the chicken are already soaked. And since other animals have contaminated the pool, the feathers have been severely damaged. But the farmer has no clean water to wash off the contamination.

For the next few days, the bird starts to look sick and sicker. In the farmer’s opinion, the reason his chicken looks sick is because of contamination. The feathers start falling off the chicken. Every day, the chicken loses more feathers, but it seems as though the more feathers that fall out, the better the health of the chicken becomes. Then the farmer decides, maybe the contamination of the cock’s feathers was the cause of his chicken’s sickness. He decides to pluck out the remaining feathers to see if that will save the life of the chicken.