Two wrongs dont’ make a right, Mr. Abraham
by John A. Akec
” How precious words are and how real speech is in its impact on the way people live and die. When you say something, think. We can give life with what we say” – Nelson Mandela.
30 June 2011 — A fellow South Sudanese by name Isaiah Abraham who live in Juba in South Sudan responded critically to my commentary published on Sudan Tribune entitled “President Salva Kiir Mayardit in New African Top 100 List” on 29 June 2011 (http://www.sudantribune.com/President-Salva-Kiir-in-New,39361). Isaiah’s commentary dated 30th June 2011 bears the title: “Any Award Should be about South Sudan Pride, Mr. Professor” (http://www.sudantribune.com/Any-award-should-be-about-Southern,39382).
His comments were not flattering by any stretch of imagination as they were meant to rebuke me for pointing out that:
“As a son of South Sudan, these accolades make me proud. As son of Greater Gogrial in Warap State, where Kiir Mayardit and Alek Wek originate from, I am doubly enthused.”
And to be precise, I provoked the wrath of Isaiah Abraham for celebrating and adding the fact that my pleasure is doubled because the two South Sudanese who independently made it into this list happen to come from my own home Counties of Greater Gogrial.
The fatal error that Isaiah made is failing to read the first half of my sentence which say that what Salva Kiir and Alek Wek have both achievement is pride of the South Sudan. Reader, what is the difference between Isaiah’s title and my statement: “As a son of South Sudan, these accolades make me proud”? Can I be responsible for Isaiah’s inability to correctly understand and interpret a written English language sentence?
In rushing to correct what he perceived as my error Mr. Isaiah Abraham erred by repeating something which I have already mentioned as if it is his own new idea? Is that not plagiarism in day light Mr. Isaiah? This is because the two sentences:
“As a son of South Sudan, these accolades make me proud” – John Akec
Compare with:”Any Award Should be about South Sudan Pride” – Isaiah Abraham.
The tragedy is that Mr. Isaiah Abraham believe he is producing a new knowledge…!
In rushing to correct my “wrongs” Mr. Isaiah Abraham committed a second serious mistake. He misapplied a Bible verse when he said:
” Dr. Aketch blew the horn of Greater Gogrial so loud that his self inflated pride analogously reminds me of a Biblical Pharisee who stood aloft in the temple and prayed thus: “ God I thank you that I’m not like other men”, (Luke 18:9-11). Mr. John exactly wanted to portray other Southern Sudanese as ‘robbers’, ‘evildoers’ and ‘tax collectors’.”
Is this not a complete fantasy by Mr. Isaiah Abraham? Where on earth in my commentary did I imply this “holier than thou attitude” directly or indirectly? How does Mr. Isaiah Abraham interpret my statement below?
“It is also worth noting that throughout the history of South Sudan, sons Greater Gogrial in Warap State, like their counterparts in other states of South Sudan have contributed enormously to the struggle and advancement of the cause of South Sudan in many spheres of life, ranging from politics to military to academia to judiciary to media to culture and sports.”
Again, Isaiah rush to pass judgment before he reads the full sentence! The underlined part of the sentence was my design to close the door in the face of Isaiah’s of South Sudan. Haven’t I caught a rat sneaking in to spoil the party? My above phrase does not make such contribution a monopoly of people of Gogrial, or does say so Isaiah?
The third big mistake committed by Isaiah Abraham is his attempt to mislead his readers that he knew much about me: my education, my teaching experience, where I worked before, and that I have been appointed to a position I do not deserve etc. and I quote:
” Dr. Akec if it weren’t corruption how did you become a Vice Chancellor of a college within a span of few years after you graduated with a PhD? Could your part time lectures in South Africa make go up like that? How many Southerners with many years in classes in colleges holding ‘proper’ PhDs that never made it to head universities? You have been quiet and now started to shower praises to Kiir, is that normal really?” End quote.
My question to Isaiah is how many years are few? 3, 4, 5, 8, 10? Is completing a PhD more than 10 years ago and completing my master more than 20 years start teaching at university of Juba more than 23 years ago still count a few? Do you know some academics can be Vice Chancellors with only a master degree as the highest degree?
He also says somewhere that no person in rank of associate professor can be a vice chancellor. Where does he get his data? This is a blatant untruth by Isaiah. The truth is, he does not know the sector nor how it operates. Isaiah is simply out of his depth. He needs a quick rescue or he will sink.
Moreover, I have never been to South Africa, let alone teaching “part-time” there. I suspect Isaiah havs mixed me up with another John! And that is not a good thing to be committed by someone who claims to know “Dr. John Akec” very well.
The fourth mistake is that of playing double standards. Mr. Isaiah Abraham criticized me for criticizing GOSS in the past, calling it a disservice to South Sudan. Then same Isaiah turned around to criticize me for not criticizing what he criticized as corrupt practices in the GOSS! In one moment criticism of GOSS by John Akec is unpatriotic and in the next moment (when it is sanctioned and practiced by Isaiah Abraham) it is patriotic. How fair is that?
In rushing to correct what Mr. Abraham perceived as my wrongs, he committed many mistakes that range from taking people’s ideas and calling them his own to claiming to be an expert on somebody (John Akec) he does not fully know to playing double standards in an extremely naked way to misapplying Bible verses.
To be clear to Isaiah and anyone towing his line of argument, celebrating the contribution of a specific community to advancement of South Sudan in various fields should not be seen as a negative thing, but an encouragement to all other communities as well as those immediately celebrating, else why do people of Warwickshire County in England call and write it on the road side that their County is “the Shakespeare’s Country?” and Why was President Bill Clinton described as a “Boy from Little Rock in Arkansas?” and how did we come to know that President George W. Bush Jnr is from Texas if where leaders or talented people come from does not matter to the public?
Like any fallible being, I am not above criticism and scrutiny, and the very fact that someone in person of Isaiah Abraham finds this particular article “tasteless” should be a genuine cause for concern. I suspect taking pride in achievement of our communities is wrongly perceived in Isiaha’s case as ‘gloating’ when it is in fact is “celebrating.”
Also when we criticize others we need to be fair to them and avoid personalization and think about and read what we write. I hope brother Isaiah Abraham will take these points home.
That apart, Isaiah is entitled to his opinion just as I am entitled to express my ideas the way I want.
The author is vice chancellor of University of Northern Bahr El Ghazal in South Sudan, and chairperson of Academics and Researchers Forum for Development, a think-tank and advocacy group formed by the South Sudanese academics and researchers. The writer edits a blog: www.JohnAkecSouthSudan.blogs…. To get in touch, write to: [email protected].
Akibon
Two wrongs dont’ make a right, Mr. Abraham
John Akech,
The truth can not exonerate you unless you accept it and apologise to it.
No amount of justification will set you free apart from acknowledging that a man is to err but the onus lies on realising it.
George Bol
Two wrongs dont’ make a right, Mr. Abraham
Dear John,
I still don’t believe that you are the actual Dr John Akec because you really shows that you are too local to the public eyes. I encourage you to be Nationalist because if you keep writing these kind of articles,then I am sure that you are going to make mistake sometimes in your national works. A leader need to distance him or her self from local issues,please those clan rewards to others. Just some advise.Thanks
junub
Two wrongs dont’ make a right, Mr. Abraham
What I just dare let know of Mr. Abraham is that do not be judged the entired Dinka people as the tribalists or clanniests as Dr. John Akech turned to be.
Of course John Akech’s tribal article had raised up more eyebrows to those who neglected to hear what these oppotunist are inflicted on South sudanese people.
It indeed John Akech’s errogant article is bothering everyone now about the people of Gogrial if a person like he John Akech can turned tribalist in the time we are advocating for nationality.
Thank God we have people like you Abraham, who can tell the evil tribal Gogrialist like Dr. John Akech that he is wrong even though you sometimes prejudged all Dinka tribe people for one thing an errogant person like John Akech articulated.
Abugua
Two wrongs dont’ make a right, Mr. Abraham
Joh akec the noble thing a scholar does is always to apologize for wrong writing. do not support your self with this long writing still blaming Isaiah aAbraham for telling the truth.It seem you are one no body is supporting you even your village people have distance themselves from you for this writing. because such writing encourages tribalism and nepotism which we want to fight in new South Sudan republic. so brother join the rest do not critise Brother Isaaiah abraham.
Toney Toney Matot
Two wrongs dont’ make a right, Mr. Abraham
Mr Agibon or what ever you called yourself,
John Akec did not offended any one but just praising his community individuals who have brought good future to the entire country in general and State in particular.what is wrong with john Akec praising president Salva Kiir and Alek Wek when truthtellers always praises Riek Machar who murdered thousands of south sudanese people during his defection in 1991 from SPLA/M?
President Salva Kiir never stabbed his people at the back when we were fighting with NCP.he stood firm uptodate to led the south sudan achieve its independent with support from South Sudanese politicians.
let us not be blinded by tribalism and hatred that will led us no where.
Akibon
Two wrongs dont’ make a right, Mr. Abraham
Matoot,
I think you have erected(toot) at the void arena.
Just because another person like Mr. Truthteller is making a crime of praising his tribe should not be a justification for you or your uncle Akec to indulge in it.
You remind me of a thief who once stole precious watch from a store and when he was caught he said that i steal because one person stole here and told me about it.
The other thief was too arrested and they were made to pay lump some of fines.
The ethic of any society dictate that you abstain from grouping up with wrongdoers and instead encourage good deeds.
John Akec is a prominent academician in our society and seeing him plummeting fast to a level of tribalism and clanism is worrying of what we would become.
He is a the prime cadre of universe and we are urging him to stop sliding to claniverse.
Let’s aspire to be different as our status dictate.
Ayuel Bong
Two wrongs dont’ make a right, Mr. Abraham
Mr.John And Mr.Isaiah you are leaders of Southern Sudan and you have to take appropriate analyze before going to respond for anything written because sometimes could reflect who you are!
Akurjok
Two wrongs dont’ make a right, Mr. Abraham
What is wrong if anyone praises their community? Is it not like saying ‘thank you’ to someone who has made some achievement? I know it would be wrong if we say our community is better than others but comparing our own community with none should not make anybody jealous. The fact that your community might be a disgrace should not silence those who are proud of what they have done.I am not from Gogrial but what the prof. wrote does not offend me in any way because my community has produced men who have achieved more than others ( if I were to compare them with others). If you know of individuals from your community go ahead and praise them. If they are not there please don’t blame the professor.
Aleu
Two wrongs dont’ make a right, Mr. Abraham
I real don’t know what is wrong in John Akec’s mind.
Pro, you must accepted your wrong because your recently article proving that, Gogrialism are very good in making negotism, favoritism and cronyism and there is no way for you to deny. Although I am from Jonglei State, the six years have a lots of things to say, you guys become worst.
You mention the late Abur and did not mention William Deng Nhial and they were been murdered same cost for Southern Sudan freedom. You mention late Kerubino Kuanyin Bol and never state out another William Nyuon Bany. You mention Dr. Yuac Arop and never mention Dr. John Garang de Mabior this is far more than been a racist guy why you should be talking about Gogrialism this time.? The SPLA was been fought by all different tribes and all Dinkas have done everything they could why are you prasiing all these Idiocy of Gogrialism for reason.? I think you are not supposed to teach University Students in Northern Bahr al Bhazal because there is a benefit of doubt that, you are absolutely one of those promoting negotism under pew of president Salva Kiir otherwise, your article unnecessary to bring up.
Shame on you Pro John Akec of Apuk Giir Thiik.
factorx
Two wrongs dont’ make a right, Mr. Abraham
I honestly have to register my appreciation to Mr. Abraham for having been keen and courageous enough to rebuke the miscalculated attempt made by the narrow minded man who called himself as Vice Chancellor of the University of Northern Bahr el Ghazal. Mr.Abraham, people like you who have got eagle eyes to correct mistakes are not many and that is why tribalism and corruption are of daily experiments in South Sudan. Mr ‘one man Professor’ has just forgot to know that there are communities who have got members that deserve more than what Kiir Mayar and Alek Wek deserve in term of fame and celebrity.