Brigadier General Lero Olok Odolla, executive director in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Defense Forces for Mobilization and Disarmament, was laid to rest in Juba on Saturday. His death is a profound loss not only to the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces and his family, but also to the nation.
Gen. Lero died in Juba on Thursday night, just over a week after returning from Cairo, Egypt, where he had been receiving medical treatment.
Born in 1970 in Akobo, he spent his early childhood tending cattle before beginning primary school in Akobo and later continuing his education in Pibor. He completed secondary school in 1988 at Malakal (Sobat) Senior Secondary School.
In the mid-1990s, Lero served in public and political roles across Sudan. He was a lawmaker in the Upper Nile region from 1991 to 1995 and later a member of the Jonglei State legislature from 1995 until February 1996.
He joined the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) in 1996, rising through the ranks through dedication and distinguished service. He became a respected leader and a prominent figure not only within the Anyuak community but across South Sudan. Barnaba Okony Gilo, a colleague, friend, and former Jonglei health minister, described his death as a great loss.
After joining the SPLM/A, Lero underwent military training and political orientation, earning a commission as a first lieutenant. He was stationed in the border town of Pochalla until 1999, after which he traveled to the United States to further his education.
While in the United States, he earned a Bachelor of Science in social and behavioral science from Minnesota State University, Mankato, in 2011, followed by a Master of Science in multicultural and ethnic studies from the same institution in 2013. During this period, he distinguished himself academically through research and opinion writing.
Following South Sudan’s independence in 2011, Lero frequently returned to the country, working on peace initiatives among rival communities in Jonglei State. Fluent in several languages, including Anyuak (Dha Anywaa), Arabic, English, Nuer, Murle and Shilluk, he was widely regarded as an effective peace mediator.
In 2014, he returned permanently to South Sudan, joining the Agwelek forces and rising to the rank of general. Until his death on April 16, 2026, he served as executive director in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Defense Forces for Mobilization.
Gen. Lero’s life and legacy reflect a deep commitment to service, unity and peace. As reflected in Romans 14:8: “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”
He will be deeply missed and remembered for his enduring contribution to South Sudan.
The author, Manas James Okony, is a South Sudanese freelance journalist and a relative of the deceased.
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