The story of the elephant, lion, and man was relayed by a prominent businessman named Mr. Makiir Gai, and eloquently recounted by General Aleu Ayieny Aleu in his subsequent speech. The story was narrated in the Dinka language during a commemorative occasion for the newly appointed Minister of Finance, Dr. Barnaba Bak, I presume. To facilitate comprehension, I will endeavor to translate the story into English, and then comment on a lesson from the saying.
According to the narrative, a lion fatally assaulted an elephant calf, leading to a dispute between the elephant and the lion over the loss of the young elephant.
The mother elephant took it upon herself to avenge her baby, which was killed by the lion. Consequently, the mother elephant initiated a pursuit of the lion, traversing through multiple forests.
The lion attempted to outrun the elephant, yet the relentless pursuit of the elephant left the lion with no place to hide in the forest or bush. In a desperate attempt to find shelter, he fled for cover to the village.
The elephant’s pursuit prompted the lion to consider seeking shelter in a nearby village, as it was possible that the elephant would be deterred by the presence of humans.
With that notion in mind, the lion swiftly made its way to the village and sought refuge in a hut where the villagers had gathered to discuss the upcoming wedding.
The lion entered the hut and proceeded to sit on the lap of the man. The individuals inside the hut were frightened, and the man upon whom the lion had sat closed his eyes to avoid seeing the lion on his lap. The man was paralyzed with fear.
The elephant subsequently arrived at the village and forcibly removed the thatch roof of the hut. It then approached the lion, who was seated on the man’s lap, and carried it away to the bush to exact revenge by killing it.
The man upon whose lap the lion sat in the village remained frozen. He declined to open his eyes.
It was reported to him that the lion had departed, but the man tearfully exclaimed that he had been devoured by the lion.
The people present implored him to open his eyes and observe that the lion had departed, yet he adamantly refused, lamenting that he had been devoured by the lion.
The situation escalated to the point where the people were unable to persuade the man to open his eyes. They then transported him to his residence and requested that his wife examine him further, as they were certain he had not been attacked by a lion. However, the man continued to insist that he had been devoured by a lion.
The wife ushered him inside and attempted to persuade him to open his eyes, as he was in his own home and the lion was no longer present. However, the man remained unresponsive. he remains lethargic.
The wife proceeds to examine him to rule out the possibility of any injuries in a location not visible to others. There was no indication of the injury, however, the wife discovered that her husband’s testicles were absent: They vanished. They withdraw to his stomach.
The wife began to cry, stating that her husband had been killed by the lion, as his ability to function as a man was completely disabled after the lion sat on his lap.
Lesson learned: The lesson to be learned from the story was the conflict of interest that arose between the Minister of Finance and “Dinka” businessmen and the Presidency.
Within the narrative, the Minister of Finance represented the lion, the businessman served as the man upon whose lap the lion sat, and the elephant symbolized the President.
Mr. Makiir Gai drew a comparison between himself and the man whose lap the lion sat on, indicating that the Minister of Finance, ultimately dismissed by the President, created challenges for entrepreneurs such as himself to the extent that his business suffered, concluded General Aleu.
As stated by General Aleu in his speech, the “Dinka” businessmen are a significant factor in the declining economy of South Sudan.
Without “divine” intervention to inspire compassion for the suffering people of South Sudan, the country may not survive. These businessmen are the primary beneficiaries of South Sudan’s wealth and have even been appointed to the SPLM political bureau, lamented Gen. Aleu.
Coincidentally, the story was referenced less than six months ago when Dr. Barnabas Bak was appointed as the Minister of Finance, and currently, Dr. Barnaba is dismissed.
At the time, General Aleu cautioned that the newly appointed Minister of Finance, Dr. Bak, would encounter similar challenges as those faced by previous Ministers of Finance.
Dr. Barnaba’s tenure as the head of the Ministry of Finance was short-lived, lasting less than six months after his appointment.
The elephant, having charged once again, had successfully killed the lion, sparking my curiosity. I wonder, what transgression did the lion commit and whose lap did it occupy this time?
Although there was a significant increase in the dollar exchange rate during Dr. Barnaba’s tenure, it cannot be attributed to him to the extent of justifying his dismissal.
It is possible that Dr. Barnaba’s reform efforts might have provoked disapproval from clandestine business figures. Therefore, Dr. Barnaba has become a victim of circumstances beyond his control.
Morris Kuol Yoll is a concerned Canadian of South Sudanese descent who resides in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He can be contacted at: myoll2002@yahoo.com
The views expressed in ‘opinion’ articles published by Radio Tamazuj are solely those of the writer. The veracity of any claims made is the responsibility of the author, not Radio Tamazuj.