⁸
By Sunday de John, M.D.
On November 19, 2022, one of the best get-togethers for the people of Yirol took place as masses of people, mainly youth, converged at Malek Payam for a friendly wrestling contest organized between Abang and Malek Payams of Yirol West and East, respectively. The key actors in the said tourney were Majur Ayangyou and Marial Anyuon.
The gathering gave the young people a chance to openly communicate as they shared their opinions on a variety of topics, including the chance to forge courting ties for potential future partnerships, such as marriage.
The joy was written on the faces of audiences and wrestlers alike. This came after a long period of deterioration in relations between the people of the sisterly counties, exacerbated by heinous conflict.
But since the war had no justifiable outcome, it is an adversary and must be avoided at all costs. When Yirol is in harmony with itself, the gifts from the creator multiply, as seen by strong crops, an increase in the number of animals, and healthy people. Yirol is always magnificent together. These are linked to economic development, and when combined with social nexus, they give rise to the affluence that makes Yirol the envy of the neighborhood.
For time immemorial, wrestling and dancing have been at the center of our heritage as people of Yirol, and this pride-invoking activity gives both the mind and the body the comfort they deserve. However, the failure to face each other by Mathem Awel, Sebit Anai, aka Kereet, on one side, and Aliajiou Nhial, Abang Marial, on the other side, must not be interpreted.
It was solely a technical mistake brought on by the coaches of either team weighing the strengths and weaknesses of their key players in an effort to gain the upper hand. Games are made for just that. Being technically sound and well-prepared is a win in and of itself, as was demonstrated by the action of an unexpected underdog the Brentford Football Club, that was well-prepared and had to shamelessly grabbed the Manchester teams by the throat, just as it had done to Arsenal the season before.
Their failure to wrestle provided an opportunity for the younger wrestlers to shine as gifted gentlemen; names like Mageer Yoc and Maluak Manyuet, among many others, remain on the radar to this day. What mattered most was the fact that the wrestling ended peacefully with no undesirable effects.
The media personnel, the likes of Pato Kuoi and Malith Mou, were called all sorts of names, but they were doing their job and safeguarding the interest of the audience.
The people who converged at Malek to watch the wrestling were not as many as those that were watching online because the online audiences were watching domestically and internationally, and we all know how internet subscriptions have been a big deal in South Sudan these days.
Keen listeners and honest people correctly understood what Malith Mou Aka Mc Anyarjur was communicating; he was not expressing anything disparaging about Abang or Malek, but rather he was telling the leaders of the Wrestling Associations that they were not up to the task, adding that they should not let down the fans who are spending a lot of money to ensure wrestling as a cultural heritage thrives as an enterprise.
Lovers of the game were sending comments, not to the coaches or leaders, but to the media, and thus, pressure heaps on those behind the cameras.
Malith Mou is gifted with a clean heart, clarity of thoughts, and unmatched audibility with an appealingly nice, high-pitched voice, with words from his vocal cords keeping all of us entertained day in and day out. Is he not our local Peter Drury or Issam Chaouli, and aren’t we happy and appreciative of such a volunteer that keeps us entertained?
Pato Kuoi is another Jon Champion who doubles as Fahd al-Otaibi. What about Muor-Ager’s “super, super’ utterances? We are endowed in all areas and therefore must not pressure these youngsters because they have never committed any deliberate mistakes or made inflammatory comments against any of our wrestlers.
In essence, we are far ahead of Jonglei, where their inspiration comes from in the person of Pesahiko. However, harmony in Lakes State is a major tranquilizer to all of us as people of Lakes, and it is much more of a pride to us people of Yirol if the peace is spiced up with entertainment that comes from our culture of wrestling. We’ve already inspired the Agar Community, and Lotuko is adapting their wrestling style to ours. Soon Nuer, Bari, Azande, Acholi, Murle, and other communities will think of getting involved in the wrestling arena. We must keep ourselves safe from the temptations of sophism.
There is nothing better than peace and togetherness. We must be the source of love and joy. Nevertheless, I have also seen heated arguments directed at individuals. That is unhelpful. We cannot fight each other either physically or with words. That isn’t going to generate a greater good for all of us. We all have a duty to our wrestlers in some way. In the first place, we must ensure their general safety, ensure that they are well cared for, and ensure that they continue to foster good relations across the divides.
Something we must all embrace is that the wrestlers, be they from any of our areas, the likes of Chuti Magot Achuoth, Choc Ajuong, Awuolic Ajuong, Abang Marial, Aliajiou Nhial, Agur Kot, Majok Mayor, Mathem Aweil, Kereet Anai, Malaat Deng Chanuong, Petero Makur, Adut Koor, Ichut 99, etc., are all ours, and the pride their good work generates belongs to Greater Bahr El Gazal, Lakes State in general, and Yirol in particular.
The wrestlers themselves are not conscious of our town rivalries. They want to keep on entertaining us as they advance their careers, and we must not own them in a bad way. We entrusted them to Makur Telar, as we remain jovial with their good work. We can’t just create too many associations because our clans have been endowed with wrestlers.
Yours truly, Mr. Teetotaler, until then.
