A South Sudanese Student Wins an SRC Election in a Landslide Victory
By Mabil Manyok Nhial, Gweru, Zimbabwe
October 28, 2017 (SSB) — One of the South Sudanese students at National University of Science and Technology emerged victorious in a landslide victory on 27th October 2017. Ajal Bol Gai contested as a councilor for the Students Representative Council, a body representing the views and affairs of students within the ambiances of Zimbabwe.
Mr. Ajal Bol Gai, well known by his pseudonym, Africa, contested for as a Councillor with some other aspirants. It is trite according to the governing laws of the SRC at NUST, that any candidate with the highest votes shall be the Secretary-General in the hierarchy of the SRC. According to the National University SRC Constitution, SG is the Chief Administrator of the SRC superintending the daily supervision of the SRC’s issues with legitimate and sapiential exaltation which is always in tandem with students’ affairs.
It was a great duel where 44 candidates contested and Ajal happened to garner the highest votes of 3493 leaving the second contestant with 2083 votes. It is quite cumbersome taking time to convince people, who have never known one’s inner being, but for Africa, it was not his problem since his social affinity with students made it a go-easy task.
Mr. Africa, as he is well adulated and praised by his colleagues by that name, cronies, and relatives by that name, is attributed to be an honest and well-mannered gentleman with alacrity to serve with due care. This was sealed in a congratulatory message to him by one of the students at Midlands State University, Bol Abol, “Engineer Ajal Bol is a true leader, who is honest, consistent and flexible.”
This made him gathered unswerving support from many local and international students who stood firmly behind him. This reminds me of what the then Undersecretary of Higher Education, Dr. Benjamin Apai stated during our orientation in Juba that “you are now sent as ambassadors to Zimbabwe and the image you will portray Zimbabweans will show everything about South Sudan.” Indeed, Mr. Africa has just shown.
It is no doubt that Mr. Bol has been a leader in so many different occasions. He was the Head Boy at Tiar-Aliet Primary School, Aweil from 2008-2009. As he was in Kampala, Uganda, for his secondary education, he was elected Ambassador for South Sudanese Students at Eagle’s Nest Secondary School until he finished his secondary in 2013.
Mading ‘A’, as sometimes dubbed by his colleagues, a short form for Mading Aweil, which is his home city, is the tallest man in the country, as reported by Chronicles Newspaper when he came to Zimbabwe in August 2015. His stature and most importantly his approach to dealing with people left no doubt in Zimbabweans and international students. Although he is deemed militant in nature, his militancy is interlaced in morality and humanity.
These three attributes make a good combination in any leadership. A good leader should neither be too soft nor too hard on his people. This makes him a rare species. His fellow students from NUST have so far expressed their faith in him as they hope that no single fund will go to an unknown direction.
All the South Sudanese from different universities in Zimbabwe duly expressed their gratitude to Mr. Ajal Bol for his inexplicable victory. Mr. Moses Kat, the President of South Sudanese Students in his congratulatory message stated: “Congratulations brother, you have created a big legacy.”
It is no wonder that the seeds of good leadership are now being or indeed have already been sown in us. “The hope of your country beckons ahead.” A senior lecturer from MSU stated.
With this unwavering support from our Zimbabwean colleagues, it is crystal clear that Zimbabwe is just as good as our own home, South Sudan.
The author is a law student at the MSU University in Zimbabwe and can be reached via his email: Mabil Manyok <johnmabilmanyok@gmail.com>
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