In Defense of the Innocent Artist Makou Bil Amidst “Akoch Thon” Controversy

Why Would We Crucify An Innocent Artist, Makou Bil, On Something Everyone Knows And Exist, Albeit Substantially Not Right?

By Deng Akec Malith  – Wau,  South Sudan

Tuesday, 26 September 2023 (PW) — Dear brothers, I presume that most of you have attained a certain level of education and therefore would know about a healthy argument or what I will rightly call intellectual argument whereby you give your stance, claim, or your take as your contribution to current conversation topic and provide your readers with position, perspective, and point of view in opposing or supporting the idea of your arguer. In most cases, this is contrary to what I always see here on Facebook, where opposing the idea is using insulting, threatening and all sorts of offensive language. If you respond to my letter using the former way, healthy argument, trust me, all will go well, but if you choose the latter, I will keep quiet and automatically, the argument dies.

Back to the topic. I am not a music fan; I like comedy instead, so I haven’t listened to the song in question, which Makou Bil composed to praise the great community of Akoch comprised of three main sections: Thon, Noon and Chuar. In his artistry work, I believe Makou Bil featured Akoch as “Akoch Thon” in the song that caused an uproar in social media right after his recent album’s launch in Juba. I have read many mixed reactions, condemnations, resentments, and praises from three sections of Akoch to Makou Bil about the song on Facebook. I categorically took an interest in comments from Noon Facebookers, which are crucifying the artist for what they termed as the imposition of a non-existing divisive name aimed at amplifying one section at the expense of others, so this letter is for them and public consumption.

I am writing to substantially disagree with you on condemning Makou Bil in the song that features Akoch as “Akoch Thon.” My argument doesn’t refute that referring to Akoch Payam as Akoch Thon is correct, but the condemnation is directed at the wrong person at the wrong time.

Akoch Payam comprises three main sections: Thon, Noon and Chuar, and by the school of thought, part of the something doesn’t define or represent the whole of itself, so it is wrong to refer to Akoch Payam as Akoch Thon. It means Noon and Chuar sections will feel unrepresented, which is the reality. On the other hand, many people, including myself, have grown up knowing that Akoch Payam is Akoch Thon, so whatever it encompasses is known for that name, which is logical.

I have intentionally bolded the two terms above, “reality” and “Logic”, and will have to define them to support this argument. First, what is reality? According to the Oxford Language free dictionary online, reality is the state of things as they exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them. It means the state or quality of having existence or substance. But Philosophers commonly define reality as a substance that actually exists in an external world. To be authentic is to live without needing to be proven.

Secondly, what is logic? Logic exists in our minds to model our perception of the universe and communicate that perception to other humans. Having looked at the definitions of two terminologies, it is the reality that Akoch Payam is made up of three sections, and each one of them can’t define the rest of the section; thus, those who feel offended by the song are partially right but are right to condemn Makou Bil is assertion? The answer is no because there is logic to why he referred to Akoch as “Akoch Thon”.

Many of us, like Makou Bil, came to know that an area within Twic jurisdiction is called Akoch Thon. That name has been defining the Akoch administration since time immemorial without contradiction. The whole Twic community and neighbours have in mind that logic, which is never easy to change. It is in the public domain like that. Since artists communicate to the public through their artistry work of songs, they are bound to use available information in the public domain that the public would understand. If you or I become artists shortly, we will do as Makou Bil did.

There are many scenarios similar to this issue of Akoch in the World as a whole and South Sudan in particular that are not right, but because there is nothing we can do about it, they are left to be the way they are. One striking example is that the Jieng or Monyjang tribe is universally known as Dinka. We, the Jieng or Monyjang, as we rightly know ourselves, are made to identify ourselves with the imposed Dinka name as our identity. The question is, is Dinka a name that Jieng people should rightly be placed?  Jieng, wherever they are, will answer no. Why? It is because that name doesn’t have a connection with them anyway. Are they not carrying that identity now? Of course, they are taking it because it is in the public domain.

Let me give you a little background about the origin of the name Dinka. Historians, after discovering that the Dinka tribe, which supposedly must identify with that name, generally do not know why that name knows them. After researching, they found out that during the European exploration of Africa and, more importantly, the Origin of the mighty river Nile, the explorers left Khartoum and headed South along the White Nile; they sojourned at Renk which was a Jieng tribe territory and interacted with people there. When explorers asked the inhabitants of Renk who they were, prominent Jieng people always identified themselves as strangers using the names of their leaders. They responded that they were people of Deng Kak, which referred to Chief Deng Kak of Renk. As the explorers continued their journey along the Nile, they also encountered dozens of people with striking similarities, especially the language. They perpetually assumed them to be Deng Kak people.

Over time, different languages and pronunciations manipulated the word Deng Kak to “Denka” in Arabic and later, the English translation of the word arrived at the present name “Dinka”. This is basically how Jieng came to be known as Dinka. Jieng were not living in isolation; they had neighbours, notably the Nuer/Naath who called them Jang; Shilluk/Chollo called themUjang; the Masseria/Rezigat Arab Nomads called them Jangkai/jengei; the Murlei called them Jangkoth among others and all in all, the names confirm with the root word “Jieng”.  Arguably, Jieng could win to relinquish the title Dinka because they have a thousand reasons to support their argument, but the name Dinka has gone to a universal domain, so it is too late to change.

The same applies to any other payams in Twic County. You will all concur with me that all six payams in Twic County have wrong assertions, but people endure to live with them. Here is the list of those scenarios:

Adiang Mayomdit Community of Wunrok Payam.

Within Twic, Warrap and South Sudan, the Adiang Mayomdit community is known to be the general name for six major sections inhabiting Wunrok Payam, right? But that is not the case. Adiang Mayom refers to two areas: Majok and Kak. Gumtoor, Jahbaar, Hol and Awudeng are independently not part of Adiang Mayom. Apart from Gumtoor, which uses “Malual- Yom”, the theme colour of Adiang Mayom (Majok and Kak) emblemed by a bull with blood red fur over the body and a white patch on the head, the rest of the communities have their theme colours such as Hol with Machar-kuei, Awudeng with Marol-Ngok and Jahbaar with Matam. However, Malual-Yom was used as the logo of the defunct Wunrok County, and now, in many social events, Malual-Yom, which the so-called mighty red family originated from, is used to represent all those communities, and they obediently accept because it has gone public and can’t be arrested again. Until now, it is not a surprise to hear that people of Pannyok and Akoch are being referred to as “Adiaang” by some people from Aweng and Turalei.

Amiol Gemdit Community of Turalei Payam.

Like Wunrok, Turalei has communities that cannot identify with Amiol. Amiol Gemdit is rightly Koryom and Yar, but other sections like Abiel, Kuac Anganya and Athoony are not originally part of it. Still, you will, in all arenas, find them identifying themselves as part and parcel of Amiol Gemit because that is how their neighbours have known them.

Akuar Community (Akuar Athokbeekdit) of Aweng.

When you are not within Aweng, you believe that Akuar is the name that generalized Aweng communities from the beginning because even from their war songs of the late sixties, Akuar Athokbeedit was a unifying force, but that is wrong. Akuar is a common name for two Nyang (Kuei and Aheer), Anyuon, Maper and Ayiit, but Noon Chol Guot is not on that list. As the annexation policy took its course, Noon danced to the rhyme.

Mabok /Chabok community of Pannyok Payam.

Mabok and Chabok are interchangeably used to refer to the people of Pannyok Payam. I wanted first to shed light on them to extricate the two names before heading to the purpose of its scenario. Mabok is the latest term that came into existence in the 1980s when seven chieftaincies (Goi, Luit, Alueth, Aruet, Akak, Yeou, and Liangrol from Chier Rehan’s 12 chieftaincies were truncated to form present-day Pannyok Payam. Ayuel Kuol was made the executive chief, which is why it is called Mabok Ayuel Kuol. Chabok, the oldest name in existence, is the common name for five sections: Luit, Yeou, Akak and Awudeng.

During Chief Paulino Cyier Rehan’s administration, Adiang chiefdom was the largest in the whole Twic, Gogrial and Bahr El Ghazal as a whole and given its vastness, Chief Paulino was overwhelmed by the number of cases he had to settle in time and thus, decided to create Western region Court and appointed Kuol Bol alias Kuol Ajokbil to oversee it. This court was predominantly for Chabok, but three communities; Goi, where Kuol Ajokbil hailed from Aruet, and Liangrol, originally part of Riiny, a section which was composed of Hol, Goi, Aruet and Liangrol were annexed to it.

The three new members had to accept to identify with the name Chabok. At the same time, Awudeng withdrew their allegiance to Chabok under the leadership of Kuol Ajokbill because they were in bitter rivalry with the Goi section, which the head of the court hailed. Awudeng switched to Adiang Mayom, alleging that Kuol Bol (Kuol Ajokbill) would likely oppress them. Awudeng is part of Wunrok Payam today instead of Pannyok, which they rightly belong to.

Self-explanatory, you have seen Aruet, Goi and Liangrol (Riiny) sections are not chabok, but they are now accepting to be called that way.

Kuac Community of Ajak Kuac Payam.

The present-day Ajak Kuac is comprised of five sections: Aheer, Guotjuor, Atoor, Duor and Ayoung. I haven’t researched more about them, but I am pretty sure that this name (Kuac) might be affiliated with one or two, but not all of them. However, you can see all of them embracing Kuac as their identity.

My dear brothers, you have seen all your immediate neighbours within Twic having a similar assertion irritating you, but they are putting it aside and moving on. After all, the sections whose names were used as an umbrella for the other areas have never denied their affiliates the opportunities, services, and other privileges. The day they dare do that before you know it, they would have started agitations in Ajak Kuac in the far East and ended with you in the far West.

This resentment and campaign to relinquish the name Akoch Thon to Akoch started way back. I remember in Kakuma Refugee Camp, a couple of meetings turned chaotic because of that difference in the word only. Many attempts were made to end this antagonism, but nothing materialized.

Why have you subjected yourselves to generations of contention over something you can’t resolve once and for all? It is prudent to leave something that you invest your effort and resources in repeatedly but doesn’t yield your desired results.

Even if Thon section today accepts your request to have the name Akoch Thon relinquished, no matter how much time and persuasion you put in, you will never change that concept from other people’s minds. Do you know what you are fighting for is logic and not reality? I am saying so because the truth, referring to the definition above, is that Akoch’s official name is Akoch Payam, right? But the perception in Makou Bil’s mind and that of any other person, me included, is that Akoch is Akoch Thon, which is logical.

Please reserve your energies and resources for something more constructive than this. Since it is just logic and not reality, it will disappear with time, and you will feel remorse for the waste you have made. There is a saying in Monyjang that if you despise the ridicule so much, the more you add a taunting effect to it, but if you give it no attention, it will lose its mockery and, with time, be forgotten.

Thank you for taking much of your time to go through this letter.

The author is a concerned citizen of Twic Mayardit and South Sudan. I am reachable via email: dengakechm@gmail.com.

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