The ancient Dinka parable of the elephant, lion, and man as recounted by Makiir Ghai, and retold by Gen Aleu Ayieny Aleu

The ancient Dinka parable of the elephant, lion, and “The man upon whose lap the lion sat” subtly alludes to the ongoing conflict between business interests and the finance ministry in South Sudan.

By Morris Kuol Yoll, Alberta, Canada

Monday, 01 April 2024 (PW) — The ancient Dinka parable of the elephant, lion, and man carries profound wisdom and relevance to the ongoing struggles between business interests and government authority in South Sudan. This allegorical tale was recounted by the prominent businessman, Mr. Makiir Ghai Thiep, and eloquently retold by General Aleu Ayieny Aleu during a commemorative occasion for the newly appointed Minister of Finance, Dr. Barnaba Bak. To facilitate a deeper understanding, I shall translate and interpret this Dinka narrative.

The story of the elephant, lion, and man was recounted by a prominent businessman, Mr. Makiir Ghai Thiep, and eloquently retold by General Aleu Ayieny Aleu during a commemorative occasion for the newly appointed Minister of Finance, Dr. Barnaba Bak. To aid understanding, I shall translate the Dinka tale into English and then interpret its lesson.

As the story goes, a lion fatally attacked an elephant calf, sparking a dispute between the elephant and the lion over the loss of her young. The enraged mother elephant vowed to avenge her baby’s death, pursuing the lion relentlessly through multiple forests. The lion, unable to outrun the elephant, sought refuge in a nearby village, hoping the human presence would deter the elephant.

The lion swiftly entered a hut where villagers had gathered for a wedding discussion, and sat upon the lap of a man. The terrified man, paralyzed with fear, closed his eyes to avoid seeing the lion. The determined elephant then arrived, tore off the hut’s roof, and carried the lion away to the bush, exacting its revenge by killing it.

Despite being told the lion had departed, the traumatized man adamantly refused to open his eyes, tearfully claiming he had been devoured by the lion. No amount of persuasion could convince him otherwise. Eventually, his wife examined him privately and made a startling discovery – his testicles had retracted into his abdomen, rendering him incapable of functioning as a man.

According to the story, a lion committed the heinous act of fatally attacking an elephant calf, igniting a fierce dispute between the elephant and the lion over the loss of her precious young. Consumed by a burning desire for retribution, the enraged mother elephant vowed to avenge her baby’s death, relentlessly pursuing the lion through the dense, unforgiving forests.

The lion, realizing its vulnerability in the face of the elephant’s unwavering pursuit, attempted to evade its wrathful tracker by fleeing from forest to forest. However, the determined elephant remained steadfast on the lion’s trail, leaving the predator with no place to hide amidst the tangled vegetation and bush.

In a desperate bid for survival, the lion made the calculated decision to seek refuge in a nearby human village, speculating that the elephant might be deterred by the presence of people. With this notion firmly implanted, the lion swiftly made its way to the village and surreptitiously entered a hut where villagers had gathered to celebrate and discuss an upcoming wedding.

Upon infiltrating the hut, the lion, in a bold and audacious move, positioned itself directly upon the lap of an unsuspecting man seated among the villagers. The terrified individuals within the hut, including the man upon whose lap the lion now sat, were gripped by abject fear and paralysis. The man, overwhelmed by the shocking sight of the formidable beast perched upon his own body, instinctively closed his eyes, unable to process the surreal and perilous situation unfolding before him.

Meanwhile, the relentless elephant, undeterred by any obstacle, soon arrived at the village, its thunderous footsteps echoing with determination. Upon locating the hut sheltering its prey, the elephant forcefully tore off the thatched roof, exposing the lion’s hiding place. With unwavering resolve, the elephant approached the lion, which remained seated upon the man’s lap, and swiftly carried it away to the depths of the bush to exact its long-awaited revenge by killing it.

In the aftermath of this harrowing incident, the man upon whose lap the lion had dared to sit remained frozen in place, his eyes tightly shut, paralyzed by the trauma he had endured. Despite being informed by the surrounding villagers that the lion had departed, the man adamantly refused to open his eyes, tearfully lamenting that he had been devoured by the lion.

No amount of pleading or persuasion from the concerned onlookers could convince the traumatized man to face reality. They implored him to open his eyes and observe that the lion was no longer present, but he stubbornly refused, consumed by the belief that he had been the unfortunate victim of the lion’s ravenous appetite.

The situation escalated to the point where the villagers, unable to reason with the man, made the decision to transport him to his own residence, requesting his wife’s intervention. Surely, they reasoned, the familiar surroundings of his home and the comforting presence of his spouse would alleviate his distress and convince him of the truth.

However, even in the sanctuary of his own abode, the man remained unresponsive to his wife’s pleas for him to open his eyes, adamantly clinging to the delusion that he had been devoured by the lion. Deeply concerned, the wife proceeded to examine her husband thoroughly, ruling out the possibility of any visible injuries that could substantiate his claims.

It was during this intimate examination that the wife made a startling discovery – her husband’s testicles had retracted inward, retreating into the confines of his abdomen. In that moment, the gravity of the situation became evident – while the man’s physical form remained intact, his ability to function as a man had been irrevocably compromised by the traumatic experience of having the lion sit upon his lap.

The wife, overcome with anguish, began to weep uncontrollably, lamenting that her husband had indeed been figuratively killed by the lion, for his manhood and capacity for intimacy had been stripped from him, leaving him a mere shell of his former self.

The lesson imparted by General Aleu through this powerful allegory was a subtle commentary on the conflict of interest that arose between the Minister of Finance and the “Dinka” businessmen, with the President symbolized by the relentless and uncompromising elephant.

In this interpretation, the Minister of Finance, represented by the lion, posed significant challenges and obstacles for entrepreneurs and businessmen like Mr. Makiir Gai, who found themselves in the precarious position of the man upon whose lap the lion sat. The President, embodied by the unyielding elephant, ultimately intervened, dismissing the Minister of Finance (the lion) in a manner akin to the brutal killing depicted in the tale.

General Aleu lamented that these “Dinka” businessmen, who have become significant beneficiaries of South Sudan’s wealth and have even been appointed to influential positions within the SPLM political bureau, contribute to the country’s economic decline through their self-serving interests. Without divine intervention to inspire compassion for the suffering people of South Sudan, the nation’s prospects for survival and prosperity may be in jeopardy.

Coincidentally, this poignant story resurfaced less than six months ago when Dr. Barnabas Bak was appointed as the Minister of Finance, only to be dismissed from his position in a startlingly short tenure. General Aleu had cautioned at the time that Dr. Bak would inevitably encounter similar challenges and conflicts as those faced by his predecessors in the ministerial role.

With Dr. Bak’s dismissal, akin to the elephant’s successful vanquishing of the lion in the parable, one cannot help but ponder – what transgression did the metaphorical lion commit, and whose figurative lap did it occupy this time? While there was a significant increase in the dollar exchange rate during Dr. Bak’s brief tenure as Minister of Finance, this alone cannot reasonably justify his abrupt dismissal.

Perhaps Dr. Bak’s efforts to implement reforms and address the nation’s financial woes provoked disapproval and resistance from clandestine business figures whose interests were threatened. If this is indeed the case, then Dr. Bak has become an unfortunate victim of circumstances beyond his control, a casualty in the ongoing struggle between entrepreneurial ambitions and governmental authority.

As South Sudan grapples with its economic challenges and the delicate balance of power between the business sector and the government, the enduring wisdom of this Dinka parable serves as a poignant reminder of the consequences that can arise when conflicting interests collide. It is a cautionary tale that underscores the need for compassion, compromise, and a shared vision for the greater good of the nation and its people.

The author, Morris Kuol Yoll, is a South Sudanese Canadian who lives in Alberta, Canada and can be reached at myoll2002@yahoo.com

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