his friends and relatives discouraged him, arguing that the course was irrelevant to the developments within Sudan. No one paid his schools fees. “The one who paid [for] me to complete primary and secondary schoosl later disowned me. I had to struggle on my own to raise the fee.”
MABIOR PHILIP MACH
He has been despised for the course that he studied, but now those who were his antagonists are his cheerleaders. And, he had no one to pay his school fees, yet those who disowned him are here to congratulate him. Chol Anei Ayii was announced the best designer of the National Coat of Arms by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, leading the top three in a hot race of 26 rivals.
He won it not by chance.Anei told New Times that the price of $5000 he was rewarded by the government and the pride he earns all stem from sheer struggle.
“I started this thing of Coat of Arms many years ago, when I was a student,” says Chol. “Before the independence, I was always thinking that if our nation became independent, what could be the nature of our national Coat of ArmS? So I started my work on the national coat of arms – since January.”
There were thirty competitors, including four foreign nationals.
They dropped out on the way due to insufficient information on the cultural diversity of South Sudan, leaving behind 26 genuine bidders.
The versions of three designers were selected, out of which Chol’s won the approval of the Council of Ministers and the parliament, provoking his pride.
“I am, of course, very happy because I am now in the list of historic and symbolic personalities in South Sudan,” he said.
Chol Anei, a son of Tonj in Warrap state, went to Buluk Primary school in Wau in 1992, at the height of the split within the then rebel SPLA.
He later joined Rumbek Secondary School, where he completed Sudan School Certificate. He graduated with a Diploma in Graphic Design from the Sudan University of Science and Technology in 2009.
He said while pursuing the course, his friends and relatives discouraged him, arguing that the course was irrelevant to the developments within Sudan. No one paid his schools fees. “The one who paid [for] me to complete primary and secondary schoosl later disowned me. I had to struggle on my own to raise the fee,” Anei said.
He is now finding out his rejected course is needed by the nation. He is joyful.
“This tells me that the discouragement to me in the past was wrong,” he said. “This is a message to young people who like this course, which it is an important one to study.”
In all his past difficulties, Anei said he used to refer to a known Sudanese designer, Professor Mohamed Ahmed, who became a trusted mentor.
Ahmed is the designer of this Sudanese Pounds.
He designed more than 150 national items. “He was my friend and I shared with him experiences. He encouraged me until I completed.”
The two runners-up were awarded $3000 and $2000 each, but the chunk is yet to be paid by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage.
New Parliament to have 229 MPs
BY JOSEPH EDWARD
President Salva Kiir will sixty six more members of Parliament from all South Sudan political parties to add on the elected members, the of opposition in South Sudan Legislative Assembly Onyoti Adigo has said. Next Parliament will also include 93 MPs formerly representing the South in the Northern Parliament, and 170 current MPs to make Parliament at least 229. MPs are on leave until August 29.
Caretakers can’t take major decisions
BY JOSEPH EDWARD
President Salva Kiir has said caretaker ministers are not supposed to take major policy decision. This was in the decree the President passed recently naming a caretaker government, and reconfirming Presidential Advisors pending final reorganization of the government.
The Advisors are Lual Diing Wuol Advisor for Political Affairs, John Koung Nyoun Advisor for Security Affairs, Madam Rebekah Nyandeng De Mabior Advisor on Gender and Human Rights, Telar Riing Deng Advisor on Legal Affairs, Alfred Lodu Gore Advisor on Diplomatic Affairs, Tor Deng Mawein Advisor on Decentralization and Intergovernmental Linkages, Salva Mathok Gengdit Advisor on Military Affairs, Cornelius Befo Advisor on Monitoring and Integrity in Governance, Col. Sidig El Manas Basil on Southern Blue Nile, Chief Kong Kong Bol Advisor on Inter Communal Peace, Joseph Lagu Yanga Special Advisor, Dr.Martin Elia Lomuro Advisor on Public Affairs, General Kennedy Gen. Ngery Inter communal Peace and Traditional Leadership Affairs, Chief Tem Kok Ngor Advisor on Inter border conflict and Traditional Leadership Affairs, Dr. Joseph Montueyl Wejang Advisor on Social Services, Rev. Tijowk Hadher Agwet Advisor on Religious Affairs, Isaiah Kulang Mabor Special Advisor for Wild Life and Tourism and Gissmallah Abdallah Rasas Special Advisor to The President.
