Major General Clement Wani Konga, A Hero or A Villain?

Gen. Clement Wani Konga carries his birthmark “WA NI”. In the dialect of Bari, wa means “hero” and ni means “is here”. The general mean­ing of wani refers to “the hero is here”. Heroes, like leaders, are born. In them is embodied the tag that we or the people see or watch and experience in the actions of the leader or hero. Gen. Clement Wani Konga was born a hero. His silent mood, as I often observe, is a gift that enabled him to gain momentum during discussions.

He had never been irrelevant in his sharp and wise opinions. It was often clear that he meant what he said. He called a spade a spade and even when he was face to face with Sudanese leaders or the Arab bosses during the 21 years of SPLA/SPLM armed struggle (1983-2005), he never minced words or feared them.

Gen. Wani hated humiliation and could not lend a hand to it. He was the type who could woo and carry people forward with simple words due to the sincere atmosphere guarding or bearing witness to the truth. During the working day, he was always surrounded by people whom he continued to unite behind him.

In a book by James Copnall (2014) titled A Poisonous Thorn in Our Hearts: Sudan and South Sudan’s Bitter and Incomplete Divorce, Gen. Clement Wani Konga is quoted by the author as saying: “If we split like groundnuts, the chicken will collect us all.” Indeed, some would say that he was in the good books of the Sudanese rulers but deep in his heart he was a South Sudanese supporter of SPLA, known from within as a Black Fox. He knew in his silent way that the art of progress was a must for the south, change was an obliga­tion, and he preserved change amid order. Gen. Wani Konga is truly “a hero of the people, for the people.”

QUOTES BY: Hon. Agnes Poni Lukudu

Former Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 2002-2007.

Former Governor of Bahr El Jebel State, 1994-1998.