26/12/2025
He Who Keeps Us Together Has Fallen, Tribute To Akook Gal-Ayiik Engineer Of Strengths And Unity: Uncle Thuch Kiir Chieny Lual Teng(Gogdieng).
"When a great tree falls, the roots feel it first, but the shade is missed by all."
~ Traditional African Saying.
It was on the 22nd of Dec 2025, in Malakal Town, the entire Akook Gal-Ayiik family and Rut Community at-large received the devastating and heartbreaking news of passing on of Thuch Kiir Chieny Lual Teng, he succumbed to long illness after long battle, a man whose qualities known beyond Pan Lual Teng, Akook Gal-Ayiik clan or his age group (Rëm Achuil de Deng). Nhialic called him but left behind a strong legacy drive from the time of liberation struggle of South Sudan. A man known for bravery who easily confronts any challenge for the sake of others, he protected ones of strategic territory Werkou Kowac from the people termed by Dr. John Garang, "the people who stabbed the movement at the back when we were at the point of victory" in 1991( Riek kek Wurnyang Gatkek, the then self-proclaimed spiritual leader) subsequently, from the Arabs Collaborators those of Gabriel Tanginya who were against our survival.
Thuch (Gogdieng) was more than a unifying figure. He was a liberator whose actions speak louder more than words.
A man who stood in his position firmly during the liberation struggle of this country, he took a weight of responsibility with dignity and passion. Thuch was the cornerstone of Akook Gal-Ayiik Wutda. His strength and guidance will be missed forever, reconcile, and ensure that we should remain united wherever there are difficulties and differences between six households of Akook Gal-Ayiik, we are all admired with your wisdom, bravery, selfless service among ourselves, neighbours and the whole community.
Thuch built the true remarkable relationship with my late Dad. Their friendship was bonded with trust, respect, and brotherhood in their youthful age. I was happy to enjoy your brotherhood with my Dad. Your friendship and brotherhood were deeply from the hearts and greatly shaped the whole Akook Gal-Ayiik. Whenever you visit us those days, you both call yourself with the codified name of bull colours Gogdieng! Thuorreng!. It has inspired us to keep this bond.
Thuch give my father a cowlet in the form of akän (Yomlou- name Nyanduk after giving birth to new one) when I was ages two, a cow that becomes the symbol of our cattle and feeds us to the fullest for years. We, the kids, and the entire community were surprised that Yomlou was not our own cow but was mere akän as it was always confidential to two principals. We were caught off guard that the symbol of our cattle being not our own. We cried for that day when you took Yomlou-Nyanduk, who produced and multiple to so many young ones, almost 20 heads if I could remember. You sympathise and leave us another cowlet, Ayen, we give name (Toc-lei).
Today, we mourn as family, and we also celebrate the wealthy work of your lifetime and the contribution and the rich legacy too. You have left behind brilliant boys who embody you, and we are proud to continue with the same bond.
Rut Community and South Sudan will remember your contributions during the as you served since joining the SPLA and now SSPDF with diligence and commitment until you quit in early 2013 before crisis for the aims and purpose of reorganising the family you left right from the signing of the CPA as you were among the Joint Integrated Units (JIUs) of which you didn't came back not even a leave. Something clearly defined the words you inverted "buny aluong," meaning that the government that is upside-down, the narrative that continues to date.
Though you have gone from our sights, your love you planted will continue to guide us, you have built the foundation for us that will remain with us, your stories memories will continue too. We honour you not only in grief but in the lessons you left behind, God didn't granted my wish to keep your life longer and longer as you are the only one at home to keep your teaching. I visited you in 2023 and encouraged you to keep the hope that you will make it out from this long illness for you to continue arranging the scattered Pan Chieny Lual and Pan Deng Gach Lual and mull your children but it is now opposite as God needs you most at the moment.
May your soul rest in external peace, may Pan Lual Teng find comfort in knowing that Akook Gal-Ayiik generations will remember you as a brave, a liberator, a respected supporting architecture of Akook-da
