Since the independence of the Sudan in January 1956, Sudan has never had a leader with such political charm and intent like Field Marshal Omar Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir. I will talk much about him, and would request your patience, if you think otherwise. Whether his Ingaz Revolution is seen to have polarized Sudan society politically, his regime should be credited for achieving peace in the South and the East; as well as edging away the sectarian leadership in the North. The country Sudan though still reel from mistakes committed by a few behind his back in Darfur and the South, there is no doubt that this man called Al Bashir has done wonders in his leadership to facelift the country, something others have failed to do it in their 30 or so years in ruling. The North to be exact is far better developed now under him, and the economy has shown signs of booming; this might continue even if the South goes away.

But the biggest achievement for his government and the party he leads is the agreement he signed in the Kenyan Capital Nairobi in 2005. There is no better gift a leader could give to his people than to give them peace ( I will repeat the same thing at the end). From the word go in 1989, the NCP started on the right track of identifying strategic direction for the country. Your interpretation however might be different from what you want done for the Sudan, but the truth remains: power is about purpose, and for that reason, the NCP has beaten others in putting forward something for this country, whether raw or good. The parties before it didn’t do it. No wonder, the same faces are still crying foul, looking for routes back to power. The NCP efforts were rewarded handsomely during the last election. The party (the NCP) trounced their opponents like nothing.

Yeah, no clear mind can deny serious problems in the leadership of the NCP against black man in the Sudan; say the ugly role of hardliners within that party. We all know the pathetic status of people in Darfur, Southern Blue Nile and the Nuba Mountains or their vulnerability in the face of radical Islamism. Today the black man in the West, East and the two areas of Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile is cursing the day in which Dr. Garang disappeared. As the South independence is increasingly becoming a living reality, they see no hope anywhere under the NCP hardliners. But I have good news for these people, something you can dispute or accept, and this is it: the man called Al Bashir is a serious leader in the real sense of the word. With him in power, he’s going to unite the North, and spread out development like grains.

Why am saying this? I have observed him for sometimes now and came to doubt not his ability to take charge. He is a courageous man, an orator, who cares for his people. I looked at the flow of his promises and the man never swallows his promises easily. What is more? I hear him say, he will take care of the West, the East and other marginalized people in the North once the South goes, was he kidding? No, he wasn’t, he means it. I know he’s going to reign on his radical Muslims.

You see, his major problem has always been about the South, and in fact, leaders in Khartoum who came before him were beating around the bush about what to do on the Southern question. They know precisely what the South wants, but insisted on tired strategies of denial, or dividing them, on the expense of their cause. Mr. Al Bashir carefully pick the matter up, and in Khartoum, he sat down with Dr. Riek Machar Teny and agreed for a political settlement. Though the agreement known as Khartoum Peace Agreement (KPA) didn’t live, the spirit never died. KPA was the capstone of what that became the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). That later agreement (CPA) didn’t just come out of the blue or due to any factors people say are external and internal. It took the credit of the big man called Omar Al Bashir to reach a compromise in the face of stiff resistance from the hardliners. If wasn’t him and the Ustaz Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, the Referendum that is now a week away couldn’t have been celebrated. The man had weathered storms within and outside to bring peace to the South, an adventure done only be level headed people. Some Southerners are taking their time to trust him, but I think it is not about trusting somebody, but about sacrifices he had done on our behalf. The other day in El Gezira he announce his readiness to support the new coming nation, what do you make of this move, in as far his public relationship with his people is concerned? He took a risk to inform his people about what is going to happen. This reminds me of what the then President of South Africa Frederick De Clerk did to the Africaans when he was about to release Nelson Mandela. President knew very well that the future of the South has already been determined, and hence timely for him to prepare his people for the reality shock. His message was well received, and was indeed came at a critical stage.

Mr. Al Bashir could be a devil to you, but for Southerners, this man deserves respect and honor for what he has done for our people. No better gift than freedom. Mr. Al Bashir did, and therefore fair for Juba leadership to name a road or built a monument in his name. Even if we still think that a political week is precarious and an eon, I know President Al Bashir will deliver in his promise to allow his people (Southerners) to choose the future of their own. My congratulation goes to our President Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit for taking the initiative to mention Al Bashir big role in making referendum a reality. Even the other outstanding issues (Abyei on top) between the South and the North, with Al Bashir in power, the two nations will one day come to an agreement. Long live President Al Bashir, long live the NCP, long live the SPLM!

Isaiah Abraham writes from Juba