Sudanese in Canada remember late Nubian politician Fr. Philip Abbas Ghaboush
April 14, 2008 (Kitchener, Ont NSV) - Several speakers paid tribute to the late Nuba politician Fr. Philip Abbas Ghaboush at a memorial service in the city of Kitchener last Saturday. Fr. Ghaboush, who died early this year, was remembered as a nationalist and a tireless defender of the rights of the Nuba people.
"Fr. Philip has transcended race, religion, and gender," said Adam Abuteiman, chair of the SPLM Chapter in London, Ontario."He spent over 60 years fighting for the rights of the marginalized people of Sudan."
Dr. Aweja Gafour, a Toronto-based academic from the Nuba Mountains said Fr. Ghaboush’s death was both a painful and joyous occasion. "It is painful that we lost our dear brother and leader, but it's a joy because of what he has done. His spirit is with us,” he said.
Kuku Jagdoul, who delivered the eulogy, said through out Sudan, Fr. Ghaboush was a household name because of his role in speaking out against marginalization. He remembered Fr. Ghaboush as a politician who was willing to explore armed struggle to uplift the Nuba people. Himself a protégé of Fr. Ghaboush, Jagdoul said the late politician was able to appeal across the many Nuba ethnic groups. In addition he said although Fr. Ghaboush was a Christian, he was able to win the support of Muslims in the Nuba Mountains because his message was about justice for everyone.
"Many religions exist in the Nuba Mountains. Islam, Christianity and traditional African religions. Contrary to popular opinion, we had no religious tensions in the Nuba Mountains, except religious problems brought by outsiders," he said, adding that such a situation appeared in 1978, when some Nuba said Fr. Ghaboush should not be endorsed as the leader of the Nuba people because he was a Christian.
As a member of parliament, Jagdoul said Fr. Ghaboush paid attention to the rights of non-Muslims when Muslim fundamentalists under Dr. Hassan Turabi tried to limit such rights in the constitution.
Adam Abuteiman (L), Secretary General of the SPLM London Chapter and Hassan Ali Sherif (R), members of the organizing committee, standing in front of a giant poster of Fr. Philip Ghaboush.
"In the 1968 parliament, he asked Turabi about the rights of non-Muslims in the event that Shariah became the law of the land. If you review the proceedings of that parliament on that day, you will find that it covers several pages because Turabi gave a long and convoluted answer,” said Jagdoul.
"In the end, Fr. Philip said 'I understand you. If you are not a Muslim, you will never become president of Sudan.'"
Lual Jok, chair of the SPLM chapter in Windsor, Ontario, called Fr. Ghaboush a true African revolutionary, and praised him for pioneering the concept of the New Sudan, although at that time it was known by this name.
Fr. Ghaboush was born in 1922 in Omdurman, where his father worked as a soldier in the British colonial army. His father was also a member of the White Flag League, a nationalist and pro-independence organization led by Ali Abd al-Latif, an officer of Dinka heritage. In 1924, the White Flag League was crushed by the British, its members arrested and imprisoned. Because of the upheaval in Omdurman, the young Ghaboush was taken to the Nuba Mountains for safety. He later became an Anglican priest and ran for political office in 1964. He was re-elected in 1968, 1978, and 1986.
The memorial service in Kitchener was organized by the Nuba community in Ontario and drew about 200 people.
