Hero Eliseo Taban Lemi- Director of the Forestry Department

                                          Courtesy of Gen. Salah Samsona

Born in Juba city in 1943, he was a citizen of Central Equatoria State (CES), of Pöjulu ethnicity in Loka West Boma and Kennyi Payam of Laniya. His sub clans are called Mulusuk, Gerangur and Kanam. He was a son of Samsona Lemi Jadein Laku known by his nick name Lokojo.

His academic journey started at Kator Elementary School, Okaro junior boarding school in EES, and went on to attend Rumbek high school. Hero Taban could not continue his studies in Rumbek due to political instabilities and deterioration of security in Southern Sudan. He joined Dr. Charles Bakheit, Timothy Tombe, Marcello, John Tombe and many other southern Sudanese students and fled to Uganda for better opportunities and a conducive environment to continue their education.

In Uganda, he attended Lubiri high school and went on to study Sciences at the University of Dar es Salam [Al-Sala’am] in Tanzania. After graduating from the University of Dar Al-Sala’am, he returned to Uganda once again and taught science and mathematics at Lubiri high school in Kampala, so that he could provide social support, and maintain family ties with his brother Hassan Luga and sister Mama Eli who are currently living in Lansing, Michigan State.

In 1967, hero Taban left his teaching position at Lubiri high school and enrolled in the faculty of Science and studied biology at Makerere University. After the Addis Ababa Agreement (1973 AAA) he returned to Sudan and was awarded two master scholarships in 1973 and 1979 by the southern Sudan Regional Government in Juba to study Forestry in Nigeria and England.

Hero Taban holds a B.Sc. in biology and M.Sc. Forestry from University of Ibadan in Nigeria, and second M.Sc. Forestry from the University of Wales in North Bangor. His research paper was entitled Imatong Mountains Forest Development Project in Katire, in Eastern Equatoria.

He began his professional career as Deputy Governor of the Forestry Department at the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation in Khartoum, Sudan and later transferred to Juba where he assumed the new role of Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Director General of the Department of Southern Sudan Forests in Juba. In 1977, as Senior expert in the field of Forestry he lectured at University of Juba, faculty of Natural Resources and helped to establish the concept of Cooperative Societies which proliferated in Juba and other parts of Southern Sudan. He was the only senior national and international expert in Forestry at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Southern Sudan and the second in Sudan until his death.

Socially, he was regarded as a man of tradition when it comes to family affairs. For instance, when his younger sister Eli was about to get married in Kampala, he sent a letter to his parents (Simsona Mayani and Timateyo Lubang) seeking their consent, advice, and to delegate to him power of attorney to represent the interests and desires of the family. He was always on top of such issues.

Politically, his activism commenced when he was a student in Uganda, but worked very discreetly and which is why many of his colleagues were shocked to learned about his political activism and role as a ringleader of the July 1992 SPLA insider/cell movement in Juba. In 1983, he was elected chairman of the Pöjulu community in Juba; and chairman of the Cooperative Society for the grinding mill at Malakia market.

Hero Taban was the ringleader of the SPLA insider/ cell movement led by late Maj. Gen. Peter Cirilo and most meetings were held in his residence. His house in Uganda was always and, in most cases, called the students club. Additionally, he was the right-hand man of Maj. Gen. Stuarlino Erika, former Governor of CES. Without him nothing was accomplished in the government. Erika always appointed him in most government committees and he was the frontier for any success of any committee.

Hero Taban has exceptional nationalism and was a community leader, patriotic, visionary, inspirational, honest, dedicated to Southern Sudan cause, a kind man in English but not in Arabic, generous, very quiet with a cigarette in his mouth, hardworking, a real gentleman and beloved father and husband.

He was married and is survived by four children, three are University graduates, two joined South Sudan Police Academy and are currently Officers serving in South Sudan Police Services (SSPS) and one is graduate but unemployed. His immediate relatives are Maj. Gen. Salah Samsona Zakaria Jadein, SSPS legal counsel, Hassan Luqa Simon Mayani, Lasu Timateo Lubang, Amin Simon Mayani, Brig Yagoub Simon, Elhaj Simisiona, Khamis Timateo, John Sadaraka, Kondu Jackson Jongo, Juma Lasu, Sabah Scopas Luwati, sisters Baka Samsona, Dementila Congo Samsona, Dehiya Timateo Lubang, Elizabeth (aka Mama Eli) Simon Mayani, Sa'adia Samsona, Mery Simon Mayani and Jane Jackson Jongo.

Hero Taban was accused of supporting the SPLA. It started with an argument about his shipment of cement that he ordered from Khartoum to Juba for his department of Forestry project. The military base Commander in Juba seized the shipment and wanted to use the cement for reconstruction of Juba airport bridge. Hero Taban confronted him and demanded the return of the cement shipment to his department. This was where his ordeal started with security officers. On August 16th, 1992 he was arrested by the national security and detained at white house -the tortures and killings centre with the rest of true greatest heroes and killed in cold blood.

Considering his contributions in the field of Forestry and participation in the struggle for South Sudan independence, the CES government should rename the current ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and dedicate it in his memory. Also, establish a CES Forestry scholarship fund (CESFSF) for students interested in the field of Forestry.