Africa-Press – South-Sudan. South Sudan turns 14 years old next month. In the country’s nascent but tumultuous history, few figures embody the complex interplay of personal struggle, political conviction, and a fervent call for peace and forgiveness as vividly as Dr. Henry Dilah Odwar.
A civil engineer, a politician, and a cancer survivor who faced his mortality with profound introspection, Odwar lived a life of courage and a strong belief in the transformative power of forgiveness.
His journey—from a young immigrant in Canada to a key opposition leader in South Sudan’s fractured political landscape—culminated in a legacy that continues to resonate, even after his passing on June 25, 2025, in a Canadian hospital.
As the curtain comes down on the veteran politician, many question who Odwar truly was and what he will be remembered for.
A scholar and immigrant
Born in South Sudan, Odwar’s early life was shaped by the pursuit of knowledge and opportunity. In 1984, he arrived in Canada as a landed immigrant, settling in Winnipeg, Manitoba. There, he pursued higher education, earning a degree in civil engineering from McGill University in Montreal and later a master’s in geophysics from the University of Manitoba.
For two decades, he built a career with geophysical companies in Canada, far removed from the political upheaval of his homeland. Yet, the call to serve South Sudan drew him back in 2010, when he entered politics as a member of the National Legislative Assembly, representing Eastern Equatoria State.
Odwar’s academic background and professional experience in Canada endowed him with a unique perspective, blending technical expertise with a global outlook. As the chair of the parliament’s Committee on Energy and Mining, he brought a disciplined, analytical approach to governance. However, his career would soon take a dramatic turn as South Sudan descended into civil war in 2013 and 2016. Odwar found himself at the heart of the nation’s struggle for peace in the years that followed.
From SPLM to opposition leader
In 2014, Odwar made a pivotal decision to leave the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and join the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), led by Dr. Riek Machar. This move marked the beginning of his rise within the opposition, eventually becoming the deputy chairman and deputy commander-in-chief of the SPLM-IO.
His commitment to peace was evident in his active participation in the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement, which sought to end South Sudan’s brutal civil war. In March 2020, Odwar was appointed Minister of Mining in the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity, a role he held until his resignation in August 2021.
Odwar’s resignation was driven by a combination of ideological differences and a personal health crisis. He cited “weak” and “compromised” leadership within the SPLM-IO, particularly criticising Machar’s failure to implement the peace agreement effectively. Joining the Kitgwang faction under General Simon Gatwech Dual, Odwar sought to challenge the status quo within the opposition. Yet, his health struggles would soon overshadow his political ambitions.
“He was already replaced by Oyet [Nathaniel],” said Remijo Lasu, Odwar’s friend and an SPLM card-carrying lawmaker representing Morobo County. “Oyet was number four. In 1994, Machar chose Richard Willa, the father to Amb. Emmanuel Lowilla as his deputy, followed by Ladu Gore, then Odwar, and lastly Oyet,” he narrated.
A personal battle and call to forgiveness
In 2019, Dr. Odwar faced a life-altering diagnosis: cancer. In a poignant statement recorded that year, he shared the raw vulnerability of confronting his mortality. “I was basically dying,” he recounted, describing how a priest administered last rites, assuring him that his sins were forgiven. This brush with death profoundly shaped Odwar’s worldview, crystallising his belief in the power of forgiveness as a cornerstone for healing, both personal and national.
“I told people that whatever you have done to me, I forgive you,” Odwar said, his voice heavy with emotion. “I was hit hard, and at this age, I cried.” For Odwar, forgiveness was not merely a personal act but a national imperative.
Reflecting on South Sudan’s “horrendous war” and “unimaginable atrocities,” he argued that true peace could only be achieved through mutual confession and forgiveness. “It is through forgiveness that we can talk face to face without fear,” he said, envisioning a unified nation where citizens could coexist as “brother and sister.”
Odwar’s message was deeply rooted in his Christian faith and his lived experience. He spoke of the need for perpetrators of atrocities—particularly against women—to confess and seek forgiveness, emphasising that accountability and remorse were prerequisites for reconciliation.
“Without saying, ‘I’m sorry,’ how do you expect forgiveness?” he asked, advocating for a “two-way channel of understanding” to heal the wounds of war.
His personal struggle with cancer mirrored South Sudan’s generational suffering. Odwar’s parents had been part of the 1955 Torit Mutiny, a precursor to South Sudan’s independence struggle, and he joined the movement led by the late John Garang.
Yet, he lamented that persistent conflict stemmed from a failure to embrace forgiveness. “We do things unknowingly sometimes. And sometimes we do things knowingly, but if we realise that there is harm, then we should seek forgiveness,” he urged.
A legacy of peace and perseverance
Odwar’s political and personal journeys were intertwined with South Sudan’s quest for stability. His international advocacy took him to Canada in 2019, where he briefed diaspora communities on the peace process, and to Juba in 2018, where he participated in pre-transitional committee meetings. Despite his later defection to the Kitgwang faction, his commitment to peace remained unwavering, though complicated by internal factionalism and his declining health.
By 2021, Odwar’s terminal illness forced him to step back from active politics. He returned to Canada for treatment, where he spent his final years. On June 25, 2025, he passed away, reportedly from cancer, leaving behind four children and a legacy of service.
The leadership of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition Kitgwang faction under Gen. Simon Gatwech Dual, described Odwar as “an avid achiever and statesman and an important icon who shaped South Sudan’s political landscape through unwavering commitment, integrity, and vision”.
Stephen Par Kuol, the interim chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition, called Odwar “a distinguished statesman, a committed patriot, and a passionate advocate for peace and development in South Sudan.”
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