BY IRENE LAMUMU
Rt Rev. Alex Lodiong Sakor Eyobo is the Bishop of Yei Diocese in South Sudan. He was born to Anglican parents in Kajo Keji, South Sudan in 1971. When he was ready to go to school, he was registered at Wudu Primary school in Kajo Keji for his Primary Education, a place he stayed in for six years before joining Gore Intermediate School for three years, still in Kajo Keji. After his junior school, his journey to priesthood began at St Augustine Minor Seminary in Yei which lasted two years. It was an interesting experience for him since all his parents and siblings were from an Anglican background except his elder brother, who had converted into a Catholic and had become a Catechist. He would follow his brother every time he went to teach Catechesis, which gave birth to his interest in the religion. He requested his brother if he could join the catechism class and his brother assented. He was later baptized a Catholic.
His baptism came like a gate pass to his vocation because after his secondary education at St Mary’s Minor Seminary in Juba, where he stayed from 1989 to 1993, he opted to go to St Paul’s National Major Seminary in Juba in 1993. At St Paul’s National Major Seminary, Bishop Sakor did his orientation course, philosophy and theology. He obtained a Diploma (1996) and a Baccalaureate (2000) in Khartoum, Sudan. He also holds a Licentiate in biblical theology from Urbaniano University, Rome. On 24th June, he was ordained priest at Sacred Heart Parish in Kajo Keji. After six months, Bishop Sakor was appointed chancellor in the diocese of Yei but due to the insecurity and civil war in South Sudan, he operated from Arua diocese in Edoife.
He was then appointed Finance director for Yei for 5 years. Later, he was appointed the Director, St Augustine Minor seminary and they were operating from Metu in Moyo, in North western Uganda because of the war in South Sudan. In 2014, Bishop Sakor travelled to Italy to further his studies in Biblical theology.
Upon returning to Sudan in 2019, he was sent to St Paul National Seminary in Juba as a lecturer/formator. After two years at the National seminary on February 2022, Pope Francis appointed him the Bishop of Yei. He was ordained Bishop on 22 nd May 2022 at Yei Catholic Parish. Rt Rev. Alex Sakor revealed that when he received the appointment from the Pope, it was not an easy feeling; it was quite disturbing for him because he did not expect anything like that.
As he recounts the moment he got the news, he revealed that when the Apostolic Nuncio invited him to his office, as soon as he reached the office, he greeted him and then gave him the news that The Holy See had given him an assignment as Bishop. Bishop Sakor said the news came as a surprise to him. He added that at the end of the day, he had to take up the shepherdship because God had chosen him. He accepted the position despite the fact that the people in the diocese are scattered into different parts of the world because of the civil war in South Sudan.
Bishop Alex said that God will lead him in his new role. Bearing in mind the fact that the people in his diocese are scattered, he decided that when he took up office, his first ministry would be visiting his people living in Sudan and those who have been exiled in Democratic republic of Congo and Uganda.
Bishop Sakor noted that it was not easy but he had to make an appeal to the government of South Sudan to give him the mandate to visit his people wherever they are. They accepted and offered him security, which he declined because to him, God is the only protector who would shield him from any danger.
He noted that he had to do the pastoral work in a bid to unite his people so that they feel like a family: even though they are scattered, they should know that they face the same challenges. The Bishop of Yei added that he cannot concentrate only in Yei, the reason why he has to move out. He noted that it was a visit of faith and hope which would help the people of Yei diocese remain united.
