Admin
Juba: Al-Wadi Newspaper
South Sudanese writer and literary figure Professor Weirial Baluang has announced the forthcoming release of his new book titled “Our Girlfriend and Other Stories,” an English-language literary work, through his official Facebook page.
Baluang shared an excerpt from one of the short stories included in the book under the title “Angelika Photocopies Herself!”, offering readers a glimpse into the nature of the work, which addresses social and political issues through a bold and satirical narrative style.
The story revolves around a character named Angelika, who is forced to live a double life within the corridors of a government ministry, in a context that reflects the complexities of administrative corruption and abuse of power. She invents another identity, Patricia, and uses it to apply for a position in the office of a powerful minister. The narrative details her transformation in appearance and behavior, leading to the acceptance of the fictional persona into a key administrative post, along with the ethical and professional contradictions that follow.
The text also satirically portrays the character of the minister, highlighting the inflation of titles, the misuse of authority, and the contradiction between public rhetoric and actual practice within official institutions, presenting an artistic reflection of realities familiar in many societies.
The published excerpt demonstrates the author’s ability to craft deeply contrasting characters, with Angelika appearing as a humble and sociable figure, while Patricia is portrayed as proud and serious—despite the fact that both are, in reality, the same person—adding a symbolic dimension to the work.
It is worth noting that “Our Girlfriend and Other Stories” is authored by Weirial Baluang, with the book cover designed by artist Fot Lul. The book is expected to be released in the near future.
