Inculcating A New Mindset

Some think a name change will solve the myriad of problems Liberians face. I have a different view. And so when the dialogue got really tense, I jumped in.

OK, give me your eyes for awhile.

I read somewhere that the ACS...American Colonization Society expected the new settlers in Africa to Christianize the heathens with whom they were to co-habitate. That was when the superiority complex of the settlers from America and other areas took its root. These settlers believed and nurtured the idea that those they met in Africa were heathens to western culture. The name calling and marginalization began; and today, we are still trying to untangle the mess.

I have been wondering: Had Obama kept the name Barry or had his mom named him Chris Barry Obama, or Barry S (the S for her family name), would the majority of Americans give this man a break. I feel that the the Americo-Liberian influence on Liberia has been well established. Name-change alone for the Natives will not solve our problems.

What will be most pleasing to all Liberians is the day when Tuon Wreh, BA, MA, PhD and Jerome Halloway, BA, MA, PhD, both Liberians, can hold hands and come together to rebuild their country. What will be really interesting is the day when Samuel Elliott, now Nyema Toe, MD and James Green, MD, both Liberians, come together to figure out how to keep our people healthy. When Nepolor Sumo, BS and Matilda Giddens, BS, both Liberians, see the need to come together and teach our people how to be self sufficient in food production, that will be the day when Liberians will be proud of each others.

We should not use the high illiteracy rate of the majority Liberians to bring about name change. We should be doing better than going that divisive route. Spewing out hatred and self promotion has not helped the country or the people.

Someone chastised me and told me that I was from Pluto when I wrote that the first "Native" President, Samuel Doe, let us down big time when he blew the opportunity to be the best that he could be. He had people like Gbai Gbala (perfect native name) and John Ramsey ( an influenced native) advising him to turn the country into a Krahn entity. The Congoes dominated the political scene for 133 years. The first "native" president, with all these perfect native-name advisers, were now positioning themselves to take the country into another 133-year of hell. They started off by eliminating all those with perfect native names. Verbal intimidation and the M-16 rifle stood as emblems of the time. Things were bad before April 12, 1980; they were something else when the new roosters in town crowed nothing but tribalism in its ugliness. From the get-go, the scene was a complete disaster. Greed for power and the pomposity associated with it, dominated the fabric of the new Liberia we were supposed to get.

That's why I get extremely jittery when the perfect Native-Name thing shows its ugly head. I immediately begin to sweat profusely and fall into a trance of nightmarish proportion. The reason is simple: All Liberian names have sinned and done nothing for Liberia. All these names have been myopic in their vision and extremely corrupt in their ways. After 160 years, what can our country show for the ingenuity other countries are proud of?

What we need to pray and hope for is that Liberians keep their names; but the drive, mentality, and state of mind do a 360 for the sake of all.

Liberians are a different set of people. We should not be told to become Nigerians or Ghanaians. We must not be forced to become Malians or South Africans. Our best bet is for us to continue to be who we are, but with a new mind set for change from the past.