Liberia's Person for 2011

Time Magazine's Person of the year 2011 was the Protester that turned heads in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and in Russia, where the Russians for the first time, told their leaders that whatever elections were held in that country were not free or fair.

2011 was election year in Liberia and when October 11 came, the voters of Liberia gave President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf 44% in the first round. When the run-off day arrived, CDC refused to take part and their supporters demonstrated their anger by clashing with the police.

2006 to 2011 was the most peaceful period in the history of Liberia after an election. I was happy that our people were enjoying freedom for the first time after 14 years of war. It was my wish that such tranquility would have remained for a long, long time.

Liberians do not need another war. We have fought our war. We are now trying to get our lives back on track and rebuild a destroyed country. That is why Liberians do not need to imitate what's happening in the Middle East or North Africa. For example, freedom of speech was a strange phenomenon to the people of Libya for 42 years under Colonel Kaddafi. That is not the case in Liberia at the moment. Even though Libyans are rich and with a lot of oil, the freedom to criticize their government was lacking, and there is no feeling so great than to be able to call your President a German Monkey and sleep peacefully the next night!

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has been my choice for the presidency of Liberia from day one. Why? First, I felt it was time for a woman to be president of Liberia, period. second, she was qualified and third, she had gone through the burning bush of African politics, unlike many of those who were running against her.

If I were to give a grade for the past six years of the Old Ma's administration, besides the CDC incidents, the grade would be a B. I was in Monrovia in 2009 and I was shocked to see a dangling traffic light at the Paynesville and ELWA Junction. I was also amazed to see such a huge gathering of people at Broad and Randall Streets all the way to Water Side. I was even sick when I realized that it took almost an hour to drive from Duport Road to the Coco Cola Factory. The amount of Pem-Pem in the city was a great eye sore for me. I felt like I was in India!

Another reason for the grade of B is that the road from Gbarnga to Ganta was the kind of highway that I had not driven on in almost 20 years. I would have gone crazy had I gone to Liberia in September, 2009 instead of December, 2009. And when I read that Ministers of government were given 900 gallons of gasoline per month to drive around in Monrovia, I felt sick in my stomach. For I remember vividly that when I worked for Firestone, controlling 3800 acres of rubber trees and supervising 300-400 workers, I was allotted only 125 gallons of gasoline per month to do my work! Wasn't the poor government of Liberia being wasteful?

As the years went by unemployment never made that great break-through for the people of Liberia, especially the youth. Reports gave the country some good marks for freedom and democracy, but when it came to the poverty of most Liberians, the record remains astoundingly dismal. After a civil war and with the population shift in Monrovia, I personally would be less comfortable driving a Hummer or a Cadillac through the streets of Monrovia.

Those who love democracy and freedom are Liberia's persons of 2011. They braved the scary situation of November 7 and went to vote for Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf; for these people feel and know that she will improve their living conditions in 2012 and beyond and will help them rebuild a nation for posterity.

And finally, I am happy that the Vai Town Bridge has been completed. I wish the old name had remained, but the new name, Zolu Duma, is historical and will please those who are connected to this great Liberian.

If the red arch at the entrance of the bridge is a permanent structure, I suggest it be taken down and replaced with an arch depicting an iconic Liberian symbol like the Pepper Bird or the Pigmy Hippo. I saw that Chinese symbol and I immediately thought: Is that a road to China Town?

To all Liberians and friends of Liberia, I wish you a Happy New Year. May 2012 bring jobs and more jobs and prosperity for the people of Liberia.