About 400 International guests, mostly women, will be arriving in Monrovia in March, 2009. Besides the massive corruption and inefficiency of some of the President's cabinet members, there is news that Mulbah Morlue, a human rights activist, is calling for a massive demonstration to let the guests know that the President of Liberia is a war criminal and should face a War Crime court.
Liberians know by now that the President of Liberia contributed to to the destruction of her country and the killing of hundred of thousands of its citizens. Her role, she told the people, was minimal. She was remorseful for what she participated in in order to usher in a better day for the people of Liberia. She was elected on what she told her people. I am convinced that she told the truth and that her original intentions to join the group to free Liberia were good. I couldn't wait to join in the conversation:
My son woke me up at 5:30 this morning to ask whether I was going to work. Between dreaming and wondering why would this guy wake me up so early, I answered in the affirmative. "Get up and look out side," he demanded. I get up, part the window blinds, and look outside. The entire neighborhood is covered in snow...three to four inches.
Getting to work today will not be easy. I will have to first clear the snow from the steps leading to my truck whose cargo bay is almost filled with snow. I will then remove the snow from the windshield and the windows and the top of the truck. I will then shovel snow from around my truck to make way for easy passage onto the street in our neighborhood that has not yet seen the snow-removing and street-treating vehicle that usually comes around during days like this one.
What I just described is what most Liberians who left their sunny country go through all the time, whenever it snows in the cities where they live. Many of us are tired going through this. We have had enough of this wonderful experience of living in America and in Europe. Many of us who have experienced the sweetness of real freedom want to go home and share our experiences with a people who have known hard times all the days of their lives.
Our country was shaken at its core in 1979 when the rice riot occurred. The world really got to know Liberia when the coup happened in 1980. All these occurrences, many thought, would have brought fundamental change to Liberia. Nothing fundamentally new happened. In fact, fear and insecurity took over the daily lives of Liberians. Then came December 24, 1989.
Those who had not left Liberia by then were elated that at last, a new day was dawning. People could not wait for the liberators to enter Monrovia. The liberators of the 80s had become vicious tormentors. Liberians were hopeful that the beginning of the 90s would bring relief and civilization to their country.
Most Liberians had no idea who the new liberators were. One thing they knew: Charles Taylor was the leader. The air wave carried the voice of the man who would free our country from the evil that had encapsulated our people. Those who were not happy then and who were vehemently opposed to this new era that was ushering in, were those who benefited from the chaos that had engulfed the country. Those who were preparing to throw their lappas and country gowns on the ground for the new liberators to walk on, were those who were being threatened with death and considered enemies of the state. Oh yes, many of us could not wait for Charles Taylor and the freedom fighters to liberate us and our country from the claws of tyranny.
I will never know what the gut feelings were of all those who started the Charles Taylor Liberation Movement. After assessing my own gut feelings and turning things over in my mind, I am of the strong opinion that even though Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was part of the movement to change the way things were being done in Liberia, her intention was not to come and eliminate 250,000 of her people in order to be President of Liberia.
These gut feelings of mine continue to lead me to think that among the hundreds who wanted to liberate Liberia the second time around, the only one who was fit and qualified to bring fundamental change to our people was and is still, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. Those who were part of the Movement and whose intentions were embedded in corruption are all around for all to see. It is not difficult to pin point those so called liberators who came intentionally to prop up the status quo and to continue with the old ways of doing things in Liberia.
If the United Nations, after all the analyses and gut feeling of its members, decided to support Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, if the UN decided to send troops to Liberia to help bring the freedom Liberians have craved for for so long, why can't Liberians of all persuasions and stripes join in and help liberate our people and country, once and for all?
I think it is time to look forward and stop being mean to ourselves. Like someone said: We should not foolishly continue to wash our dirty laundry in front of strangers.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Mary Broh, The New Sheriff In Town
The Liberian people are a clean people. Up country, our people get up early in the morning and sweep their living quarters. There is no hala hala whatsoever. In Monrovia, Liberia's Capital City, the place of more than a million people, Liberian people from all 15 counties, it is a tug of war keeping the city clean. People seem not to understand why cleanliness is such a big deal.
Recently, a few zinc shacks were torched to make way for a cleaner environment where the food the people eat is purchased. Many are outraged about this. "Our poor people should not be treated this way," is the argument. Mary Broh, the lady clothed to bring cleanliness next to Godliness, is being pommeled for taking actions to keep the city of Monrovia clean. With information scarce, I did not take too long to find favor with the broom used to begin the process:
Sometime ago when I heard that Mary Broh was doing extremely well at the Passport Section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I suggested in one of my letters to FrontPageAfrica that it would be nice if she were sent to the Free Port of Monrovia where dee dee-ba and "hustling" were rampant. It wasn't long after my suggestion that I heard that Ms Broh was given a huge broom to go across the bridge and do some sweeping at the National Port Authority. I got a few calls telling me that my wish had come true. There was no gloating on my part, for what happened way in Monrovia was just a coincidence.
I went online and goggled www.monroviacityhall.com. The result took me to the City of Monrovia in California. I felt terrible because I wanted to read about what previous warnings had been put out there by our Monrovia City Hall concerning the building of zinc shacks as market stalls by people doing business down Waterside. If such information is not out there, Monrovia City Hall, Liberia, needs to establish a web site where Liberians everywhere can go and get news about their city. I went to other web sites like MICAT and others. I wasn't impressed. Maybe I've lived in America too long and cannot live without clicking and getting real results. The government needs to start putting some serious money into technology. I want to be able to get online, click on the Ministry of Agriculture and read some serious stuff about Agriculture and its impact on the nation's population. Googling further, I tried Monrovia City Corporation. I was taken to the Daily observer Online where Ophelia Hoff-Saytumah was being pummeled for doing nothing to keep Monrovia clean.
I had no idea that Mary Broh had been snatched from the Free Port of Monrovia and appointed to head the Monrovia City Corporation. The outcry on the Internet from the incident at Waterside is amazing. Nevertheless, workers at GSA are begging for Mary to visit their work site.
I remember some time ago when marketers were selling their wares on every street corner in Monrovia. Getting these sellers from those sites was a tug of war. Now I hear that the streets of Monrovia are passable and cars and sellers no longer compete for space.
Malaria tablets are my worst enemies. They are too bitter for me; but if I want to get well from the bites of mosquitoes, I have to take those bitter pills. If our environment is to meet the minimum of standards, cleaning and getting rid of zinc shacks, especially in areas where our food is sold, is a dire necessity. Making tough decisions is a way of life. Those who don't understand this must continuously be told why certain decisions have to be taken, even if these decisions seem a bit out of the norm.
Details are scarce, but if the project at Waterside was a duty-before-complain exercise, I hope those affected will be relocated to new sites where making ends meet will be done without the uncomfortable intervention by City Hall.
Why is Mary Broh alone so good at making things happen? The reactions from some here in America about the actions taken by Mary Broh are scared. Some want her to be charged with arson. "She is burning Monrovia down," some are saying. "Mary Broh should not be confirmed by the Senate, for she has become an enemy of the State." Those are the tongue lashings I am reading. These are criticisms from people who could be paying $1000 just for dropping a piece of paper on the street in Philadelphia or the street in Silver Spring, if the police saw them committing such a horrendous crime! These are people who are helping to build Liberia from far off.
If things begin to change for the better at MCC, Madam Elen Johnson-Sirleaf, please send Mary Broh to GSA and then later, bring her right near you, in your office. Let her take care of the one computer your family members seem so obsessed with. Let Mary Broh be responsible for looking over all those contracts that boy Willie had so much access to and that are now being handled by people who really care less about why 250,000 Liberians died.
Mary Broh needs to have a serious meeting with those close to the President whose names keep popping up because of corruption and other bad behavior and misdeeds. Mary Broh has become the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf serious Liberians longed to see in action. Mary Broh is the most serious sheriff in town.
I like that.
Recently, a few zinc shacks were torched to make way for a cleaner environment where the food the people eat is purchased. Many are outraged about this. "Our poor people should not be treated this way," is the argument. Mary Broh, the lady clothed to bring cleanliness next to Godliness, is being pommeled for taking actions to keep the city of Monrovia clean. With information scarce, I did not take too long to find favor with the broom used to begin the process:
Sometime ago when I heard that Mary Broh was doing extremely well at the Passport Section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I suggested in one of my letters to FrontPageAfrica that it would be nice if she were sent to the Free Port of Monrovia where dee dee-ba and "hustling" were rampant. It wasn't long after my suggestion that I heard that Ms Broh was given a huge broom to go across the bridge and do some sweeping at the National Port Authority. I got a few calls telling me that my wish had come true. There was no gloating on my part, for what happened way in Monrovia was just a coincidence.
I went online and goggled www.monroviacityhall.com. The result took me to the City of Monrovia in California. I felt terrible because I wanted to read about what previous warnings had been put out there by our Monrovia City Hall concerning the building of zinc shacks as market stalls by people doing business down Waterside. If such information is not out there, Monrovia City Hall, Liberia, needs to establish a web site where Liberians everywhere can go and get news about their city. I went to other web sites like MICAT and others. I wasn't impressed. Maybe I've lived in America too long and cannot live without clicking and getting real results. The government needs to start putting some serious money into technology. I want to be able to get online, click on the Ministry of Agriculture and read some serious stuff about Agriculture and its impact on the nation's population. Googling further, I tried Monrovia City Corporation. I was taken to the Daily observer Online where Ophelia Hoff-Saytumah was being pummeled for doing nothing to keep Monrovia clean.
I had no idea that Mary Broh had been snatched from the Free Port of Monrovia and appointed to head the Monrovia City Corporation. The outcry on the Internet from the incident at Waterside is amazing. Nevertheless, workers at GSA are begging for Mary to visit their work site.
I remember some time ago when marketers were selling their wares on every street corner in Monrovia. Getting these sellers from those sites was a tug of war. Now I hear that the streets of Monrovia are passable and cars and sellers no longer compete for space.
Malaria tablets are my worst enemies. They are too bitter for me; but if I want to get well from the bites of mosquitoes, I have to take those bitter pills. If our environment is to meet the minimum of standards, cleaning and getting rid of zinc shacks, especially in areas where our food is sold, is a dire necessity. Making tough decisions is a way of life. Those who don't understand this must continuously be told why certain decisions have to be taken, even if these decisions seem a bit out of the norm.
Details are scarce, but if the project at Waterside was a duty-before-complain exercise, I hope those affected will be relocated to new sites where making ends meet will be done without the uncomfortable intervention by City Hall.
Why is Mary Broh alone so good at making things happen? The reactions from some here in America about the actions taken by Mary Broh are scared. Some want her to be charged with arson. "She is burning Monrovia down," some are saying. "Mary Broh should not be confirmed by the Senate, for she has become an enemy of the State." Those are the tongue lashings I am reading. These are criticisms from people who could be paying $1000 just for dropping a piece of paper on the street in Philadelphia or the street in Silver Spring, if the police saw them committing such a horrendous crime! These are people who are helping to build Liberia from far off.
If things begin to change for the better at MCC, Madam Elen Johnson-Sirleaf, please send Mary Broh to GSA and then later, bring her right near you, in your office. Let her take care of the one computer your family members seem so obsessed with. Let Mary Broh be responsible for looking over all those contracts that boy Willie had so much access to and that are now being handled by people who really care less about why 250,000 Liberians died.
Mary Broh needs to have a serious meeting with those close to the President whose names keep popping up because of corruption and other bad behavior and misdeeds. Mary Broh has become the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf serious Liberians longed to see in action. Mary Broh is the most serious sheriff in town.
I like that.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
We Must All Condemn Bad, Uncouth Behaviors
The old ways and frisky attitude are showing their ugly heads again in the new Liberia. Not many people want anything new in a country that is witness to the killing of more than 250,000 of its people and the destruction of the entire nation.
The Auditor General that is trying to bring a sense of accountability to a nation riffed with corruption and care-free pillage is being ganged up on by the Deputy AG and a host of mean friends. This sort of thing should never be allowed to take root in a civilized society. The rule of law must prevail, even if the culprit is a Tubman or an Obama.
The gangster behavior of Matu Tubman on the person of John Morlu, her boss, ticked me off. I had to react after a long hiatus:
For some reason I am realizing everyday that I have an opinion on every issue that affects our daily existence, especially those issues concerning the way things are being done in Liberia, the country in which I was born.There is a constant war between two great entities waging inside of me. One entity is adamant and very supportive of my intention of keeping the feet of our leaders to the fire of progress and meaningful change. The other entity is also as adamant and very forceful in trying to convince me to let up on my insistence that our leaders be held accountable for the many missteps that continue to keep the country and people of Liberia at the mercy of the few elites and at the lowest end of the progress ladder.
When there is a long period of silence when an opinion from me is nowhere to be heard, it dawns on me that I am being weighed down by that entity that wants me to mind my own business and let the stealing, insults and assaults and unaccountability continue unabated. When this war is reaching a feverish pitch, my whole life becomes miserable and I feel as if I am being deprived of a special kind of oxygen. And because I want to keep living and fighting against the injustice and inequity that continue to befall the people to whom I belong, I will no longer tolerate or condone any suggestion from that entity that is stubbornly bent on trampling upon my desire to keep living for justice. And so, with that inalienable desire to keep fighting and scratching and screaming, until a new dawn shows its face in the land of liberty, here I go.
The first thing on my agenda is the story about that computer in Ma Ellen's living room that is so accessible to every Tommy, Kerkula and Finda. You mean to say well-to-do people would leave their homes and go to the president's house to transact the country's business on one computer? And who is this Finda Koromah of Sierra Leone who has sworn to God that she was never in Liberia and who even tried to deny that she is a friend of our president? That story has me scratching my head and wondering: What was EJS thinking.
The next thing I want to touch on is Counselor Estrada Bernard. He has been trying to reintroduce himself to the Liberian people. I don't know whether he had to do what he did. Telling the Liberian people where he was born, where he went to school, how he helped to build the Mount Coffee Hydro Dam, and how he has worked and continues to work so hard to build Liberia; all his remaking of himself has nothing to do with the $600,000 and the scratch card money. I strongly feel and will like to suggest that the president's sister's husband, Counselor Estrada Bernard, should be retired for the wonderful services he rendered the country. His present position in the Mansion should be given to someone else. When you are the head of a government, not everyone that says Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. Your own friends will try to drag you under, Madam President.
And my last thing for now is the news that the Deputy Auditor General, Matu Tubman, along with her best friends, decided to assault and insult her boss, John Morlu. It is true that the president is setting up an investigative team to look into the matter. But the mere fact that a Tubman would be beating on the Auditor General of Liberia is bad news for the government. After 27 years of a Tubman being in the Mansion, after 27 years of paving the road from Monrovia to Totota, wouldn't it be wise for Matu Tubman to play it cool especially if her father is the head of the National Port Authority and she is Deputy Auditor General of Liberia? How in the world will the audit report from NPA be without flaws? This nepotism thing in Liberia needs to stop.
It seems that Mr Morlu has a lot of enemies in Liberia. Even some Legislators, the people who are supposed to make the laws for the country, are saying things that could endanger the life of this young son of the land. How will the country ever be built if transparency and accountability are seen as enemies of the state? Why, when the people of America complain about their leaders who are corrupt and don't pay taxes, these leaders will quickly pay those taxes and sometimes resign their posts? Why are corrupt Liberian leaders so shameless and will continue to remain in government no matter what the people think of them? What happened to self dignity and self pride?
The ultimate sacrifice of 250,000 plus Liberians must never be forgotten. What is going on in Liberia and the negative reactions from those who should know better do not fare well for the country. And those who are the culprits are those who were praying and lamenting day and night for Liberia to be better. Living in foreign lands for these people was a nightmare. Now that Liberia is slowly coming back to normal, see what is happening.
If our country is ever to prosper and if the people are to ever benefit as true citizens, then we must all condemn the crazy and uncouth behaviors of those who want nothing but to see a second collapse and total destruction of an already ruined state.
The Auditor General that is trying to bring a sense of accountability to a nation riffed with corruption and care-free pillage is being ganged up on by the Deputy AG and a host of mean friends. This sort of thing should never be allowed to take root in a civilized society. The rule of law must prevail, even if the culprit is a Tubman or an Obama.
The gangster behavior of Matu Tubman on the person of John Morlu, her boss, ticked me off. I had to react after a long hiatus:
For some reason I am realizing everyday that I have an opinion on every issue that affects our daily existence, especially those issues concerning the way things are being done in Liberia, the country in which I was born.There is a constant war between two great entities waging inside of me. One entity is adamant and very supportive of my intention of keeping the feet of our leaders to the fire of progress and meaningful change. The other entity is also as adamant and very forceful in trying to convince me to let up on my insistence that our leaders be held accountable for the many missteps that continue to keep the country and people of Liberia at the mercy of the few elites and at the lowest end of the progress ladder.
When there is a long period of silence when an opinion from me is nowhere to be heard, it dawns on me that I am being weighed down by that entity that wants me to mind my own business and let the stealing, insults and assaults and unaccountability continue unabated. When this war is reaching a feverish pitch, my whole life becomes miserable and I feel as if I am being deprived of a special kind of oxygen. And because I want to keep living and fighting against the injustice and inequity that continue to befall the people to whom I belong, I will no longer tolerate or condone any suggestion from that entity that is stubbornly bent on trampling upon my desire to keep living for justice. And so, with that inalienable desire to keep fighting and scratching and screaming, until a new dawn shows its face in the land of liberty, here I go.
The first thing on my agenda is the story about that computer in Ma Ellen's living room that is so accessible to every Tommy, Kerkula and Finda. You mean to say well-to-do people would leave their homes and go to the president's house to transact the country's business on one computer? And who is this Finda Koromah of Sierra Leone who has sworn to God that she was never in Liberia and who even tried to deny that she is a friend of our president? That story has me scratching my head and wondering: What was EJS thinking.
The next thing I want to touch on is Counselor Estrada Bernard. He has been trying to reintroduce himself to the Liberian people. I don't know whether he had to do what he did. Telling the Liberian people where he was born, where he went to school, how he helped to build the Mount Coffee Hydro Dam, and how he has worked and continues to work so hard to build Liberia; all his remaking of himself has nothing to do with the $600,000 and the scratch card money. I strongly feel and will like to suggest that the president's sister's husband, Counselor Estrada Bernard, should be retired for the wonderful services he rendered the country. His present position in the Mansion should be given to someone else. When you are the head of a government, not everyone that says Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. Your own friends will try to drag you under, Madam President.
And my last thing for now is the news that the Deputy Auditor General, Matu Tubman, along with her best friends, decided to assault and insult her boss, John Morlu. It is true that the president is setting up an investigative team to look into the matter. But the mere fact that a Tubman would be beating on the Auditor General of Liberia is bad news for the government. After 27 years of a Tubman being in the Mansion, after 27 years of paving the road from Monrovia to Totota, wouldn't it be wise for Matu Tubman to play it cool especially if her father is the head of the National Port Authority and she is Deputy Auditor General of Liberia? How in the world will the audit report from NPA be without flaws? This nepotism thing in Liberia needs to stop.
It seems that Mr Morlu has a lot of enemies in Liberia. Even some Legislators, the people who are supposed to make the laws for the country, are saying things that could endanger the life of this young son of the land. How will the country ever be built if transparency and accountability are seen as enemies of the state? Why, when the people of America complain about their leaders who are corrupt and don't pay taxes, these leaders will quickly pay those taxes and sometimes resign their posts? Why are corrupt Liberian leaders so shameless and will continue to remain in government no matter what the people think of them? What happened to self dignity and self pride?
The ultimate sacrifice of 250,000 plus Liberians must never be forgotten. What is going on in Liberia and the negative reactions from those who should know better do not fare well for the country. And those who are the culprits are those who were praying and lamenting day and night for Liberia to be better. Living in foreign lands for these people was a nightmare. Now that Liberia is slowly coming back to normal, see what is happening.
If our country is ever to prosper and if the people are to ever benefit as true citizens, then we must all condemn the crazy and uncouth behaviors of those who want nothing but to see a second collapse and total destruction of an already ruined state.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Freeing Ourselves From The "Plantation" Mentality
The history of slavery in America is not a new story. Liberia was founded by those who felt that the black man's place was in Africa. Those blacks who found themselves going back to Africa, encouraged their former slave owners to transplant in Africa, especially Liberia, the Plantation vibe, in one color or the other. The Firestone Rubber Plantation is one of the many inheritances that the new settlers in Liberia never felt obligated to dislodge from their memory. Sometime I wonder whether this was a punishment for the hardship endured on Southern Cotton Plantations.
My gut feelings about the tough living conditions I experienced as a kid on the rubber plantation and how, after 82 years, things are slowly beginning to change; this gradual change for the better, prompted me to write the below account:
Your piece on the Firestone Rubber Company in Liberia which appeared in FPA on January 6, 2009 was indeed wonderful. This photo showing new residential homes of the workers was eye-catching. It is good to know that finally, Firestone in Liberia has come to the realization that those who sweat the most to make the millions of dollars that keeps the company viable and profitable deserve some kind of decent living, especially after more than 80 years of great prosperity. I feel the joy that emanated from the Public Relations Manager, Mr Rufus Karmorh as he carried your reporter around the various divisions to showcase the progress that is taking place on the Plantation.
I started of this letter by mentioning Firestone Rubber Company. The Estate Department in Firestone is responsible for the main aspect of what Firestone is all about: The production of latex and block rubber from the mature rubber plants. Firestone has been very helpful to the economy of Liberia and its people. From what we are seeing happening in Harbel right now, it is clear that with the right government in place, companies operating in the country will be constantly reminded of their obligation to those who are the backbones of their operations.
As most would know by now, I was born on the Firestone Plantation. My father worked for more than 40 years, moving up the ranks from rubber tapper to Overseer. As a kid on the plantation, I did not have the luxury of living in buildings as seen in that photo. My mom and dad and us kids all slept in one big open space of a mud unit with two tiny windows. The outside latrines in the camps had two entrances with cement slabs on which we squatted to do our thing.
Life for the tappers and their kids was indeed difficult. Food was never sufficient for a household. Our extra curricular activities were spent farming in rice or cassavas. To augment the $30 or $60 per month that was paid most of the workers, sugar cane farming was the next alternative.
After school, the kids would proceed to the various farms to help their parents make ends meet.Whenever our parents could not stand the hardships and resorted to sit ins, the government would send the army to force our parents to go to work.
I am grateful to Firestone and the government of Liberia for recognizing the importance of those who work and toil for little or nothing, under horrendous conditions. What would really please me at this time in our history, however, is for Firestone to sever from its name the word PLANTATION. Slavery and Plantation are inseparable. Firestone Rubber Estate, Firestone Rubber Company, Bridgestone-Firestone Rubber Industry are all names that make sense in the 21st century.
It is time for Liberians to stop living in work places called plantations. And the government should recognize that Liberia, founded by slaves owners, has the right to sever relationship with the "plantation" mentality.
Good job Firestone. I hope that Division 21, where I was born, will be connected to the Kakata-highway electricity line. After 82 years of prosperity, the tappers and workers of Division 21 deserve a break. I also hope that the Public Relations Manager, who might have been born in Duside, on the Plantation and who had the luxury of electricity, will take me on a tour when I come to Firestone sometime in the near future.
My gut feelings about the tough living conditions I experienced as a kid on the rubber plantation and how, after 82 years, things are slowly beginning to change; this gradual change for the better, prompted me to write the below account:
Your piece on the Firestone Rubber Company in Liberia which appeared in FPA on January 6, 2009 was indeed wonderful. This photo showing new residential homes of the workers was eye-catching. It is good to know that finally, Firestone in Liberia has come to the realization that those who sweat the most to make the millions of dollars that keeps the company viable and profitable deserve some kind of decent living, especially after more than 80 years of great prosperity. I feel the joy that emanated from the Public Relations Manager, Mr Rufus Karmorh as he carried your reporter around the various divisions to showcase the progress that is taking place on the Plantation.
I started of this letter by mentioning Firestone Rubber Company. The Estate Department in Firestone is responsible for the main aspect of what Firestone is all about: The production of latex and block rubber from the mature rubber plants. Firestone has been very helpful to the economy of Liberia and its people. From what we are seeing happening in Harbel right now, it is clear that with the right government in place, companies operating in the country will be constantly reminded of their obligation to those who are the backbones of their operations.
As most would know by now, I was born on the Firestone Plantation. My father worked for more than 40 years, moving up the ranks from rubber tapper to Overseer. As a kid on the plantation, I did not have the luxury of living in buildings as seen in that photo. My mom and dad and us kids all slept in one big open space of a mud unit with two tiny windows. The outside latrines in the camps had two entrances with cement slabs on which we squatted to do our thing.
Life for the tappers and their kids was indeed difficult. Food was never sufficient for a household. Our extra curricular activities were spent farming in rice or cassavas. To augment the $30 or $60 per month that was paid most of the workers, sugar cane farming was the next alternative.
After school, the kids would proceed to the various farms to help their parents make ends meet.Whenever our parents could not stand the hardships and resorted to sit ins, the government would send the army to force our parents to go to work.
I am grateful to Firestone and the government of Liberia for recognizing the importance of those who work and toil for little or nothing, under horrendous conditions. What would really please me at this time in our history, however, is for Firestone to sever from its name the word PLANTATION. Slavery and Plantation are inseparable. Firestone Rubber Estate, Firestone Rubber Company, Bridgestone-Firestone Rubber Industry are all names that make sense in the 21st century.
It is time for Liberians to stop living in work places called plantations. And the government should recognize that Liberia, founded by slaves owners, has the right to sever relationship with the "plantation" mentality.
Good job Firestone. I hope that Division 21, where I was born, will be connected to the Kakata-highway electricity line. After 82 years of prosperity, the tappers and workers of Division 21 deserve a break. I also hope that the Public Relations Manager, who might have been born in Duside, on the Plantation and who had the luxury of electricity, will take me on a tour when I come to Firestone sometime in the near future.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Cultural Hot Button
Culture and tradition are a vital part of our Africanness. There are those who strongly feel our culture and tradition should not be touched or modified in any way or form. There are some, however, who strongly feel that some aspects of what we live with and admire as Africans, Liberians in particular, need some discontinuation or dismantling. One of such practices is Female Genital Mutilation (FMG).
This practice which is carried out on little girls and some grown-up women, to many, is despicable and inhumane. Those who are staunch advocates of the practice compare it to kids attending preschool in the Western culture. This is far from the truth and so terribly a misinformation. A stunning revelation I got from a personal friend made me to understanding that if she had to do it all over again, she would definitely do it and even take her American-born daughter to experience this cultural phenomenon. I am not convinced. Before our discussion, I had written my disapproval of the practice of FGM:
I knew it. I knew it. As soon as the topic came up this morning, the first thing I thought was, wherever Ngee is hiding, he would be out immediately. FGM is a topic he loves to promote even after all the horror stories that are being told by African women on the Tyra Banks and other shows.
I definitely won't mind sending my daughter to "bush school" to learn how to cook and how to respect her peers and elders. Children are the same all over the world. To compare sending your kids to western preschools with what happens to children in Liberia whose parents find it entertaining to send their kids to "Grebo Bush", the comparison here is beyond insane.
I love our culture. I love the various tribal traditions of Liberia. We will still be human beings if this particular cultural practice is discouraged and discontinued. With the inquisitive children we have these day, I would be caught in a jam trying to explain the whys to some of the things that go on in the "bush school."
I can't wait for the day when the advocates of FGM announce via these listservs the return of their daughters from "bush schools" in Liberia. Until then, we have the right to make all the noise we can make, knowing fully well that none of us is prepared to take the first step to sending our daughters to Liberia to undergo this most educationally cultural experience.
Happy New Year, Nathaniel Gbessagee!
This practice which is carried out on little girls and some grown-up women, to many, is despicable and inhumane. Those who are staunch advocates of the practice compare it to kids attending preschool in the Western culture. This is far from the truth and so terribly a misinformation. A stunning revelation I got from a personal friend made me to understanding that if she had to do it all over again, she would definitely do it and even take her American-born daughter to experience this cultural phenomenon. I am not convinced. Before our discussion, I had written my disapproval of the practice of FGM:
I knew it. I knew it. As soon as the topic came up this morning, the first thing I thought was, wherever Ngee is hiding, he would be out immediately. FGM is a topic he loves to promote even after all the horror stories that are being told by African women on the Tyra Banks and other shows.
I definitely won't mind sending my daughter to "bush school" to learn how to cook and how to respect her peers and elders. Children are the same all over the world. To compare sending your kids to western preschools with what happens to children in Liberia whose parents find it entertaining to send their kids to "Grebo Bush", the comparison here is beyond insane.
I love our culture. I love the various tribal traditions of Liberia. We will still be human beings if this particular cultural practice is discouraged and discontinued. With the inquisitive children we have these day, I would be caught in a jam trying to explain the whys to some of the things that go on in the "bush school."
I can't wait for the day when the advocates of FGM announce via these listservs the return of their daughters from "bush schools" in Liberia. Until then, we have the right to make all the noise we can make, knowing fully well that none of us is prepared to take the first step to sending our daughters to Liberia to undergo this most educationally cultural experience.
Happy New Year, Nathaniel Gbessagee!
Monday, December 29, 2008
The Frustration of 2008 and My Hope for 2009!
I try to end each year with a positive note for Liberia, the country of my mother and my father; the country in which I was born and in which I spent most of my adult life. I love America but the thought of this tiny West Africa country continues to occupy my mind. With two day to go before 2008 ends, my mind got very itchy to spew out something:
As we end 2008 and turn over the leaves of our new calendars to 2009, I am shocked to realize that the more we gnash and grind our teeth about the things that consistently tend to keep humanity at a grinding halt, the more these things remain the same. As we throw the year 2008 into the bank of memories, I want to satisfy myself by mentioning those things that really made me feel terribly uncertain about our future as a whole.
I feel extremely helpless when a leader like Robert Mugabe will consistently keep his people down by reminding them of the war against colonialism that happened some 40 or 50 years ago. I am also shocked that African leaders themselves will buy this gimmick and refuse to condemn the likes of Robert Mugabe and their cronies.
I am dismay and frustrated that the people of Darfur continue to suffer under their rulers in Sudan. What is more helplessly frustrating is the fact that nothing of a meaningful impact is being done to alleviate the people of Darfur of their miserable conditions. What is even more eye-catching is the fact that China, because of its interest in the oil in Sudan, is propping up the government of Sudan while totally ignoring the cries and the concerns of the world.
I am sick and disturbed that the people in the Middle East expect Barack Obama to bring an end to the conflicts between the Israelis and the Palestinians. From time in memorial when the Israelis bombs have fallen and caused to much death and destruction, out comes the children of Gaza, kicking and examining the ruins of war. What is that? Why are the children coming into the streets in droves in the aftermath of air attacks? Haven't the world seen these same occurrences before, many, many times? I love Israel but at times, I am saddened by the overwhelming air strikes on innocent civilians by its war machines. I remember when Arafat was held up in a 4 x 4 enclave during one of such air attacks a few years ago.
After 60 years of war with an enemy that throws stones and launches a few missiles, Israel, the super power of the region, needs to accommodate the Palestinians by granting them self rule. And to the Palestinians, it's time to reconsider the strategy. Whatever is in place right now, from all indications, is not working. It is time to end the suicide bombings and rock throwing and missile launching. If Barack Obama is expected to bring peace to the Middle East, he has to start off with a clean slate, augmented by a mindset shifted in the direction of the 21st century. The world is so fed with the Israelis-Palestinian quagmire.
And now, my frustration in 2008 with what is going on in Liberia, the only place in the world that I know so well. The first thing that caught my attention was the behavior of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Johnny Lewis is in the habit of behaving erratically. The first thing I heard was that he got furious when he saw that his name was misspelled in some newspaper. I have no statistics to show how many Liberians went through therapy during our war time. Personally I feel that the Almighty God is extremely good to Black Folks. My son, who goes to Martin Luther King, Jr Elementary School where we live, gets counselling and therapy for school shootings in near-by counties. Did I get anyone to talk to me when rebels landed in Butuo, Nimba County in 1989? Did I get a call to go and see a therapist when we heard that rebels had crossed into Bong County and another group had been spotted in Grand Bassa? No way. Liberians of all kind and of different means kept their cool and accepted their fate as it came. Even when I came to America as a visitor during the war, no one cared whether I was traumatized or not. Whatever was happening in Liberia was my problem.
What I am saying is that Johnny Lewis, who I know was well off during the war, must have gone through therapy for property lost and good times snatched away. He should be better off mentally than many of us who were like chickens without heads. And yet, we did not go around jumping in front of trains and snatching purses and cameras from their owners! Chief Justice Johnny Lewis, the grand interpreter of the laws of Liberia, needs to behave like the man of great stature that he is.
The next thing that had me dizzy in 2008 is the news I heard that soldiers from Camp Kesselly and police officers of the LNP were fighting each other at the ELWA Junction. The government of Liberia wasted a lot of money on training both the new soldiers and the new police. The training was done to protect the people of Liberia. It pains out hearts to see our tax money go to waste. Those who did the training put in a lot of precious man hours to prepare you soldiers and police officers. It was indeed a big disgrace to see soldiers who are supposed to be so disciplined, refusing to obey the law.
Here in America where plenty Liberians live, when there is road work going on, you will see the signs from far off, telling you to slow down and the fine you could end up paying if you are found to be going over the speed limit in such a work zone. There should be no questions asked when the police signals a motorist or a motor cycle rider or a bicyclist to go one way or the other. It is the law and all must obey it. Not because the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is not a role model, so the rule of law of the whole nation should collapse. I hope this will not reoccur in 2009.
Another disturbing thing that happened in 2008 that has me a bit flabbergasted is the news that our President has now put in place more reasons why should not appear before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Since I read this and since Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has not appear to tell the Liberian people what role she played in the war, I feel funny inside.
Look at what has happened so far at the TRC. Even Charles Julu, the man whose name sent cold chills down the spine of ordinary Liberians in the 80s, this man has refused to acknowledge his role in all the killings that occurred in Nimba County and in other parts of the Country. Slangar and George Boley who held up M-16s and other weapons over the dead body of General Quiwonkpa on ELTV in 1985, announcing the capture and the killing of the General, all these people can't remember now who stood where and who did what. There are other modern-day killers who have instructed the Commissioners to go to the Hague if they want to know more about the blood diamonds and other unspeakable acts that occurred in Liberia during 14 years of hell.
So you see Madam President, you could be the most credible person to appear at the TRC. I do not want you to lie to the Liberian people.The people will cheer you up if they feel that you are telling them the truth and nothing else but the truth. I keep hearing this rumor that if the United Nations troops left Liberia today, you and Prince Johnson and others will be "put away" for a long time for what you did to President Doe and the "raze-down-the-Mansion" gaffe you made some years ago. If weapons from the war are still hidden in under ground caves in Liberia, waiting to be used again against the Liberian people, then I hope those who know where these weapons are will come to Liberia in 2009 and help the country reclaim its rightful place in a more peaceful and civilized world.
A lot of terrible things happened in our country since 1979. After 30 years of uncertainty and a confused humanity, it is time for us to turn our war materials into shovels and diggers and cutlasses and wheelbarrows. It is time, like never before, to teach our people to be self sufficient in the production of the food they eat. Many Liberians are hurt that only one of the master minds of the war is in International custody. The truth of the matter is that those who made it possible for the Grand Master to be in the Hague are the same ones who have made it possible to have a government in place in Liberia. If what they had gathered were of the magnitude that warranted all players of our lives to be at the Hague, I am 100% sure that Prince Johnson, Charles Julu, Alhaji Kromah, George Boley, General Butt Naked, General Snake In The Grass, General Peanut, Ellen Johns-Sirleaf, and a host of others would be standing trial in Liberia or in some other country of the world.
Not all the people just mentioned killed President Tolbert or President Doe. But those they influenced were involved in the killing of future presidents and first ladies. Those they had the means to support in the quest for power raped our sisters and mothers; they extracted living babies from the wombs of mothers that had nothing to do with the greed we all hear about at the end of 2008 and before. That is why it is important as we leave 2008 behind for us to think about the future of our country. We all must stop our bleeding hearts and move forward with our lives.
And finally, I saw too many Fs as the GPAs(Grade Point Averages) for those who are in the trenches in Liberia trying to make sense of the challenges of reclaiming our country from our own errors and self promotion. It is abundantly clear that to break down is far more easy than to rebuild. The little things I continue to observe, especially those things that relate to the economic collapse in the great United States, these little things I observe, tell me that we are too greedy for wealth and power. We over-kill in everything we do. In the end we are all losers.
Corruption and the rule of law must be given a laser-beam focus in 2009. If Liberians traveling to their country are not harassed at the various ports of entry by police officers or Immigration officers or soldiers, then 2009 will show hope. If the Police Department and the Department of Defense can work in harmony and coordination, respecting the responsibilities of each entity, then kudos to 2009. If more and more Liberians can be trained to become owners of their own destinies, then I will be able to say to 2009, welcome!
As we end 2008 and turn over the leaves of our new calendars to 2009, I am shocked to realize that the more we gnash and grind our teeth about the things that consistently tend to keep humanity at a grinding halt, the more these things remain the same. As we throw the year 2008 into the bank of memories, I want to satisfy myself by mentioning those things that really made me feel terribly uncertain about our future as a whole.
I feel extremely helpless when a leader like Robert Mugabe will consistently keep his people down by reminding them of the war against colonialism that happened some 40 or 50 years ago. I am also shocked that African leaders themselves will buy this gimmick and refuse to condemn the likes of Robert Mugabe and their cronies.
I am dismay and frustrated that the people of Darfur continue to suffer under their rulers in Sudan. What is more helplessly frustrating is the fact that nothing of a meaningful impact is being done to alleviate the people of Darfur of their miserable conditions. What is even more eye-catching is the fact that China, because of its interest in the oil in Sudan, is propping up the government of Sudan while totally ignoring the cries and the concerns of the world.
I am sick and disturbed that the people in the Middle East expect Barack Obama to bring an end to the conflicts between the Israelis and the Palestinians. From time in memorial when the Israelis bombs have fallen and caused to much death and destruction, out comes the children of Gaza, kicking and examining the ruins of war. What is that? Why are the children coming into the streets in droves in the aftermath of air attacks? Haven't the world seen these same occurrences before, many, many times? I love Israel but at times, I am saddened by the overwhelming air strikes on innocent civilians by its war machines. I remember when Arafat was held up in a 4 x 4 enclave during one of such air attacks a few years ago.
After 60 years of war with an enemy that throws stones and launches a few missiles, Israel, the super power of the region, needs to accommodate the Palestinians by granting them self rule. And to the Palestinians, it's time to reconsider the strategy. Whatever is in place right now, from all indications, is not working. It is time to end the suicide bombings and rock throwing and missile launching. If Barack Obama is expected to bring peace to the Middle East, he has to start off with a clean slate, augmented by a mindset shifted in the direction of the 21st century. The world is so fed with the Israelis-Palestinian quagmire.
And now, my frustration in 2008 with what is going on in Liberia, the only place in the world that I know so well. The first thing that caught my attention was the behavior of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Johnny Lewis is in the habit of behaving erratically. The first thing I heard was that he got furious when he saw that his name was misspelled in some newspaper. I have no statistics to show how many Liberians went through therapy during our war time. Personally I feel that the Almighty God is extremely good to Black Folks. My son, who goes to Martin Luther King, Jr Elementary School where we live, gets counselling and therapy for school shootings in near-by counties. Did I get anyone to talk to me when rebels landed in Butuo, Nimba County in 1989? Did I get a call to go and see a therapist when we heard that rebels had crossed into Bong County and another group had been spotted in Grand Bassa? No way. Liberians of all kind and of different means kept their cool and accepted their fate as it came. Even when I came to America as a visitor during the war, no one cared whether I was traumatized or not. Whatever was happening in Liberia was my problem.
What I am saying is that Johnny Lewis, who I know was well off during the war, must have gone through therapy for property lost and good times snatched away. He should be better off mentally than many of us who were like chickens without heads. And yet, we did not go around jumping in front of trains and snatching purses and cameras from their owners! Chief Justice Johnny Lewis, the grand interpreter of the laws of Liberia, needs to behave like the man of great stature that he is.
The next thing that had me dizzy in 2008 is the news I heard that soldiers from Camp Kesselly and police officers of the LNP were fighting each other at the ELWA Junction. The government of Liberia wasted a lot of money on training both the new soldiers and the new police. The training was done to protect the people of Liberia. It pains out hearts to see our tax money go to waste. Those who did the training put in a lot of precious man hours to prepare you soldiers and police officers. It was indeed a big disgrace to see soldiers who are supposed to be so disciplined, refusing to obey the law.
Here in America where plenty Liberians live, when there is road work going on, you will see the signs from far off, telling you to slow down and the fine you could end up paying if you are found to be going over the speed limit in such a work zone. There should be no questions asked when the police signals a motorist or a motor cycle rider or a bicyclist to go one way or the other. It is the law and all must obey it. Not because the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is not a role model, so the rule of law of the whole nation should collapse. I hope this will not reoccur in 2009.
Another disturbing thing that happened in 2008 that has me a bit flabbergasted is the news that our President has now put in place more reasons why should not appear before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Since I read this and since Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has not appear to tell the Liberian people what role she played in the war, I feel funny inside.
Look at what has happened so far at the TRC. Even Charles Julu, the man whose name sent cold chills down the spine of ordinary Liberians in the 80s, this man has refused to acknowledge his role in all the killings that occurred in Nimba County and in other parts of the Country. Slangar and George Boley who held up M-16s and other weapons over the dead body of General Quiwonkpa on ELTV in 1985, announcing the capture and the killing of the General, all these people can't remember now who stood where and who did what. There are other modern-day killers who have instructed the Commissioners to go to the Hague if they want to know more about the blood diamonds and other unspeakable acts that occurred in Liberia during 14 years of hell.
So you see Madam President, you could be the most credible person to appear at the TRC. I do not want you to lie to the Liberian people.The people will cheer you up if they feel that you are telling them the truth and nothing else but the truth. I keep hearing this rumor that if the United Nations troops left Liberia today, you and Prince Johnson and others will be "put away" for a long time for what you did to President Doe and the "raze-down-the-Mansion" gaffe you made some years ago. If weapons from the war are still hidden in under ground caves in Liberia, waiting to be used again against the Liberian people, then I hope those who know where these weapons are will come to Liberia in 2009 and help the country reclaim its rightful place in a more peaceful and civilized world.
A lot of terrible things happened in our country since 1979. After 30 years of uncertainty and a confused humanity, it is time for us to turn our war materials into shovels and diggers and cutlasses and wheelbarrows. It is time, like never before, to teach our people to be self sufficient in the production of the food they eat. Many Liberians are hurt that only one of the master minds of the war is in International custody. The truth of the matter is that those who made it possible for the Grand Master to be in the Hague are the same ones who have made it possible to have a government in place in Liberia. If what they had gathered were of the magnitude that warranted all players of our lives to be at the Hague, I am 100% sure that Prince Johnson, Charles Julu, Alhaji Kromah, George Boley, General Butt Naked, General Snake In The Grass, General Peanut, Ellen Johns-Sirleaf, and a host of others would be standing trial in Liberia or in some other country of the world.
Not all the people just mentioned killed President Tolbert or President Doe. But those they influenced were involved in the killing of future presidents and first ladies. Those they had the means to support in the quest for power raped our sisters and mothers; they extracted living babies from the wombs of mothers that had nothing to do with the greed we all hear about at the end of 2008 and before. That is why it is important as we leave 2008 behind for us to think about the future of our country. We all must stop our bleeding hearts and move forward with our lives.
And finally, I saw too many Fs as the GPAs(Grade Point Averages) for those who are in the trenches in Liberia trying to make sense of the challenges of reclaiming our country from our own errors and self promotion. It is abundantly clear that to break down is far more easy than to rebuild. The little things I continue to observe, especially those things that relate to the economic collapse in the great United States, these little things I observe, tell me that we are too greedy for wealth and power. We over-kill in everything we do. In the end we are all losers.
Corruption and the rule of law must be given a laser-beam focus in 2009. If Liberians traveling to their country are not harassed at the various ports of entry by police officers or Immigration officers or soldiers, then 2009 will show hope. If the Police Department and the Department of Defense can work in harmony and coordination, respecting the responsibilities of each entity, then kudos to 2009. If more and more Liberians can be trained to become owners of their own destinies, then I will be able to say to 2009, welcome!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
President Barack Obama
My wife and I went to the groceries store. As she browsed through the many books that lined the shelves, she realized that the front side of some of the books had been turned to the wall of the shelves. Being curious she turned the books around. The books that were turned around belonged to Barack Obama's...Dreams from My Father. That was a few weeks before November 4, 2008, the day Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States.
The election of the first Black Man to the presidency of the United States of America had me whistle-blowing the entire night of November 4, 2008. I couldn't keep the excitement inside of me. I immediately got on the computer to palm kernel-crack the following piece:
In 2005 I was constantly driving between Silver Spring, Maryland, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Reston, Virginia, following Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf everywhere she went to give support for her run for the presidency of Liberia. Three years later and two weeks before the election of Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States and the first black man to hold that position, I went through my own special ritual and meditation, hoping with all my heart that Barack Obama would be the next President of the United States of America.
For one and a half month I decided to let my hair grow. Two weeks before November 4, 2008, the day of the elections in America, I decided to stop eating rice, stop drinking coffee, and desist from drinking soda or soft drink. These personal actions of mine may not be a big deal, but that was my way of sprinkling water from my mouth unto the feet of Barack Obama for good luck, just like my father did to me when I graduated from high school and told him that I was leaving his house to start my own journey into the world.
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was elected president of Liberia and my special and personal activities for Barack Obama became meaningful, for he too was elected President of America. The feeling I am feeling is a feeling that is so difficult to explain. It is the same feeling, I think, the people of Israel felt when they heard that one of the sons of Jacob had become a ruler in Egypt. The feeling in my heart is similar to the feeling the people of Israel felt when they were told that one of their own was a prince in the house of Pharaoh and that he had come down to where the Israeli slaves were and had helped to protect one of them.
The feeling I felt on November 4, 2008 and the feeling I continue to experience is similar to what was felt when David killed Goliath or when the city of Jericho fell to the frightened Israelis after crossing the Jordan River on the journey to the promised land. Yes, my people, I feel the same way people felt when it was told that the Redeemer had risen from the dead and that mankind was forever saved.
I don't know why any black man who could vote in America not vote for the first black person who had the best chance to make history. There was a time when I personally became the most prejudiced black man in America. Anything that was said of Barack Obama that had the slightest hint of negativity was considered by me an evil and an unforgivable act. I wonder to myself why would any black man not remember the Emancipation Proclamation, the Selma, Alabama beating of black people; I wonder why any black man would forget the lynching and the injustice meted out to black people for hundreds of years and the notion that blacks were only good as slaves. I wonder why anyone, in his black mind, whether a Republican or a rebel in Africa, would think that America was not ready for a Black President.
For Black people all over the world, the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States of America gives us a special place on the ladder of human events. Millions of black children, especially those in America can now say that they too can become President of this great land.
As I celebrated with my black American workmates and told them how happy I was, they said to me: If you are so happy just imagine how we feel. "We African-Americans have not had a Black President before, but you have had many black Presidents." I dropped my head and replied, yes, right. The people of Africa have had and continue to have Black Presidents, many of whom are tyrants, lack vision and very corrupt.
President Obama will be too occupied with the problems of America. Other problems around the world may not be given the extra attention required of him. But I feel that a few demands from the President of the United States to the leaders of Africa will definitely be in place: The leaders of the Congo, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Guinea, Gambia, Somalia, Equatorial Guinea, Egypt, Uganda, and all those countries whose leaders continue to suppress their people, these leaders need to be invited to the United Nations, shown videos of the horrible conditions of their people, and be told to put in place a time line for democratic change. People in these countries are the ones mentioned in Obama's acceptance speech as being "huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world."
Although Liberia was not mentioned above, I definitely know that people in many parts of that country live in abject poverty. They too are huddling around radios in forgotten corners of their own country, and this has been going on for the past 161 years. Their lives have not changed since 1847. Their hopes and dreams continue to be that one day their Obama will come to give them hope, inspiration and to know that their children too can aspire to being the best that they can be.
The election of the first Black Man to the presidency of the United States of America had me whistle-blowing the entire night of November 4, 2008. I couldn't keep the excitement inside of me. I immediately got on the computer to palm kernel-crack the following piece:
In 2005 I was constantly driving between Silver Spring, Maryland, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Reston, Virginia, following Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf everywhere she went to give support for her run for the presidency of Liberia. Three years later and two weeks before the election of Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States and the first black man to hold that position, I went through my own special ritual and meditation, hoping with all my heart that Barack Obama would be the next President of the United States of America.
For one and a half month I decided to let my hair grow. Two weeks before November 4, 2008, the day of the elections in America, I decided to stop eating rice, stop drinking coffee, and desist from drinking soda or soft drink. These personal actions of mine may not be a big deal, but that was my way of sprinkling water from my mouth unto the feet of Barack Obama for good luck, just like my father did to me when I graduated from high school and told him that I was leaving his house to start my own journey into the world.
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was elected president of Liberia and my special and personal activities for Barack Obama became meaningful, for he too was elected President of America. The feeling I am feeling is a feeling that is so difficult to explain. It is the same feeling, I think, the people of Israel felt when they heard that one of the sons of Jacob had become a ruler in Egypt. The feeling in my heart is similar to the feeling the people of Israel felt when they were told that one of their own was a prince in the house of Pharaoh and that he had come down to where the Israeli slaves were and had helped to protect one of them.
The feeling I felt on November 4, 2008 and the feeling I continue to experience is similar to what was felt when David killed Goliath or when the city of Jericho fell to the frightened Israelis after crossing the Jordan River on the journey to the promised land. Yes, my people, I feel the same way people felt when it was told that the Redeemer had risen from the dead and that mankind was forever saved.
I don't know why any black man who could vote in America not vote for the first black person who had the best chance to make history. There was a time when I personally became the most prejudiced black man in America. Anything that was said of Barack Obama that had the slightest hint of negativity was considered by me an evil and an unforgivable act. I wonder to myself why would any black man not remember the Emancipation Proclamation, the Selma, Alabama beating of black people; I wonder why any black man would forget the lynching and the injustice meted out to black people for hundreds of years and the notion that blacks were only good as slaves. I wonder why anyone, in his black mind, whether a Republican or a rebel in Africa, would think that America was not ready for a Black President.
For Black people all over the world, the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States of America gives us a special place on the ladder of human events. Millions of black children, especially those in America can now say that they too can become President of this great land.
As I celebrated with my black American workmates and told them how happy I was, they said to me: If you are so happy just imagine how we feel. "We African-Americans have not had a Black President before, but you have had many black Presidents." I dropped my head and replied, yes, right. The people of Africa have had and continue to have Black Presidents, many of whom are tyrants, lack vision and very corrupt.
President Obama will be too occupied with the problems of America. Other problems around the world may not be given the extra attention required of him. But I feel that a few demands from the President of the United States to the leaders of Africa will definitely be in place: The leaders of the Congo, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Guinea, Gambia, Somalia, Equatorial Guinea, Egypt, Uganda, and all those countries whose leaders continue to suppress their people, these leaders need to be invited to the United Nations, shown videos of the horrible conditions of their people, and be told to put in place a time line for democratic change. People in these countries are the ones mentioned in Obama's acceptance speech as being "huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world."
Although Liberia was not mentioned above, I definitely know that people in many parts of that country live in abject poverty. They too are huddling around radios in forgotten corners of their own country, and this has been going on for the past 161 years. Their lives have not changed since 1847. Their hopes and dreams continue to be that one day their Obama will come to give them hope, inspiration and to know that their children too can aspire to being the best that they can be.
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