The Manifestations of Liberia’s demons by Henry Johnson Jr.
We must not deny that (Liberian) African Politicians come to think,
in terms of Tribal affiliations, Party’s interest, and self-interest. Some, or if not, most (Liberian) African Politicians think of the Presidency in terms as a KINGDOM; that they and their party should come to rule forever until they are maybe assassinated or forcefully remove.
There is a straightforward rationale why some of Africa’s bloodiest, most coarse wars never seem to end: They are no conflicts but centers. Not in the conventional sense, at least. Looking at the symptoms in Liberia, you can see the manifestations of Liberia’s past demons. If Democracy weren’t the greatest equalizer, Liberia would be doom forever, with men who urged their supporters to take lives, sitting in the diaspora, while the country plunders into civil war.
I hope that these demons don’t resurrect. To understand Liberia past demons, we must first understand the cause versus effect narratives. For me, I think that it is quite horrifying how most of Liberia’s citizens have perished and some continue to live and suffer in their daily lives. All this coercion is not done by their neighbors, but by the leaders who promised them a better life from what Liberia’s Past-history did not deliver.
The message is clear, and it is not hard to conjecture, even if you are a nonbeliever. The Message = The hands you elect, are sometimes the same “HANDS” that oppresses you. Looking at those “HANDS,” I come to think of what it means. What it means, turns me to U.S. Politics, and as I analyze America’s elections, a Republican or Democratic President doesn’t rule for twelve years. It has happened but at a likely chance. But in Africa (Liberia), this is lightly possible due to POWER and self-greed.
Liberia, today is the manifestation of its own demons. The Tubman’s Resurrection. 1944–1971 = 27 years of one man being in power. This form of ruled creates some form of oppression. You wake, you see the same person, you go to bed, you see the same person, even when the (majority) entire population doesn’t want him/her. This form of rule is rooted in self-greed and power. Power not to uplift one’s nation but to fatten one’s pockets. Looking at the Past occurrences of Liberia’s history, can one assume that “Liberian (Leaders) Politicians are addicted to power?”In some form, yes and on the contrary, no. Keeping it family and friends do not develop a struggling nation; it creates an opposition that sometimes becomes rebels.
Shifting Liberia’s demons, we must come to think regarding Zimbabwe’s ailing President Robert Mugabe who remains in office, at the age of 92. At the age of 92? Yes, at that age, you should be enjoying and play with your grandkids, not fight over power and be scared to become overthrow due to past deals. For Liberia, there are no straightforward explanations.
To face truths, the ruling party of the past twelve years encountered a lot of challenges but created more upon themselves. They based Liberia’s economy on an inordinate dependency. The result? A highly unbalanced economic system that in turn prevented the growth of sovereign, individual business to render government funds. Liberia is at a crossroad, and unless she changes her leadership and style of which she is administered, the meaning of Life, Liberty and prosperity for “ALL” would only be for the few.
To prevent “the Manifestations of Liberia’s demons,” I would respectfully ask its political parties to learned from her history and start to asked themselves these questions, “What does power do?” “What happened to Pres. Tolbert, Samuel Doe, and Charles Taylor?” “Does it worth it to kill our own for our selfish-centers?” “Do my party have to come to power before I develop Liberia?” “Is the Presidency the only means to develop or a alludes to life enrichments?”
