July 26 – Day Of Reckoning, Not Rhetoric

28 July 2011

editorial

FOR THE 164th time since July 26, 1948, Liberians of all persuasions will tomorrow be celebrating their nation’s independence from no one. As the government and its invitees feast and listen to patriotic rhetoric, the rest of the nation, as usual, will be doing as its sees fit – as much as the Almighty God had given and so as the pockets can provide, it will observe the day. The gap between the haves and have-nots will be conspicuous tomorrow, even though all will equally be hailing the nation as heirs. That is how it had been; there is therefore, no surprise that the socio-economic disparity will pass off tomorrow without notice. A little historical review might throw light into the why.

THE HISTORICAL FACT is that the American Colonization Society, a non-state-actor philanthropist group, guided, (or midwifed?), the birth of Liberia. But the decision to proclaim Liberia part of the comity of nations was that of its “Founding Fathers”. “The Love of Liberty Brought Us Here”, though the basis for political controversy up to this date, became the motto of the new nation. Essentially, “freedom for all” in this “Glorious Land of Liberty by God’s command” was to become the milieu for the public policies, programs, and activities of the new nation in all its life endeavors. And so, that nation, born to be the beacon of hope for all peoples – indigenous, free immigrants of fortunes, and asylum seekers – embarked upon the difficult journey of building bridges and of catering for the aspirations of all within its borders.

THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES, numerous Liberian leaders – 22 in all – tried to create an ideal society that is true to the founding expectations of Liberia. The nation thrived in democratization up to the 1930s, how ever narrowly democracy was defined to suit the purpose of the then urban few and the ruling elites. Afterwards, democracy regressed and took on the coloration of “autocratic democracy”, arguably, in response to the nation’s political expansion and the corresponding new integration and unification policy of the 1950s. The relative peace that that created, especially in light of the Fernando Po scandal, spurred the fame of the nation and helped attract foreign investment. The citizens remained at the fringes of society though, but for while, the superficial calm covered over the insidious class and economic divisions perpetrated by official greed, executive overbearing, judiciary cowardliness legislative bootlicking, and citizenry apathy and complacency.

EVEN THOUGHT THAT should have ended with the hegemony swap in favor of the majority downtrodden in the early 1980s, the situation actually worsened – because, more than anything else, it brought millions unto the political stage and dashed their hopes and aspirations for democracy and “true freedom and liberty for all”. The specter of official greed, political bigotry, and citizens’ complacency did not depart from the nation, having been the driving force of the nation’s governance psych and citizens’ response for more than 100 years already. This was a national setback. Notwithstanding this setback, which the civil war and the snail’s pace recovery have heightened, the people continue to celebrate – in spite of themselves, though. But it does not have to be that way just because it had been so 163 times already. There must be a change.

BEGINNING TOMORROW, THIS nation must regard Independence Day, both in terms of celebration and policy, as a day of reckoning – of counting the nations blessings, of reviewing what the leaders and people have done with them in terms of improving living standards, reconciliation, peace, and security. Note that we place improving living standards, reconciliation, peace, and security in the natural order in which we would like to see them accomplished – not jumbled up as one big assignment. If there are no blessings to counted, the government and people, through the religious communities, must organize national events to seek God’s face as the people of biblical Nineveh did. If however, there were blessings but that they were abused and misapplied, the government and people must make the pledge tomorrow, before God and man, that they will cease to play the unrepentant prodigal son. Beginning tomorrow, also, the government must replace Independence Day oration with policy breaks and projections for the next 12 months. Such replacement will produce results never dreamt of hitherto.

WE ARE NOT unaware, that some will argue that the government is already taking stock in its annual address to the National Legislature and through the national fiscal budget. Granted; but our proposition is not to impose a new legal requirement upon the government. It is about separating that which the law mandates, from that which the natural instincts of survival, of nationalism and of patriotism dictate – from the ambition of policy planning to a free will national vow against which the citizens will measure the progress of their leaders. It is about separating sheer wishes, political intentions, and the accompanying elaborate development projections, from actual commitment to growth and development of a nation. A declaration on Independence Day will carry such a natural force and resound throughout the length and breadth of this nation, because it will carry with it the aura of self-determination and independence. We are not rejecting oration as an essential part of the Independent Day celebration. “National Oration” should be okay as long as its purpose is to serve as an epoch marker, a forecast of what the nation hopes to achieve in the next 12 months. It is bad, as it had been, if its purpose is to test the oratory prowess of the speaker, to talk about what might or will never be, to entertain dignitaries even as the citizens cut off their radios for want of interest in what the orator is saying, or to build the CV of the orator.

WE LOOK FORWARD to a more sober, solemn July 26 celebration characterized by true commitment to taking concrete steps to move the nation forward – not one characterized by the usual ‘Tubmanic’ pomp and self-serving proclamations of hopes, aspirations, and ideals by gifted orators. We wish all compatriots “happy” Independence Day celebration.

AllAfrica – All the Time