Too many times in our political history there is always a strange scenario that many countries in the world cannot experience. The Liberian people organized themselves properly on November 8, to execute the mandate of democracy without any opposition contestant in the second round of the Presidential Election. The people demonstrated one of the cardinal virtues of democracy through a peaceful and well meaningful process. The National Elections of Liberia (NEC) has made some progress during the first round of the election despite some mishaps and controversies. Many of the International Community members like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) congratulated the Liberian people for the level of maturity exhibited during the course of the election. There were sixteenth Presidential aspirants that participated in the election. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of the Unity Party had 530,020 votes with 43.9% and Winston Tubman of the Congress of Democratic Change (CDC) accumulated 39, 4370 votes with 32.7%. Every well meaning citizens and foreign nationals are concerned about stability of the nation-state which is the focus for such a fragile country.
Strangely, the opposition Congress for Democratic Change refused to participate in the election stating that the entire board of Commission of the National Election Commission must step down. But whatever must be their demand, the party abstained from the electoral procedure which is very good for our democratic process. Liberia has again made significant political history. The process of engaging in a political process left with the personality or institution to participate or not. The leadership of the CDC has chosen to avoid participation. Many will like to wonder why this process is so strange when in democratic process any candidate or institution can abstain from a process. This pattern exhibited by CDC is completely rare in many societies. Notably, Liberia is noted for creating strange history. For examples, Liberia had not been colonized by any foreign forces and we have produced the first female president in Africa. Liberia is remarkable for making significant history but the country is dearly suffering from poverty and other vices.
Substantively, the new government needs to work severely on illiteracy, decentralization, social order, work ethics, and religious tolerance.
- i. Illiteracy:
Ironically, the Liberian citizens were so jubilant about the democratic process but there is challenge of illiteracy in the society. Can you imagine out of 1.288,716 that marked 71.6% of the total registered voters, there were 82,074 (6.4%) of invalid votes. It is so difficult to allow rationality to persist in the country because bulk of the people level of understanding is not good. Many times in some urban and rural communities people have conceptualized that once the information come from media institution it is always correct. The Liberia poverty reduction strategy has to be restructured and well defined to tackle the illiteracy rate in the country where every sector of the country can have some sampling of reading and writing skills. When this problem is not thoroughly tackle or improve, it could jeopardize the peace process or hinder the developmental pattern in the country.
- ii. Decentralization:
The question of decentralization is not settled. The concept is wrongly applied in some quarters in the country. Many times deconcentration is being used by present government apparatus. The type of decentralization some of us are speaking of is when the government completely devolves some of the powers to the local authority. This kind of decentralization has not been implemented and addressed. The National Policy on Decentralization and Local Governance has been developed by the stakeholders throughout the country with support from the national and international partners especially the Governance Commission, United Nations Development Program, Open Society Initiative for West Africa and the European Union. The Government of Liberia will have to ensure the National Policy is strictly respected where it can be enacted into law and subsequently set for constitutional referendum. What is amazing is that the executive branch does not necessary need referendum before it can surrender some of the powers to the local people, it just need to be proactive and committed to put the decentralization issue into action. This is the new government challenge.
- iii. Social order
Social order is a cardinal virtue for building any vibrant nation-state like Liberia. It is true that we have come out of twenty five years of conflict ranging from political uprising to deadly civil conflict. There are so many learned and shared socialization processes that are detriment to the peace of the state. Some of those who are national leaders grew up through the process of deadly conflict and there is no other way for them to survive except of being gimmick in every practice. They have become the burden of society. It is so unfortunate to note that some Liberians will take the lid of the manhole out thereby creating the chaotic condition for drivers or pedestrians. The young traders used the lid to sell to iron dealers and there is no government agencies who have regimented those who are exporting iron like materials from the country. This is social disorder. It could create the condition where somebody will fall in the hole or a driver car could have terrible accident which could lead to some parts of his car to damage or so on. Today, most of the teenagers who are in secondary schools have become adult. Most of them have kids or living with friends who cannot even manage themselves. The election should not be the only point to show supremacy in the political realm of the country but rather it should serve as the means through which Liberia can be better than many countries in term of social order.
- iv. Work ethics:
The Liberian society is so volatile when it comes to people attitude for work. Many Liberians enjoy spreading their hands to beg for money other than getting to work on time and ensuring serious work is done. Most Liberia civil servant just work sometimes for thirty minutes and the rest should be lecture on political issue. It is so discouraging for a country that needs to be developed. I was once told by an elderly man that President Tolbert ensures that his cabinet members were at work on time. Can you imagine a Liberian public official goes for lunch and will not easily come back but will demand for his salary at the end of the month as though he has worked severely for it. For instance, sometimes the excuse for work in the month can enable the public servant to work even for ten working days. Work ethics is a serious problem for our country. In this strange history making country, where history making is peculiar, work ethics must be enhanced to make sure that civil servant or public servant comes to work on time and work seriously. There are lot more need to be done to make our development visible. We must develop the spirit to work at all times.
Religious tolerance:
In a country where Christianity is the most dominant religion coupled with other religious affiliations and there is no trouble of religious practices, this kind of practice should be respected until the country vanishes from the surface planet. There should be no other religious holiday except for Christmas day and other Christianity holidays. I hope this is not subjective but it has been shown that Christian religion is more peaceful and democratic as compared to any religion in the world. This is why the biggest in the world, the United States of America does not have no other holiday other than Christmas day which everybody including pagan worship and celebrate. To the incoming legislators or government, please don’t temper with religious holiday. Who can ever go in Indonesia and ask for Christian holiday? We must concentrate on substantial issue rather than Muslim or other religious holiday. Liberians are enjoying living peacefully with other religions. For instance, during the Ramadan season, every Liberian respects the loud noise in the early morning created by our Muslim brothers. They deserve the right to practice their religion. It is true that the country is a secular nation-state but it does mean that all the religions will have holidays. The practically of these religions make it germane and set into motion the issue of secular state. There are many Muslim state in the world where no one can stand up to practice their religion. Can you imagine the Christians allow their daughter to marry any religious group of people? But, it is so difficult for the Muslim and other religion. In deed, Christianity itself is democratic. I know we are noted for making strange history, but please be mindful in granting another religious holiday especially Muslim holiday.
Conclusion:
These analyses once considered as the new plan of the government of Liberia will help put the country in the right perspective. Let me congratulate those who participated in the electoral process of our country. Sorry to those who have fallen short of the bad history during the course of one of our democratic processes. Special congratulation to the Congress for Democratic Change for making Liberia to produce another unique history that many countries have not realized in their political process. Democracy is about participation, abstinence and other unique virtues. Apart from those factors examined, Liberians must be committed to build their country and forget about creating confusion, living in the United States of America and other parts of the world because Liberia is the only country that they belong to. We must not be phantom bourgeoisie, which is taking our resources to other countries and allowing poverty to engulf our home land. Let me tell the new legislators that Liberia should be the first priority not the other way around. We are finding it difficult with those who are carrying the resources across the Atlantic ocean what’s more of creating law for dual citizenship. I hope that dual citizenship ideal should not be accepted and endorsed. In essence, in no way must the new legislators accept dual citizenship. It will not help the country. Liberians must make their country viable and accept a virtue of abstinence as a democratic value. The time is now!!!
