J. Nathaniel Daygbor
24 June 2009
Monrovia — Bong County Electoral District # 6 Representative Edwin Juah is unhappy with the continuous criticism of Liberia’s Poro and Sandi societies, describing it as unacceptable, urging those engaged in the act to desist.
He made specific reference to the endless criticism of what is now known as female genital mutilation (FGM) or female circumcision, saying local and international non-governmental organizations are using it to attract financial support from donors.
Representative Juah who claimed to be a member of the poro society spoke last Friday at the Campus of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion University (AMEZU) on Benson Street in Monrovia during a NATMOTE-NDI sponsored Youth Legislative Engagement.
Representative Juah a political science lecturer at the AME University and the University of Liberia described it as pity that individuals would choose to abuse their organic culture for the greed of money.
He said such habit is an abuse of their tradition, lack of love for the country and abuse to those who introduced the practice that has guided people for centuries.
“The practice of the Poro and Sandi society is a school where young people are taught to learn about the future challenges. No country in the world as far as history tells me survives in the absence of cultural and traditional practices. So for Liberians who have little education to use the air wave to condemn our culture and tradition is an affront to our ancestors and nation as whole,” he averted.
“Let people themselves decide to avoid the practice and for people to term it as devilish and publicly condemn it is wrong. “We will directly say is because of finances that while our own daughters and sons who attended the poro or the sandi societies are criticizing the respectable practice,” Rep. Juah said.
The Bong County lawmaker indicated that westerners have culture and traditional practices, mentioning the United Brotherhood of the US, the Church the Knight of St. John amongst others.
He then called those engaged in such practice to desist because they are bound to become victims of posterity.
He also used the time to call young people of the country to constructively engage their respective lawmakers so as keep them on their heeds in doing the right things for the betterment of the state and its people.
Another lawmaker, Senator Gloria Musu Scott of Maryland County called on the electorates to vote for illiterate people who have the ability to point out knowledge about the functionaries of the Liberian law.
For his part, the Executive Director of NAYMOTE Eddie Jarwolo said the youth legislative engagement is geared toward increasing the understanding of young people about the workings of the First Branch of Government, the 52nd National Legislature, with the view of stimulating youth leadership development.
“In addition to assisting young people to have a better understanding of policy formulation and how they can best influence the process at the grassroots level, it is about promoting dialogue between young people and legislators”, he noted.
He said the Friday’s Edition of the NAYMOTE- National Democratic Institute Youth Legislative Engagement is the second of its kind, noting that the first was held amongst high schools including G. W. Gibson, SDA high School, the Catholic Cathedrals School, the William V. S. Tubman High School.
He expressed hope that the exercise will go to the leeward counties and may last till the 2011 elections.
During the interactive forum, students actively participated as they posed intriguing questions to the two lawmakers, Senator Gloria Musu Scott and Representative Edwin Juah.
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