One of my Nigerian reading and writing mentors, in Nigeria (2001-2011), often said this to me: "Liberian man. Samuel, anybody who reads extensively and who produces books--a product of extensive reading--is the most critical citizen in any Nation of the World. Through promiscuous or indiscriminate reading, he or she has expansive knowledge of how a nation can develop, or who is standing in the way of the Nation's developmental track. When anybody in this category of genuine patriots is speaking on serious national issues, he, or she uncompromising, even if knife is at his or her throat, or gun is pointed to his or her head, or the nation-destroyer being addressed is the speaker's only source sustenance."
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Dr. Robtel Neajai Pailey, a Writer, and Author of many Books (including two anti-corruption books for Liberian kids), is Liberia's brand of a "critical-minded Writer."
She is a protégé (mentee) of Liberia's former Head of State, Madam Ellen Johnson, politically referred to as "Iron Lady" by some Liberians--on her mental and physical strengths.
When she was Minister of Finance during the Presidency of Samuel Kanyon Doe, in the 1980s, she refused to affix her signature to release money by the Ministry's Financial Department to release money her employer, the Head of State, had requested. Her refusal was on the premise of the President's failure to clarify to the finance minister how the money would be used. This caused her dismissal by the President. I, Samuel G. Dweh, read about this in the President's Book, her Memoir, titled "This Child Will Be Great."
An Assistant Professor in International, Social & Public Policy Department of Social Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Liberia's Robtel Neijal Pailey--the "mentee" of the "Iron Lady" (former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf)--was selected by President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, to serve as National Orator for her Country's "political independence."
The title of her speech was "A Radical Agenda for Re-Imaging Liberia."
Her beginning statements
"As somebody who loves this country with every fiber of my being, I feel very honored and privileged to address you today. When I think of Liberia's birth as a nation, I often picture fists of all shapes raised in the air (she raised her hand upward), because our declaration of independence on July 26, 1847, was a revolutionary act of defiance."
Some other parts of her speech
"...We mortgaged our resources to the highest bidder...We mistook autocracy for democracy...In 2021, I published a Book that investigates how Liberian citizenship has changed across space and time and what implications this has for our development outcomes...We must also enforce the Liberianization Policy by protecting Liberian businesses from the monopoly of foreign cartels...On the international affairs front, we must not allow foreign financiers to hijack our development process. We cannot and will not build a new Liberia for all Liberians if we blindly pander to the World Bank, International Monetary and their proxies in the United Nations...
ON "NATIONAL UNITY"
There is "Presidential culture of hatred" between the sitting President and his/her predecessor (former President) in post-war Liberia. For example, former President Charles Taylor "still feels" his successor, sitting President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf orchestrated his being thrown into a jail house in a foreign Country on his actions during wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone in the 1990s. With this "feeling," he harbors a lifetime "hatred" for his successor.
Global football icon George Manneh Weah "felt" sitting President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf "facilitated," through the Head of the National Elections Commission, his loss of the Presidential Election in 2005, and did same against his Political Party's Presidential Candidate (Winston Tubman) in the 2011's Presidential Election. With this "feeling," President Weah "maintained a wide gap" between him predecessor (former President Ellen Sirleaf) throughout his Presidency (2018-2023)
During the 2023's Presidential Election, CDC's candidate, George Manneh Weah (sitting Head of State), and Unity Party's candidate, Joseph Nyumah Boakai, were always in "bitter exchanges" (political gambits), sometimes "insults". Sometimes pro-President Weah Journalists Radio station and newspapers owners denigrated the President-in-waiting (Mr. Boakai) So, from the day the National Election Commission (NEC) as the new Head of State, Mr. Boakai had not been on a cordial speaking terms with his predecessor (former President Weah), except during the inauguration of the new President-elect (Joseph Nyumah Boakai) into office.
The division between the current President and the former has always created division in group of Liberians on either side. Such acrimony between the former President and the current President often extends to the new Head of State's dismissal of all or majority of civil servants--including excessively competent ones--employed by the former President. Such "POLITICAL VENDATA" is the cause of a "weak civil service" in the first three years of the new President.
On national unity, 177th Liberia's Independence Day Orator, Robtel Neajal Pailey declared: "Despite our adopting Unification and Integration policy one century one century after independence, we never actually united against a common, existential threat until the Ebola outbreak of 2014-2016... For the first time, in that moment, instead of attacking each other, we stepped into a collective purpose and showed that "in union strong success is sure."... In this, our 177th year, I urge us to re-imagine what it means to be "one nation indivisible". Oh, how "sweet" this Country could be if we only rebuild it for all of us to enjoy! We must believe that there is a sufficient space to accommodate our differences and our shared experiences."
Implicitly responding to some Liberians who feel only a person's passage through a building marked "University" or possession of university degree equips him or her for national development, the Liberia's 177th Independence Day Orator declared: "Everybody does not need to attend university to contribute to structural transformation." This the story of Samuel G. Dweh
On election of the "right persons" into Liberia's Presidency or the Legislature, she cautioned Liberian voters to cast their ballots for persons with high moral uprightness (integrity)
After she said this, my attention shifted to President Joseph Boakai He nodded--an "endorsement" of what my fellow Writer and Books Author had said.
Later, the Charge' d' Affaires of the U.S. Embassy, Her Excellency Catherine Rodriguez, glimpsed at other officials of the American Embassy, and rose from her seat. The other U.S. officials did as their leader had done. Minutes later the body of the U.S. Embassy's officials marched out of the hall.
Many Liberians in the hall, including me, and foreign dignitaries were baffled by the American delegation marching out while the National Orator was still speaking.
"Do the U.S. Embassy's representatives see their Country in the Orator's comment about mortgaging our resources to the highest bidder?" a Liberian sharing the same seat with me, near the entrance of the hall, said in a low tone.
"That comment by the Orator had thrown fire in the seats of representatives from the Embassy of the United States of America--Liberia's historical partner and "financial lifeline," a lady at the first speaker's right hand presumed.
VIP attendees' scramble for photo with the orator
When the program ended, after President Boakai had left the hall, various dignitaries (representing other Countries), heads of Liberian Government's Ministries, and heads of private institutions swarmed around the orator, Dr. Robtel Neajal Pail, each person scrambling to pose with her for a photo.
Liberian Journalists give differing views on the Independence Day's oration
Members of Liberia's Media community are discussing the American delegation's walk out in the Chatroom of the Press Union of Liberia. Some are divided over the comment.
"Robtel is an excellent intellectual. A bold, firmed, and straight-faced orator," a male member wrote in the Chatroom.
"The Orator spoke her mind. And I do applaud her for that. When you acquire high-quality education, you become fearless. It's about time the bold and plain truth be told," says another PUL member.
PUL member said in the chatroom.
"Your own finish, no going to America again," another Journalist wrote against the Orator in the Chatroom.
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"The UP Government made a mistake by inviting an activist to prepare an oration for the Independence Day celebration. As an activist, she prepared her thoughts and ideas, which were not meant to be a government-sanctioned statement. It is also important to note that an activist is not a praise singer. Their role (sic) is different that of a singer," another member of the Liberian media community gave his thoughts.
We will meet again on the 178th Liberia's Independence Day celebration and the selected Orator's Speech.
About the author
Samuel G. Dweh (a member of the Wedabo ethnic group of Grand Kru County) is professional writer (fiction and non-fiction)He is a member of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), and member and former president (22017-2022) of the Liberia Association of Writers (LAW) He had worked as Proofreader, News Editor, Editor-in-Chief, and Senior Editor-Reporter with eight different Liberian Print Media Institutions (beginning as Proofreader at Daily Observer in 2011) and Reporter-Assistant Editor with one Magazine (IMAGES Magazine owned by veteran Liberian Photo Journalist Mr. Sando Moore) in 2013.
Academic status of the author of this feature article
The writer of this piece, Samuel G. Dweh, stopped at 12th Grade in 1997 in Ghana during his refugee days (1990-2001) After taking the exams of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), he couldn't find money to continue his education at the University level.
Later, he enrolled into the "University of Self-Teaching" (extensive reading), which he is still in today (2024) He has written many Books; grammatically tutored many University degree holders, including a PhD holder (former official of the Ministry of Education); the university degree-possessing speechwriter of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's Independence Day speech (2011), the university degree-possessing writer of President George Manneh Weah's speech to the 175th Sitting of the United Nations General Sitting (2020); and the university degree-possessing writer of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's State of the Nation Address (2024). He had worked as Senior Editor at eight Liberian Print Media institutions, beginning with Daily Observer (Liberia's oldest newspaper) in 2011, after his return from his 10-year (2001-2011) refugee life in Nigeria.
