Author: D. Elwood Dunn
Publication date: 2011
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin / New York
Pages: 1913
Genre: nonfiction (history, politics, government, academic)
Reviewed by: D. Othniel Forte
Summary
In this seminal work, The Annual Messages of the Presidents of Liberia 1848-2010 State of the Nation Addresses to the National Legislature, Dunn breaks the seals to a time capsule that has been hidden for a hundred and sixty-three years. This national treasure contained, in a time series, a most critical aspect of Liberian presidential and legislative history.
Almost a year to the day, with a few interruptions, the Liberian president delivers a State of the Republic Address (SORA- wrongfully called SONA). The speech given on the fourth working Monday in January of each year, begins at 4pm in the joint chambers of the national Legislature before a full bench of the Supreme Court, a full Legislature, diplomats, other foreign and local VIPs, and the people of Liberia.
This is one reportorial duty that is nondelegable. It was first specified in Art III, Section I of the 1847 Constitution but now falls under Art VI Section 58 of the 1986 Constitution. The report should cover the "income" and "expenditures" of the republic and the "president's legislative agenda" for the coming year. The framers specifically mandated the President to, "... on the fourth working Monday in January of each year, present the administration's legislative program for the ensuing session, and shall once a year report to the Legislature on the state of the Republic.
In presenting the economic condition of the republic the report shall cover expenditure as well as income."
This tradition dates to colonial times when the Governor of the Colony had to report to the ACS, which was shared with other colonization societies. This comes out of official reports by Agents of the Colony.
Since 1848, when the first session of the first National Legislature was held (minus few exceptions) this tradition had held. That means from President Roberts to Boakai (for 178year), 26 presidents have met this obligation to 55 Legislatures. However, Dunn compiles 141 messages out of the lot in this collection.
Of that number, Presidents Roberts and Benson delivered eight each, President Warner gave four, while President Payne delivered two. Presidents Roye and Smith each delivered one message. This was followed by two second termers, Presidents Roberts and Payne, that delivered four and two respectively. President Gardner gave five SORAs, while President Russell delivered only one. Presidents Johnson and Cheeseman delivered eight and four, respectively; while Presidents Coleman and Gibson gave five and three respectively.
This was followed by two eight timers, A. Barclay and Howard. This was followed by a series of top enders, President King (eleven), the other Barclay gave fourteen, while President Tubman delivered a staggering twenty-seven. President Tolbert delivered ten before his death. Thus, ending the first republic. President Doe gave four (in the second republic) and President Taylor delivered all six (for the third republic). President Blah had no time to deliver any before turning over to the transitional government.
Then came along the fourth republic with President Sirleaf delivering five SORAs (out of her twelve) before the publication of the book.
Dunn also includes, in the collection, five other special messages (as early as Benson and recent as Taylor) to the Legislature that hold "an important bearing on the state of the nation".
Analysis
I do agree with Dunn on three critical points: one, that this work presents a "significant body of state papers". One that, sadly, has been underused. Scholarship in the area and on the presidency remains a huge research gap. One would think by now, universities would encourage their prospective graduates to conduct original research on presidents, groups of presidents, presidential terms or even the presidency. Secondly, that this body of speech, "represent[s] Liberian political literature" on the presidents [specifically] and the nation [generally]. This is not in dispute. For there has been hardly any major new, time series collection, that has covered the presidents, the presidency and political institutions relating the two branches. But more importantly, I believe the author strikes a chord when he notes that this work "illuminates" a pathway into our turbulent "past". This light, that has been shining for the past decades, risk going dim, if modern and young scholars fail to refuel or place fresh wood into the furnace.
Additionally, the speeches "reveal presidential character". They allow us to peek into the heads, minds and persons of the people delivering them. We can deduce and infer aspects of their characters, virtues and moral compasses from each speech. As time and situations test them, we can see how they hold themselves and respond under pressure. There are many things to be gathered from the totality of each presidency, except for the one and two timers. For those, we have to combine the speech with other historical accounts to be better informed of their character.
In a system where academia is struggling on many counts, perhaps a nearly two-thousand-page book is not advisable. This, will prove to be a hard sell. Dunn will find himself wanting on this count. This, perhaps may be his undoing seeing how scholarship (in the discipline) and literacy (in general) are dragging, only the strong at heart would attempt to dig into the book. Imagine, too much information being a possible excuse for not wanting to know. Try as I may, I can't conjure up the image of a typical university learner, who has a poor educational foundation, seriously and passionately opening this book for any reason, not even for grades. Had he split the book into smaller volumes, he might have easily overcome that problem.
Recommendation
When Dunn notes the "need for serious biographies of all the presidents", he is making a desperate call to scholars and academics. This, to me, should be a national duty, a clarion call for any serious student or practitioner of Liberian Studies. That this book was published ages ago and remains the de facto reference source on the topic is sad. Frankly, it is quite shameful that in the 21st century, there are no serious body of work on the leaders of the country.
The summary work done in the Historical Dictionary of Liberia by Dunn, Burrowes, and Beyan is commendable, highly, but it is past time that universities become serious to build on that foundation. If the history, political science, public administration/policy etc. departments, of local universities want to be taken seriously, they should endorse or encourage such projects. Until then, they remain playing at educating, the way I see it. In academia, we stand on the shoulders of giants to see further ahead. How are they not doing this? How can they claim to be serious about anything when we are publishing nothing?
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From a national policy level, it should be intentional to stress the need for publication. The ministries and agencies responsible need to take this seriously. If this becomes a requirement for operation or licensing, institutions will be obligated to abide. The war ended two decades ago. It can no longer be used as a justification. Policymakers must take the lead here.
Educators need to step up their games. They should take this book apart and use it as a foundation to build upon. Serious attention needs to be directed here because there is a wealth of information in these pages. Dig in, take it apart and produce relevant materials in different areas.
The book is valid for instruction, policymaking, and review, understanding the administrative system, politics, history etc. see what I am talking about. There are enough things to be taken from it; too many angles to approach it. This book should be a key source on some issues.
I think Dunn should do an update. A new edition can only help. But if time won't permit, then, perhaps collaborating with others can do the magic, but there are way too many things that can enrichen and make this text more attractive for now.
Need I still say that I double recommend buying the book?
D. Othniel Forte (editor)
KWEE: The Liberian Literary Magazine
