This week I want to reflect on an important development unfolding along the border between Liberia and Guinea in Lofa County. On the surface it appears to be a simple border dispute. But beneath the surface lies a lesson that all of us as Liberians should pay close attention to.
The people involved belong to the same ethnic group, the Kisi people. Some live on the Liberian side of the border and others live on the Guinean side. For generations they have lived with the understanding that they are one people. They share language, culture, family connections, and traditions that have existed long before modern borders were drawn.
Families interact across the border. Cultural traditions are practiced together. In many ways the border has never truly separated them as a people.
But something remarkable happened when the issue became one of land, sovereignty, and the authority of the state.
Tribe no longer determined where they stood.
Country did.
The Liberian Kisi stood for Liberia. The Guinean Kisi stood for Guinea. Despite the fact that they share the same tribe, when the moment came to choose between tribal identity and national sovereignty, they chose their country.
This moment carries a powerful message for Liberia.
For many years our national conversation has often been overshadowed by tribal politics. Too often politicians have tried to divide Liberians along ethnic lines or appeal to tribal loyalties as a way to gain influence and power.
But what we are witnessing in Lofa County tells a different story.
It tells us that for ordinary Liberians, country matters more than tribe.
The people on that border demonstrated that when Liberia is at stake, tribal identity becomes secondary. They were prepared to defend Liberia even when those on the other side of the line were people who share the same language, the same culture, and the same ancestral roots.
That is patriotism.
And it is exactly the spirit that our country needs.
Liberia must always come first. Above tribe. Above politics. Above personal or sectional interests.
If ordinary citizens living along our borders can rise to that level of national consciousness, then those of us entrusted with public leadership must rise even higher.
Ministers must put Liberia first. Managing directors of public corporations must put Liberia first. Legislators must put Liberia first. Every public servant must remember that their duty is to the Republic and not to tribe or political faction.
Those who continue to weaponize tribal identity in our politics should look carefully at the events unfolding in Lofa County. The message from that border is unmistakable.
Liberians are beginning to understand that our common identity as citizens of this nation is stronger than the divisions that others try to impose.
Our tribes enrich our culture and define our heritage. But Liberia defines our destiny.
May the example of our Kisi brothers and sisters resonate across this country. May it remind us that the strength of our nation lies not in our differences but in our shared commitment to protect the sovereignty and dignity of Liberia.
If we learn this lesson and live by it, then Liberia will be stronger than any tribe and greater than any division.