EDITORIAL: Hailing Our Personalities of the Year

THE ANALYST HAS identified two Liberians – President George Manneh Weah and National Elections Commission Chairperson Davidetta Browne-Lasannah – as Personalities of the Year 2023. Most media institutions, as the tradition has been, do select individuals or groups that they find exceptional in the dispensation of service to the country in their sphere of operation during the year. And they media outlets often use their pages and airwaves to highlight some of the outstanding contributions and achievements those personalities made during the year and the impact left on the nation and the people. It was against the backdrop that the editorial team of The Analyst constituted a vetting commitment to review the outputs and stewardships of prominent as well as ordinary Liberians in the public and private sectors as to determine which of those citizens were found fit to be selected as the organization’s Personalities of 2023.

AT THE END of the rather vigorous review process, the Vetting Committee submitted names of ten personalities to the Management and Editorial Team. Following weeks of spirited debates and arguments, the Analyst’s list of ten shrunk to two—only to persons were voted as the Personalities of the Year. Commonly, the two individuals were found to be the ones whose deportment, character and wisdom adverted Liberia’s relapse to conflict and woes that come with conflict. In the wisdom of the editorial team, 2023 was a decisive moment since, amongst other things, its scheme of things included holding crucial general and presidential elections, the first time the country was going through such a conflict-sensitive exercise without the presence of the independent international community which, for nearly two decades, had babysat or spoon-fed the nation with its lavish supports, including overseeing national security.

THE ANALYST’S MODE of selecting the personalities for the year under review acknowledged various ominous predictions about the year and who must have made it possible to avert it. Several days came to mind, but only the two were found to play the key role.

THERE WERE LIBERIANS and foreign friends who had contended that conflict and war were looming over Liberia due to elections because politicians, mainly political parties, were prepared mentally and physically to turn the country’s fledgling peace into disharmony and war, as none would accept defeat. Others beat chief chests on their prediction that the incumbent leader, President Weah, in collusion with the electoral management body headed by Madam Lasannah, would rig elections, and that would be a pretext for aggrieved parties to resort to insurrection.

TIME WITHOUT NUMBERS, Liberians had and told fearful dreams and visions about the 2023 elections and how they saw the country submerged in the seas of blood and chaos. And those dreams could not be wrong. They were real. That this country could have been torn part by conflict and war in 2023 was a high possibility. The risks were high. Even during the campaigns, the rhetoric was bellicose. The threats of war and of resorting to carnage were spewed out unconscionably. The nation was on edge. Liberians were nervous. There were those who packed their personal effects and their family ready to leave the country. Some actually left. Indeed, the 2023 elections were a clear and present danger to Liberia’s peace and stability.

BUT THANK GOD we had two of our citizens who sat on the wheels and had the trigger of what it would have taken to let the predicted woes happen or not to let them happen.

IN THE PAST in this country, and just recently in other countries, it happened. Carnage and mayhem broke out in our country over elections results as the case is right now in some of our neighboring countries. It is commonplace that during elections, when the incumbent president and the head of the electoral management body who sit at the wheels and have the trigger put selfish interest and party interest over the nation, carnage and mayhem set in. Some of the conflicts can be short, and some can take a longer time. But, commonly, they often come with devastating a toll on human lives, on the peace and stability of the country, and at the peril of freedom, security and democracy, as we saw before in the past in this country and are right now witnessing in countries near and far.

AS HISTORY HAS shown, it is true any incumbent president can organize elections and any head of an electoral management body can conduct them, but not all are given to the nature and right attitude to conduct peaceful, fair and credible elections. Only a few do. And when the few persons do, particularly in Africa, it means they are extraordinary humans and it means they deserve commendations. They deserve accolades.

THIS IS WHY the Analyst gives flowers and accolade to incumbent President Weah and NEC Chairperson Lasannah for successfully presiding over the hotly contested legislative and presidential elections of 2023, which was widely predicted to have ended in turmoil and war, but came out so satisfactory to Liberians and the international community. We accord them our most prestigious accolade—Personalities of the Year.

WE THANK THE two Liberians for mustering the rare courage, the persona, the deportment, proving themselves hyper-patriotic and selfless. They made history for themselves, their families and the nation. They have further entrenched Liberia’s credential as a democratic model in the subregion.

AGAIN, HATS OFF, Mr. President and Madam Chairperson. The nation owes you a debt of gratitude. God bless!!

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