MONROVIA – The political leader of the Alternative National Congress, Mr. Alexander Benedict Cummings has called for unity in the country, and said Liberians cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past after all these years. He observed that there is no better time to call for unity than now, saying that the country is tattered and heavily divided along political, tribal, and religious lines.
Cummings said, “We must try to change the way we treat each other. It is time we do away with divisive acts and foster peace, harmony, and unity,” noting that “Our leaders have failed to unite us and continue to thrive on our disunity because ‘it is easier to break straws when they are apart than when they are together.’”
The ANC Political assertions are contained in his Unification Day Message to his partisans and Liberians at large and was released to the public on Thursday, May 14, 2020. Every May 14 of every year, is celebrated in Liberia as National Unification day which is observed as a public holiday.
Although former programs were not pronounced by government due to the pandemic, Mr. Cummings – an astute Liberian politician in the opposition bloc used the day to address the Liberian people.
Calling on the people not to despair, Cummings said, “We must not give up. We can start with ourselves by being kinder, more thoughtful, more tolerant, and more forgiving of each other. We can start by treating our fellow brothers and sisters with respect and compassion. We are a good people.”
He believes that Liberians are a warm and welcoming people, saying unfortunately however, it is strangers and visitors to our country who get to enjoy our hospitality and warmth, rather than each other.
Mr. Cummings said it is time that Liberians do away with divisive acts and foster peace, harmony, and unity, and added that other nations have done it, and Liberians can too.
“It is only with unity we can grow and develop our country. It is only with unity that we can reposition ourselves within the comity of nations. It is only with unity we can remain peaceful and not just the peace that comes with the silence of guns, but the one that nurtures us and helps us grow. I want you to know today that I believe in you, in us, and in our country and I know we can become a united people,” Cummings said.
Borrowing from a stanza of the national anthem that says “In union strong, success is sure,” Cummings concluded on this note: I want to end this message by sharing a poem by Mr. A.O Dualu entitled “I Am A Liberian”. May the words of this poem remind us of who we are and above all, put Liberia First.