Rescue Our Liberian Identity, Our Pride!

By Jarwinken Wiah

Congratulations to President-elect, Joseph N. Boakai, and Vice President-elect, Jeremiah K. Koung

Thank you, President George M. Weah, for your two big patriotic achievements for Liberia, the world’s best footballer, and for overseeing the most transparent elections ever, in Liberian history.

To the incoming administration, the “Rescue Team” of the President-elect, Boakai. Your campaign rescue train got the Liberian electorates’ clearance to start your six-year journey.  Campaigns are different from governance. There is a high expectation from the Liberian people. As you and your team embark on this journey, remember how Liberia and Liberians got here, the current stage as a nation.

Liberia is the only identity that binds all Liberians together. This piece of land is the size of Tennessee in the United States. It is the oldest independent country in Africa, aside from Ethiopia.

It belongs to all Liberians, at home and abroad. It is our land. It is our home. It is our house. It is our pride.

It was taken back from the American Colonization Society and was put together as a free country on July 26, 1847

The Liberian identity, as one nation is bigger than any county. bigger than any district. bigger than any city, bigger than any community, bigger than any neighborhood, and bigger than any household.

It is also bigger than a single man and a single woman.

It is our most Valuable pride. Valuable than any political affiliation or party.  Valuable than the pride of any tribe. Valuable than the pride of any dialect. Valuable than the cultural beliefs of any group.

It belongs to all religions. It belongs to all the people.

That is why we say, “The Love of Liberty Brought Us Here.”

She brought us to this land for freedom, equality, the rule of law and justice for all, fair play, an equal fighting chance of competing ideas, equal learning and job opportunities, and building the trust of community-setting in peace and harmony, and security for all Liberians and residents under equal protection of rule of law.

It is our country, a country of competing ideas, a country of religious tolerance, and a country of open minds and diversity.

These are the intended reasons for the freedom of our country.

Mr. President-elect, our problem is not and has not been because our country does not have enough resources or scarcity of resources.

Yes, we do have enough including untapped natural resources.  Enough to take Liberia out of poverty. The only challenge, which is the best and lasting way to rescue this oldest African republic is figuring out the ways to make these natural resources into finished products and utilizing them appropriately to benefit all Liberians.

These resources are enough to rescue all Liberian children with tuition-free public schools from ABC to 12th grade in all 15 counties.

These resources are enough to rescue all pregnant women with free care in public hospitals and clinics nationwide.

These resources are enough to rescue all the elderly from 65 years old with free health care in public health centers throughout the country.

These resources are enough to rescue all victims of drugs off the streets with recovery and skilled training.

These resources are enough to rescue all government ministries and agencies with running water and electricity.

These resources are enough to rescue all private entities and business institutions with running water and electricity.

These resources are enough to rescue all schools, hospitals, and clinics with water and electricity throughout the country.

These resources are enough to rescue the streets and communities with garbage clearance

These resources are enough to rescue bathrooms in public and private offices with running water and electricity.

These resources are enough to rescue recreation and entertainment centers restaurants, hotels, and homes with running water and electricity.

These resources are enough to rescue worship centers with water and electricity

 

Yes, I mean the resources of gold for wedding rings

The resources of diamond for drilling and mining

The resources of timbers for manufacturing

The resources of rubber for transportation

The resources of cocoa for chocolate

The resources of coffee for mental alertness

The resources of the waterfall for better health and fishery

The resources of mountains for freshwater supply

The resources of valleys for rich soils

The resources of rain forests for the stabilization of climate in the world

And yes, rescuing Liberia requires the transformation of Providence Island to ignite our founding history for culture and tourism and to display and preserve our historical arts

And yes, rescuing Liberia, requires the proper utilization of revenues from the Freeport of Monrovia to help renovate the ports of Buchanan, Greenville, and Harper

And yes, rescuing Liberia, requires the proper utilization of revenues from the Maritime Program to support societal needs such as recovery and training programs for our drug victims.

And yes, rescuing Liberia, requires the proper utilization of revenue from Roberts International Airport to renovate the James Springfield in Sinkor, the Airport of Greenville in Sinoe, and the Airport of Harper in Maryland County.

Mr. President-elect, there are four main things killing our country: patronage governance structure, a dark cloud of corruption, a dark cloud of selective justice, and personal greed.

And yes, these four elements of evil prevent the actualization of the physical and socioeconomic framework of our country—the framework of construction engineering.

The Framework of pipe-borne water supply

The Framework of Electricity

The Framework of Communication

The Framework of Schools

The Framework of hospitals and clinics

The Framework of Food Production

And yes, these four elements of evil steal and kill the future of our children. They prevent the let-out of talents of our children in all 15 counties, 73 electoral districts, and 134 administrative districts.

Mr. President-elect, your work queue includes:

 

Rescuing the Talent of a Doctor

Rescuing the Talent of Technology

Rescuing the Talent of Scientific Research

Rescuing the Talent in Mechanical Engineering

Rescuing the Talent in Electrical Engineering

Rescuing the Talent of construction engineering

Rescuing the Talent of piloting an airplane

Rescuing the Talent of captaining a ship

 

May God Bless you, Mr. President-elect, and your team

God Bless Liberia and its people!

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