By Gbe Sneh
The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
October 28, 2017
We start by referring to this Q&A with Sen. Weah, by Abu-Bakarr Jalloh. While the response shuns the question, it is however, quite revealing:
The question reads: “Let's talk about corruption and nepotism. A lot of people argue that you need to know someone in the government to get a position within the government. How would you fight corruption?”
Here’s Senator Weah’s Response: “As I stated, every Liberian knows me. I grew up in a family of 15 children. But were not siblings -- but still, they had discipline. I look at Liberians as Liberians. I don't have a family in Liberia, but every Liberian is [part of] my family. During the war, our neighbors were looking for my family to take care of them. In our refugee camps in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ivory Coast and Ghana, everyone made sure that Liberians have fresh air of our making. Either you go to school and come back to be a productive citizen, like what I was doing. What you keep seeing and hearing is that Liberian people are reserved to make me their president because they know how I'll interact with them. They love my country and my people.”
In an article depicting reasons why Sen. Weah is not qualified to lead Liberia, prominently featured is his propensity to make very poor decisions (link supplied below). One only needs to ponder the Senator’s words in the excerpt of the interview produced above, and easily find an argument to support the claim. Sen. Weah shots himself in the foot with the line, “I don't have a family in Liberia, but every Liberian is [part of] my family ...” So, to what country does Sen. Weah owe his FIRST ALLEGENCE? This is a revelation of huge proportion, My People, and it is a good bet, most Liberian People did not have this information going into The First Round. Hopefully, they are awakened by it.
So, what is the point here? With these words, Sen. Weah frankly disowns the Liberian People, while proclaiming himself some “MESSIAH”, or some “Knight in a shining armor”, coming from some distant land, to the rescue of a hopeless Liberian People. The Liberian People must focus on this point, and ask themselves this question - What does Sen. Weah have at stake here in Liberia, if his entire family root, along with his allegiance, is in another country, as he now tells us? Liberians now awakening to this revelation, should rethink their votes for Weah, and they would have a strong basis for that, as the Presidential Election moves into the Final Round.
My People, “it came from the horse’s own mouth”! It is, by no means, some “chechepole” to tarnish this man. Strictly the facts, My People! Read it for yourself. This is not to pull out some phantom xenophobia card and play it out of desperation. Noooo! It is a sensible and pertinent assessment of Sen. Weah’s stake in Liberia and its People. What kind of statement is that to throw in the face of the Liberian People? Did he misspeak or what? No, this Liberian is not happy with that kind of patronage! NO, one more time!
Once again, we call Sen. Weah out on his very poor decision making. Sen. Weah has emphatically proclaimed that, under no circumstance would he accept anything, but a victory, when asked whether he will accept the vote results. Contrast that to VP Boakai’s response to the same question, where the VP takes the higher ground by toning it down with this phrase, “Assuming the election is adjudged fair and transparent, I will accept the result.” Now, that’s an adult talking.
What is the basis for this incendiary comment by Sen. Weah, a candidate whose following is more cultist than anything else? It is no secret that Sen. Weah enjoys his large following, arguably, from his tremendous prowess and success as a by-gone professional football player. I will be the first to tell every Liberian that I would wake up Saturday mornings to faithfully watch Weah when he starred at AC Milan. But, don’t let anyone tell me that is a reason, and a sole basis to vote for him as my President. How many years ago is that, by the way? He has milked this thing dry! It is time for him to let it go.
Sen. Weah cites a “well trained” campaign team as the basis for his “supreme confidence”. Granted he has fielded a well-oiled campaign machine, is the Senator aware that, no amount of preparation, for any election campaign, is a guarantee for a successful outcome? A scenario could find the Liberian People taking heed to what the Senator said in the Q&A with Mr. Abu-Bakarr Jalloh, among other issues, and completely reverse their votes in the Second Round, and doom the Senator, in his THIRD quest. Would he still claim victory, as if he is a “Man Born to Rule Liberia”? We call on the Senator to retract his unacceptable position of, “It’s Weah or Nobody else”. We call on him to respect the Will of the Liberian People. Liberia, however poor and desperately yearning for the right leader, is BIGGER than any one Senator or Vice President!
Weah’s quest for this one presidency is riddled with one blunder after another.
Here’s A Litany of Sen. Weah’s Bad Decision Making:
1. Weah accepts to be Winston Tubman’s VP, surreptitiously.
2. Weah Chooses Sen. Jewel Taylor as his VP, and talks to Charles Taylor, now in prison, a man who terrorized The Liberia People, while looting our resources throughout his vicious and greedy quest to overthrow President Doe, and throughout his ensuing short presidency.
3. Weah in Bed with Sassou Inguesso, The Chronic Dictator of Brazzaville who made himself president TWICE, nearly for life.
4. Weah Disowns the Liberian People, by his own words.
5. Weah refuses to DECLARE his ASSETS, a precursor to a corrupt administration. And here is a man who, one of the few times he goes public, tells the Liberian People he is “going to fight corruption”. Please! Like we are so dumb, e! Who told Weah that we want a Donald Trump to be our leader; see what is happening to the American people under Trump. I say, My People, is that the kind of man we want to lead us, after all this suffering? NOOOO!
6. The most troubling blunder of them all: Weah’s claim of an assassination attempt on his life during these election campaigns, a claim, in strong terms, proven false by the Police. We did not hear Weah mention that again. What is to assure the Liberian People that a “President Weah” would not embark on a roundup of trumped up assassins? Where have we seen this dangerous ploy that led so many poor Liberians to their untimely deaths? A writing on the wall, My People?
How many more blunders await a “President Weah”? Do we really want to even sit down there, to let that happen? NOOOO!
My People, don’t get taken by the campaign rhetoric and hype, and judge this presidential race with wide open eyes, and with thoughtfulness. The race has come down to a choice between two people - Vice President Joseph Boakai, and Senator George Weah. They are both incumbents, in my view. The current State of our Nation, which is far from satisfactory, is a direct product of both candidates. The question one should ask then is, to what degree is each candidate culpable for our woes?
We begin with the VP. Did he have the power to have affected change these past twelve years? The position of a vice president is extremely limited, by any standard; his/her boss calls all the shots. To argue this point, I simply link Mr. Theo Hodge’s article that succinctly touches on this subject below. We know that this number two spot only goes all over the place soothing pains, a “Consoler-in-Chief” of sorts”, and cutting ribbons. The usual argument that, “Why didn’t he resign the position when he saw ills pulling the nation in the wrong direction?” is rather overworked, as one would have trouble finding a vice president, anywhere, who has ever done that.
Specifically, in the case of VP Boakai, this limited role in governance is compounded by a serious rift, now in full bloom, with President Sirleaf, who has yet to walk a yard, or sing a single song, for her faithful No.2 on the campaign trails. How fair is it then, to really tie this man to the decisions made by the boss, let alone call him a hypocrite? Has anyone asked President Sirleaf why she did not want her VP, Honorable Joseph Boakai in the race? (supported by President Sirleaf’s assertion that “it is time to give the younger people a chance to take over the leadership”.
This very loyal and honest human being, Uncle Joe, who sacrificed all for President Sirleaf to win the presidency, not once, but TWICE?! Has anyone asked why, instead, her son, Robert Sirleaf, is gluing himself to Weah with her tacit approval? Think about this, My People. Is there any valid reason why she has dragged this quiet man in the mud and humiliated him before the Liberian People and the world watching? I, for one, if nothing else at all, would give Uncle Joe, The Biggest SYMPATHY VOTE of all times! Think about it, My People.
Every time we turn around, we hear some people saying, “Look at Uncle Joe sleeping”. Yes, I would be bored too, with all the failed plans, the non-concrete action, lies, and corruption all around me! How the man will not be bored if his turn to rule was usurped by the boss, who had vehemently promised The Liberian People she was going to do just ONE TERM, only to do SIX MORE YEARS OF RUNNING OUR COUNTRY INTO THE GROUND!? So, the next time anyone brings that sleeping stuff about Uncle Joe to you, just ask this question, “What was the Ole Ma doing when all her people were stealing our money? I think she slept HARDER than Uncle Joe. Yes, the slogan is correct – “The Ole Ma Spoiled it, The Pape Will Fix it”! Who’s getting mad over that?
The Senator, on the other hand, has direct powers, whether the sitting President likes it or not, to put his foot down to steer our nation in the right direction; unlike the VP, he is a LAWMAKER, armed with powers to even remove the President. It is common knowledge, by now, that none of that happened during the Senator’s tenure. He is a member of a CONGRESS that the Liberian People have characterized as highly paid, but grossly underperforming, not to leave out bribery and corruption charges in the ranks, that have seen two Speakers of the House taken to court; it’s another story what happened to them.
Another important question to ask is, which of the two candidates is likely to sweep these past twelve years under the rug, thus maintain the same old status quo, down the same old slippery slope? Just look at who is supporting whom in this race, and honestly answer this crucial question before you cast your vote.
I will quote Senior Senator Prince Y. Johnson in closing: “No one Liberian is Born to be President.”
Read through the lines My People, be honest with yourself, as you hold this very powerful vote in your hand. It’s your life.
At the end of these campaigns, however - after all the punches and counter punches, jabs traded, vicious uppercuts, body snatching shots, even headbutts – we are all Liberians first, and The Will of the People must stand, no matter what, and allow the winner to reign, and the loser live to fight another day.
ALL HAIL, LIBERIA HAIL!
http://allafrica.com/stories/201710090077.html
http://theperspective.org/2017/1002201701.php
http://theperspective.org/2017/0109201703.php
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