Judgment Day Tomorrow!
- Liberians to Elect Chief Executive, Lawmakers
- Breakthrough or another beginning of Suffering?
By: Shelton F. Gonkerwon
Forum
Monrovia, Liberia
Distributed by
The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
One out of the 22 presidential candidates one is expected to emerge victorious to take up assignment at the driver seat of the nation’s ship of state while 64 out of the over 700 applicants for the House of Senate and representatives are expected to fill the vacancy at the legislature.
Obviously disappointment and frustration will be there to escort those who may not suit the appreciation of the people while a few others would be greeted by tears of joy as victory will also be there to lead them upon the corridor of power thus being in the authorized position to drive the people to the desired destiny of social, political and economic freedom.
The world at large and God, the creator of the world of politics obviously witness the crucial events as Liberians go to the poll, this time around when the field of play seems level, meaning the elections is being done under an environment where the voters would exercise their franchise free of intimidation.
The international community whose interest is to see the end of blood bath and the beginning of peaceful democratic environment, has since warned Liberians to make use of what it calls, “last chance,” meaning using these elections to elect credible people whose warmth in terms of leadership quality would be felt both at home and within the perimeter of the outside world to attract donors.
The Liberian nation seems visibly thirsty in terms of patriotic leadership whose actions would generate a sense of nationalism and set the pace for a defined state.
The search for an equally defined leader since the death of President William R. Tolbert in a bloody coup in 1980 April 12, has remained unabated since disappointment and frustration have often polluted the joy, happiness and expectation of the Liberian people. The ascendancy of Master Sergeant Samuel Doe to power following the death of Tolbert was overwhelmingly hailed by the masses whose expectation, including the formation of a balanced government soon dashed along the wayside. Tribalism, rampant corruption, nepotism, sectionalism and human rights abuses which the Doe PRC government promised would not form part of the new dispensation soon reappeared.
Limited in education and now deeply grounded in the doctrine of tribalism, the young military leader began running away potential politicians firmly equipped with the blade of tyranny.
Joy and happiness which attended his ascendancy soon turned into today
sorrow. Taylor, using the situation when there was perpetual bellowing cries
of the people from the acts of suppression and oppression interceded and
was overwhelmingly embraced by the generality of the Liberian people.
The 1997 general and presidential elections which brought Taylor to power
after seven years of war was believed generally to be the political curtain
raiser but not long when anti-Taylorism activities including LURD and MODEL
incursions, sanctions etc. descended thus keeping the lives of the Liberian
people like a deserted decimal point.
The international community said the choice of the people was wrong and so marginalization policy was put in place and Liberians suffered the adverse effect.
As Liberians march to the poll to elect their leaders tomorrow the questions critics ask is not who suits the appreciation of the people, given the Taylor example, but who would equally suit the appreciation of the international community.
In Liberia the youth who form the majority class and who could break the
tide and award the victory crown are said to be highly illiterate and could
certainly decide base upon frustration.
The youth promise to eliminate all old politicians, blaming the state of
depression and suffering on the actions of the educated people.
Critics see the actions of the youth as very dangerous because should their will prevail against those who know statecrafts in favor of people of their kind Liberia stands to be left in the cold.
“The Executive Mansion is not for a learner but for a teacher,” remarked Takpor Kuah of Matidi, Monrovia.
“Liberians are good at welcoming their killers,” said a disgruntled by passer adding “you don’t expect anything good from the kingdom of the fools….”
