Two Presidents one ULAA: We Don't Get It, Do We?

Most Liberians think the political problem in Liberia is centered on the failure by those controlling power to share power.

Some say the backwardness of the country is due to a single person who sits on the periphery of power and does what he or she feels like against the will of the majority of the people. They also think that a particular person who is the leader of the nation, for example, the President, is the one who needs to make way for the "bad" things in the country to change and become "good" things.

These critics also feel, in order to change all the "bad" things in the country that are supposedly put in place by the "bad" leader, the leader needs to take an exit from power. The critics think by so doing, the "problem" in the country will disappear. So the need to get rid of the leader is as strong as the solution to the "problem." When that particlular leader is kicked out of office by all "means necessary," then the “problem” automatically goes away. Hopefully then, the nation will return to "sanity." All things considered, the opposite is true. Because history is replete with dissappointments in this regards.

There were those in and outside the country who felt (maybe they still feel the same today) that President Tubman (the 18th President of Liberia) was the “problem.” So they felt the "problem" which supposedly was Tubman, would go away if and when Tubman exited power by any "means necessary." They felt getting rid of Tubman meant getting rid of the "problem." All of a sudden, Tubman died. Whether natural or not, he died in office. As such, the critics expected the "problem" that was brought in by Tubman would die also with the physical body of Tubman. But they were wrong. To their utmost surprise, the "problem" remained after Tubman's death. Because they were dissappointed the "problem" did not go away with Tubman, they shifted the "proble" to Tubman successor. In this case, William Richard Tolbert - President of the Republic of Liberia.

William R. Tolbert replaced Tubman. Many were glad and happy Tubman passed on. Much applause to tolbert. But soon, Tolbert's honeymoon into power shortlived. In no time, Tolbert was accused of being the “problem.” Just as Tubman was accussed. Now they wanted Tolbert out of power by any "means neccessary." And when they tried hard and struggle hard, they were able to succeeded. In not time, Tolbert was removed violently (murdered in cold-blood) from power. But when Tolbert was killed, as was in the case of Tubman, the “problem” did not go with him. It remained behind. And it towered over all else. Dissappointment set in for those who felt Tolbert was the "problem."

Then came Samuel K. Doe. Understandably, he killed Tolbert through a military coup and took over his job as President. After Tolbert’s death, Doe and his military comrades enjoyed a high level of support from the people. There was massive support for Doe and his henchmen from the populace. Again, as in the case of Tolbert, Doe's hooneymoon was great but shortlived. He became the “problem.” The same solution that was applied to Tubman and Tolbert (murder) was applied to Doe - he was murdered.

Efforts mounted against Doe from all angles. He was humiliated and bludgeoned to death. After his death, the same “problem” that lingered on and on and that was expected to go with him, did not go with him. The "problem" remained. The same blame poured over Tubman and Tolbert was now served on him. Doe left the "problem" behind.

After 14 years of generalized anarchy of violence, Taylor became President. Prior to his seizure of power (he launched a guerrila warfare). He was exalted by almost every Liberian. As was in the past with Tolbert and Doe. This time the people were tire with Doe and so they welcomed Taylor warfare to rid them of Doe. The people wanted Doe out of power. No matter what, they wanted Doe to go, "dead or alive." So Taylor remove Doe and took power.

For few months Taylor enjoyed the hooneymoon of power. Then "bang!" the "party" was over. He was accused of being the "problem". And they believed that by kicking him out of power by any, "means necessary," like Tubman, Tolbert and Doe, the "problem" would finally go away. And the country will be "sound."

Concerted efforts were mounted. In no time, Taylor was kicked out of power. They kicked him through the back door right into Nigeria. From Nigeria they sent him to Sierra Leone. From Sierra Leone, they posted him to Europe to be judged by the Whiteman who has no idea of our pain and “problem.” The Whiteman who just doesn’t give a darn as to what we think as a people, will judge President Taylor. With all this, Taylor forceful removal from power was expected to kill the “problem” in Liberia. But guess what? The "problem" continues to haunt the nation.

Today, Ellen is President. And people are beginning to shift the “problem” on to her. What that tells me is that Liberians have not yet learned.

The failed past and their experiences, as far as the “problem” is concerned, have not taught them any lesson. They continue to still exclusively blame their leaders and consider them as the "problem" of the nation.

In as much as there may be reasons for such a claim, the opposite has been proven to be true!

A wise man in a village provided solution to this kind of situation:

Once upon a time; there was a village located downstream on a very large river. Much of the economy was built around pulling people out of the river as they floated by. Some of these people were dead; others injured. The dead were buried, the injured were revived and treated. Some had long-term disabilities as a result of their experience in that river. The village continued in its efforts to bury the dead and treat the living, developing sophisticated procedures and programs in their quest. However, no matter how much money was spent, how many programs were developed, how many great technological advances were made in the treatment of the ill and the injured, folks continued to float by the village...dead, injured, disabled. One day, a wise person came up with a radical idea...why not go up the river and find out why people were falling in the river in the first place.

The same question comes back to us as Liberians:

If Presidents Tubman, Tolbert, Doe and Taylor were considered the “problem” in our country and we got rid of them with the hope of getting rid of the “problem” but the “problem” did not go away, why can’t we stop momentarily, ask ourselves why is it that each President has been our “problem”?

Secondly, we need to ask ourselves, if we got rid of those leaders who were considered as the “problem,” and still have the “problem” lingering on, even though those leaders are forever, why can’t we try to stop and figure out whether it is true the “problem” is due to political personality?

The Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA) needs to learn from this backward experience and adopt to new and progressive measures. Instead of having two leaders of one organization.

Global Youth Service Day Clean-Up Campaign: My West Point Story

The Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) Event has a Planning Committee (PC) responsible to plan the Event every year. This year it organized a massive Youth Volunteer Clean-Up Campaign to mark the 2nd observance of the annual global Event. Two major areas were identified for cleaning - West Point (Monrovia) and Black Jennie (Paynesville).

I worked at and supervised West Point Township. My other colleagues supervised Black Jennie.

Here I am reporting my experiences in the Township of West Point. Please read with open eyes and open mind.

I chose West Point Township. The reason is obvious. For you see, I lived in the US during and after the 14-year generalized anarchy of violence in Liberia. Such violence, we all know, destroyed infrastructure and human resource in the country. Tens and tens of thousands of innocent men, women and children lost their precious lives. At the cessation of hostilities, all Liberians were called upon to come home and rebuild. I answered to the call.

In 2005 Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected President of the Republic. So I thought I return home briefly. Why? To help in the Reconstruction process. When I got in the country I built my own NGO. The Organisation I transformed into an NGO was already functioning while I was in the US. I sponsored several Community Centers in Monrovia. When I entered the country I wanted to spread the Community Centers out. And I did.

While working on my NGO, I always took off time to partake in other community development projects, especially working with our youth. That's how I entered the Global Youth Service Day Celebration. Vision Sisters for Development (VSD) Executive Director came to me and asked for my help to build her organization. She said no one was paying attention to them. So I agreed to help. I put my education, experise, skills, talents and all I can command into VSD. Since then, I have been deeply involved with it.

Having gotten that out of the way, let's get back to my West Point story.

When I volunteered to work in West Point Township, I wanted to learn and add more to what I have already learned over the past two years that I spent working in the country as a volunteer. I wanted to compare or bring my theoretical knowledge face-to-face with the practical issues on the ground as it relates to downtrodden people. West Point is not the only place for downtrodden people in Liberia. But I thought it is an ideal place to start. So I started there. While working there, I got what I wanted. Theory came face-to-face with the practical. But something happened during the process. And what happened shifted the scope of things: See, I forgot some of the things I learned theoretically. By this I mean, I forgot some of the things I read in books. I read from Marx, Hegels, Adam Smith, and others. They skipped my mind. How did I know they skipped my mind? I made the first mistake. The Planning Committee decided to get young people from different parts of Central Monrovia to help clean West Point. In other words, we were bringing other youths from outside West Point to clean West Point. Little did we know this idea would offend the people. I realized that when I met with them. They uprightly rejected the idea. Hon. Demore W. Moore is the commissioner of West Point Township. He sounded their rejection emphatically and vehemently. He told me that this idea would never gain ground - to bring in outsiders to clean his area? No! He made this very clear. He sounded friendly. But he was steadfast, serious and firm. I had to feel him. And I did. I grasped on to the idea immediately. That's why I surrendered to their will. We all agreed West Pointers would clean West Point. And that few outsiders would be allowed to come in and help. We asked the youth of West Point to take the charge. And they did. On that Agreement, we concluded our Meeting.

The Honorable Commissioner set a date for me to meet with the "Movers-and-Shakers" of West Point including the youth. The day came and we met. The Elders and Youth showed up in great numbers. I informed them this was a Youth Volunteer Campaign to help the people of West Point. I promised them all the volunteers would be fed by us. Lone Star Communications Corporation (LSCC) was providing the food. It was providing T-Shirts with their Logo and the Logo of GYSD. LCC was also providing wheelbarrows, shovels, water and juices. All we had to do is to work. The people hailed LCC contribution and thanked them and the rest of our donors (Ministries of Youth & Sports, Labor and FOUTA Rice Corporation). Everyone rolled up his/her sleeves. And we were ready to knock out the dirt.

The first day of the Campaign came on Friday, May 1. My staff and I arrived in West Point at 7:30am. The Pep Talk was scheduled for 8am. At 8am we all converged at the TownHall. The Commissioner spoke. He thanked his people for showing up. He thanked LCC for its support. He thanked FOUTA Rice Corporation, Ministeries of Labor and Youth & Sports for their support for our youth. He and I encouraged the young people of West Point to work bristtle hard in order to clean West Point. Hon. Moore promised to work with us all along the way. And he did. At the closing of the Pep Talk, I passed on the T-Shirts provided by LCC. At 9:30am, we went to work.

We assigned teams at different points. The focus was on the beaches. But we added the Main Street. Here’s the interesting thing that happened. The Main Street is the only street in the Township. It runs from the Market (Waterside) and ends at the dead-end of West Point. Anyone who goes to West Point cannot miss the Main Street. Becasue it is the only street in West Point. And it runs deep into the belly of the Township.

We worked the whole day. We took our first break at 12noon. But there was no food. No water. I reached out in my pocket and bought some food and water. Because the young fellas were starving. And when young people begin to complain about food, one has to be very careful before it gets chaotic. West Point being what it is, could become an explosive case. So I acted immediately. After the young folks got something to munch on, we all sat and began to look into the scheme of things. That's when we started to see things we didn’t take note of in the beginning. We realized cleaning the Main Street was a waste of time. Because as we cleaned the Main Street, marketers and byepassers made more thrash. It was like we had not done anything at all in the area. Papers, plastic and thrash flew around like happy-go-lucky-don't-care. So it clicked our minds. This is what we thought: If we continued cleaning the Main Street and marketers and bypassers kept dropping thrash, our job would never show any sign of progress. And it was true. Because some LCC employees (mind you they are our sponsors) visited the area and concluded the Team working in West Point wasn't doing a "good" job. Little did they know that West Point is an exceptional case. The fact is a small piece of land mass has more than 70,000 people. This is nothing to joke about. This is what we call chaos. So we had to quit cleaning the Main Street if we wanted to make a difference. We turned to the beaches.

When we made our first move cleaning the Beaches, we saw more progress than previously seen. We saw three Beaches in West Point. But we could not clean all three at the same time. So we left Popo and Powerplant Beaches out. We cleaned Kru Beach ONLY. Kru Beach had less thrash and filth than the rest. The thrash on all the Beaches combine could run from the Executive Mansion in Monrovia to J. F. K. Medical Center in Sinkor. THIS IS THE TRUTH! That distance makes up the exact length of the entire West Point Township.

This is the interesting part: The residents told they threw their thrash into the Ocean. But the Ocean returned it back to them. EAch time they sent it back, the Ocean returned it. And so they were tired competing with the Ocean. And so they decided to let the thrash sit on the Beach. So every piece of thrash thrown in the Ocean by residents and rejected by the Ocean sat on the Beaches. It stretched deep into the belly of the Township. Soon it became mountain of thrash.

The thrash on Kru Beach was about 500 yards long and 400 feet wide. The only option was to bury it in the sand. The available dumpsters in West Point are not too closed to any of the Beaches. They are situated all the way down Waterside market. The distance from the dumpsters to the Beach is several hundred yards. Just imagine a person pushing a wheelbarrow. He's doing so in the sand. He's pushing more than 500 yards to the dumpster. He gets to hard ground. And then he has to continue on pushing towards the dumpsters. The dumpster from hard ground is several hundred yards away. By the time he gets to the dumpster, he runs out of every piece of energy. Can he return on the Beach to get another load? Certainly not! So burying the thrash in the sand was the only option. In fact, it was the most sensible thing to do. And that’s just what we did. We knew this was an ecological mess. But what else could we do? We had no choice. We had to apply ourselves to the reality and conditions on the ground.

We had to dig into the sand to bury the thrash. The areas we were digging had already been dug before. And thrash had already been buried there. So each time we dug, we ran into previous thrash. We had to move on to a new area until we found an open area with no thrash. We did all we could. In the end we cleared 500 yards of thrash in two days. We buried the thrash under the sand. After clearing the Beach, the area became very clear. Looking at it from the distance, one can now see the beauty of nature. The white sand is showing beautifully in West Point. For me, that's what I call “progress.” We cleared the Beach. Now you can see the sand. When we got there that morning, thrash covered the sand. Now the thrash is gone. The beautiful sand shows up. Marvelous!

West Pointers were happy. And that's what we wanted to see - happiness! We had cleaned one Beach. And two more Beaches remained untouched. They applauded our work. They expressed heartfelt gratitude and appreciation. Some of them were skeptics. They didn't think the Campaign would make a difference. Because they believe the thrash would return again. But they too were happy. They could see the sand devoid of thrash for once. They were happy. We were happy. Our work as volunteers made a difference.

A total number of seven (7) youth organizations residing in West Point registered with us and took part in the Campaign. Namely, 1)Youth United to Fight Poverty (YUFP), 2) FOLAU, 3) Westside Connection, 4) WESPRA, 5) West Point Children Club (WPCC), 6) Boys and Girls of Determination and, 7) Life Safeguard (LG). A total number of four (4) outside youth-based and groups joined the West Point Campaign - 1) Taake Youth Development Association (TYDA), 2) Mission Outreach International, Inc. (MOI), 3) Young Women Initiative (YWI) and 4) Association of Disabled Females International (ADFI). It was a great experience working with people we all did not know and we have come face-to-face with. Facie Harris (YWI) who is a broadcaster at UNMIL Radio joined the Campaign in West Point. Ms. Binta Massaquoi (FWI), an employee of the US Embassy in Liberia along with Grace Johnson of FWI were also there.

The Leadership Team we set up to regulate and coordinate the Campaign includes, Munah Togba (chair), Archie T-Boy Doegmah (co-chair), Joseph Fayiah (member), Albert Tutu, Jnr. (member), Varney Phillip (member), Charles Roberts (member), and Abraham Wleh (member). All the Team members do reside in West Point Township. We are thankful for their leadership and service to their community.

The two-day Campaign was a total success. A recommendation derived from it. A core group needs to be set up to help pick up thrash that old folks cannot carry to the dumpster. The Commissioner told us that the garbbage truck does not reach inside West Point. And the reason is the Main Street is narrow. When the truck enters, it has no way to turn around. And so it stops around the Waterside area to pick up thrash. This is a problem for the old folks. They cannot walk as far as the dumpster due to old-age. So most of the thrash that s found on the Beach is dumped there by old folks. To prevent this, those young folks who are expected to be a part of the Core group that will pick up the old folks’ thrash, will have to receive a stipend. A recommended stipend of $2 to $3 US dollars per day will help them meet some of their needs. The Recommendation is being studied by GYSD Planning Committee. Sponsors are being identified to assist.

We hope people who grew up in West Point and are now successful in their own rights, living in the Diaspora and at home, can lend a financial hand to support the Cause. As per President Sirleaf's Proclamation to keep Monrovia clean on the first Saturday of each month, we are hoping to return to West Point to complete the rest of the Beaches. But funding will be needed.


Thomas G. Bedell/Secretary General/GYSD/011.231.6.920.151

GYSD: The Maxson Sahr Kpakio Miracle

Maxson Sahr Kpakio is a Liberian living in the UK. kpakios@yahoo.com. This story is all about his donation and how it changed the life of the youth and all of us in the last minute of 2008 Global Youth Service Day in Liberia.

As you may know by now, Global Youth Service Day just began in Liberia last year. It is about 21 years old in the world and 2 years in Liberia. I helped to pluck Liberia into the process.

You probably know by now. I came to Liberia from the US. I came on my own to help the Reconstruction Process. I know this is a “crazy” thing to do! But you know what? Someone has to do it. And I chose myself to be the “crazy” one. A 14-year generalized anarchy of violence destroyed infrastructure and human resource. So helping is the most patriotic thing one can do!


The month is May. I am two years in Liberia. I’m working as a volunteer. Every help I give to communities, is from my personal pocket. Living in the “Third world” and spending one’s hard-won money to help others is nothing to joke about. It is rather painful. The hardest part is when those whom we help do not understand nor appreciate the work we do. Not because they hate us. But because this idea of independence is new to them. So is volunteerism. As such, it wrenches one’s heart. For one cannot get used to spending his or her money like I do in Liberia without dropping a tear for a minute. Worse of all, when most Liberians with the pocket-power refuse to help us do our work, it adds to the frustration. Such an attitude on the part of those Liberians rips out the heart of a good man.

This is where Mr. Kpakio comes in. He made me believe that there are still few Liberians out there who care, understand and are helping in their weak but noble way. With those kinds of Liberians, I believe Liberia will thrive!

It was few days prior to Global Youth Service Day in 2008. The phone rang. It said, "ring, ring!" I was coming from an interview on Star Radio. On the Radio we talked about the youth of Liberia and the future. We were done. I walked out of the Studio. I was on my way home. It was just around 6pm, Liberian Time. Then I received that phone call. I answered. The person on the other line was very excited. I didn’t know why. But he went on talking. Soon I picked up the idea. He was thanking me. He heard my interview on Global Youth Service Day and my involvement with the youth of Liberia. He heard this all the way in the UK. So he said he was impressed. Under one breathe he told me all his impressions. Soon my spirit was lifted. It was up to the skies. So I was good for another interview. And this because listened to him. Definitely I took heart. So I prayed for him to keep talking. I was getting high on his encouraging words. My spirit was getting lighter. It ran to the next day's interview. I was ready. I could feel myself doing extremely well in the next interview. My dangling spirit was set free and repaired. It was no more entrapped in the lack of funding mindset. Prior to that, the kids and I were wondering what to do to kick off the day. Ambivalence set in. I wanted to work very hard. But at the same time I wasn’t getting the support. So I was falling apart at the hinges. As a result, I wanted to quit. All this was happening before Brother Kpakio in the UK called me. He talked. And he pulled me out of ambivalence. He nicely (with his kind and encouraging words) landed me at a point of positive spirit. At the closing of our phone conversation, he informed me he was instructing his daughter in Barnersville to give us his donation. He made it clear that it wasn’t enough. But it was his “Widow’s might.” The next day his daughter phoned me. She told me that her dad in the UK asked her to give us some money. And she wanted to know where to find me. I told her. And she found me right opposite the Justice Ministry where we went to obtain a Permit to march to a brass band. She gave me $20. From that $20 the miracle began to take shape and form.

Here was the problem: The Planning Committee of Global Youth was stranded. We had an appointment to meet the Minster of Youth & Sports. But we were out of funds to transport ourselves to Paynesville. And we had to get there. Or else, we were done for the Event. It was not going to be hosted for lack of funding. The thing was some Youth Services deputy ministers at the Ministry were giving us problems. They made promises. But never kept them. Minister Tarpeh was informed. When she heard that, she wanted to know what the problem was. But she was about to go out of town. And she wanted to see us immediately. We had no money. So we didn’t know what to do. Then “bang!” something happened. The $20 donation of Maxson Sahr Kpakio came in. Right away it became a Miracle for us. We chattered a taxi cab right away. Every Committee member got on board. Straight to the Ministry we went. As soon as we got there, the Minster was about to leave. But she held on for us. We met with her. After talking she approved $1,500.00 for our Program. Right there the $20 that Maxson sent us gave us $1,480.00. THAT WAS A MIRICLE, WASN’T IT? YEST! IT WAS!

From that $20 we all learned a lesson. I was a Kpakio Miracle. We also learned Miracles are still happening in the world as they were tens and tens of hundreds of years ago. And because of that we also learned that it doesn’t really matter how much one donates to a cause. What matter is how that donation is allocated. Brother Kpakio’s donation wasn’t that big. But it created something much bigger. And what it created solved all our major problems for GYSD 2008.

Maxson Kpakio’s donation made everything easy for us. It changed our reality in no time. It placed us on the track to move Global Youth Service Day forward. Because of that, we attribute our 2008 success of GYSD to Brother Maxson Kpakio of UK and his lovely and kindhearted family.

Thanks a million to Brother Maxson Sahr Kpakio and his family for such a Miracle in 2008! Every time we help each other, we in turn please God; and when He is pleased, He increases our blessings!

May Maxson Sahr Kpakio and his family reap hundredfold, the goodness that they sow! We will honor his name May 3 at GYSD Indoor Program! He deserves it!