A lot of us came to Liberia to help in the Reconstruction effort. A 14-year generalized anarchy of violence destroyed human resource and infrastructure in the country. Like other countries from internal strife, many of its sons and daughters returned to help. Amongst the few of us that returned to Liberia, some are mainly former leaders of The Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas ( ULAA). I do not place myself in the category of former leaders of ULAA. I am the brain behind ULAA’s visible presence in the state of Ohio in the late 90s and former presidential candidate. Yet I still don’t think I fit in that crowd of former leaders. Because these guys have sacrificed for ULAA more than I have. I have to give them their credits and props. No one could have done what they did for ULAA!
Having said all that, they got in Liberia few years prior to my arrival - Messrs. Rannie Jackson (former chairman of the board of directors of ULAA),Gus Major (former chairman of the board of directors of ULAA), Mohammad Kromah (former president of ULAA) and Dr. Joseph Korto (former president of ULAA).
From what I hear, there are other former leaders of ULAA who came to Liberia before and after the team I named above. But because I came in contact with the names above on a personal level in the US, I thought I look for them specifically and find out what they have been involved in for the past seven or more years in Liberia.
I find no solace in prejudice and misinformation. Prejudice and misinformation is not my trademark in my authorship. So when I write, I write the truth and write what I know for sure. And so in this presentation, I will tell it as I see it and as I know it.
In so doing, I want to recapture the past events of ULAA in the US when these young men served as leaders. And link them with their present service in Liberia. As ULAA former leaders, I know they’ve learned a lot in their past respective posts. As a result, I know they have much to offer their beloved country today. And I think they are, in fact, doing so in their own unique ways. I know they are some of the best ULAA ever groomed. Their passion for service to their people and country is incomparable. And so I have the right to look for them and trace their work in Liberia.
Though I have not had the opportunity to visibly see some of them since my arrival besides Messrs. Jackson and Korto, it makes no big difference.
So allow me to discuss my meetings with them and the lack thereof.
JOSEPH KORTO I first met with Dr. Korto in Liberia 2009 in his office as Minister of Education. I was on my way to Maryland to bury my adopted mother. We discussed extensively. It wasn’t difficult for me to see him in his office. But it was torturous to get to get there. No elevator. The steps are more than a hundred pieces up and down. You have to go one step at a time. I had no problem besides climbing the stairs to see him. We talked on ULAA and Liberia. I met him a second time. This time, he invited me to his private residence. We sat under his Palaver Hut and caught up with the same issues. I really wanted to know what exactly he was doing for ULAA and Liberia. He didn’t say it to me. But I suspected he was tied up in a political web. You know how you have your own way of doing things, right? But you have to do it another person’s way, right? Why? Because that person is your boss! You are serving at his will and pleasure. Well, that’s what I captured from our talk. The third time I met him was when he deposited reaves on graves during Decoration Day. Immediately, I traveled to Maryland and remained there for three-and-the-half years. We lost contact then. I was traveling from village to village with no cell coverage. So I couldn’t call him, he couldn’t call me. Then one day I heard he was relieved of his post as Minister of Education. Three-and-the-half years later, I returned to Monrovia. I placed a call to his cell phone. And he answered. He still keeps the same phone digits. I knew then he was still in the country. I’ve been in Monrovia since that we last spoke and we haven’t done so again for a while now. My guess is, he’s doing well and making strides in his own right. His effort seek the Presidency of the Liberian state did not work out. I mean, he vied for it, but did not win. That’s remarkable!
RANNIE JACKSON Currently, he is Deputy Minister, Ministry of Internal Affairs. He’s the one with whom I have had lengthy discussions on the phone and with whom I’ve had the most face-to-face discussions. When I came to the country newly, I never saw Rannie until someone ran into a problem on Cuttington University Campus. He was able to intervene. And I appreciated his intervention very much. Our communication was still on the phone at that time. Then soon he became superintendent of Bong County. Our communication never stopped. It continued. In fact, when I traveled to Bong Mines (Lower Bong County) to help sponsor the Nancy Doe School, I got in touch with him. And he expressed his happiness that I would do such a service to his county. He informed me of the problem at the school - too many people were laying claim to the ownership of the school. So it was difficult who to work with. The Government also had some control over the school. But all in all, I provided my one-year sponsorship to the board of directors. I did it for one complete year because I had promised to help the school through a good friend of mine. More so, I did not want to get caught in the ownership confusion.
Having worked as a teen age volunteer in the 80s in Bong Mines, I wanted to show my appreciation from the lessons I learned serving the people of Bong Mines.
As superintendent Rannie got too busy. So I lost touch with him. To work as a superintendent in Liberia is double trouble. Rannie had his troubles to deal with. And I had mine. And so I went my way. But deep inside me I knew one day we would cross paths again. And we did for sure. Politics in his superintendency was heavy. It was all over the radio. I kept hearing his name. And so I got concerned. I called his cell digits. And we talked. What he was explaining to me kept ringing a proverbial bell to me. I was going through the same thing, even though I am not a superintendent or a Government employee. For some unknown reason (s), many home based Liberians are bitter against Diasporic Liberians. They damage the reputation of these Liberians at will, especially the ones who are meticulous in their work ethics. Few guys were stuck in Rannie’s throat for no apparent reason other than envy. It’s not my opinion. Because in-depth investigation proved this right!
Then the next I come to know, I heard Rannie was running for the office of Senator for Bong County. I thought to myself, “This man has guts and strong determination.” And I am right. He’s one of those who don’t run away to fight another day.
In the political process, smear tactics raised its ugly head once more. This time, it was party politics. Internal wrangling in the Party. But after all was said and done, Rannie didn’t make it to the Senate. But President Sirleaf seeing his fighting spirit, appointed him as Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs. I was in Maryland when I heard of his appointment. Then “bang!” police brutality hit me. I was airlifted to Monrovia for medical treatment at J. F. K. Memorial Hospital. While here in Monrovia seeking justice against the police, I will run into Rannie.
Now, I am a prolific writer and a social justice advocate. I chase important issues. As for ULAA, I chased these guys to know what’s obtaining in their public lives. On Wednesday, December 1, 2012, I paid Rannie a surprise visit at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He was already in a very important meeting. I waited for a long time and decided to leave. But I wanted him to know I was there. So I sent him a brief note explaining the purpose of my visit. Then something inside me told me not to leave. I waited for an additional ten minutes. Within that period, the people in his office began to leave. The meeting was over. Then suddenly, I heard someone majestically stepping towards my direction. It was Rannie. He passed by me for a minute as if he didn’t see me. And then he made a 360-turn and hugged me. Then he said, “Bedell Speaks!” Well, you know what that means. I am the author of the Bedell Speaks & Works Internet Blog. I saw smile stretching on his face. So I was too. He invited me in his office. We greeted each other. And I took off with my purpose of being there – I wanted to know what exactly has he been doing and how does it impact ULAA. We didn’t have that much time to talk a lot. I was just popping in and he too was busy. He looked me in the eye and began telling me his experiences since he arrived in Liberia. Again, he was telling me things I am familiar with in the country. Luckily for him, a newspaper was dropped in his office. In that paper was his story. He had been vindicated. His former deputy, when he was Superintendent of Bong, had falsely accused him. Investigation was done by the Traditional leaders. The lady lied on Rannie. From what I saw in his (Rannie) eyes, it was a deep relief. He had long waited to exhale. And he did right before me. It was one whose time had. The smear campaign against him was over. The bad news had gone far and near to his disrepute. In God’s own way and speed, five days before Xmas, he was set free from the umbilical cord of lies and treachery. I don’t know what he did on Xmas day. If I were he, I would alarm in my closet for total mental relief.
THAT’S THE RANNIE JACKSON STORY!!!
GUS MAJOR just like Mohammad Kromah, I have never interfaced with this young man since I entered the country. But I had conversations with him numerous times on the phone. In fact, he traveled to Harper with the President. He was too busy and I was caught up into advocacy trying to bring the shipwreck victims to the President for redress, I did not see him. Next thing I come to know, he was in Grand Gedeh on his back to the next stop of the President. I first met Gus in Ohio when I revamped The Federation of Liberian Associations in Ohio, FOLAO in short. FOLAO had suffered paralysis for over five years. As an advocate from time immemorial, I did all I could to revamp this historic and most important organization. Within that period, some Liberians in Cleveland were trying to unseat me undemocratically. I put a fight. They put up a fight. We fought for two solid years. We went from the Cleveland City Mayor’s office to Church’s edifice and no understanding could be reached. I called ULAA in; in fact, this is how ULAA got reconnected with Ohio of several years of distance. Gus Major was the one in office as chairman of the board of directors of ULAA. He visited Cleveland at my invitation. All in all, the case was resolved. Now that we had developed a stronger relationship with ULAA. The next ULAA Annual National Conference was to be hosted by FOLAO. Few mini conferences were organized to set the pace.
Right in there, The All Liberian Conference emerged to replace ULAA.
Some folks were using our grounds in Ohio to grow another Liberian organization to replace ULAA. As President of The Liberian Association of Cleveland and its Environs, (LACE in short), and chair of the Revamping Committee of FOLAO, I vehemently refused to allow this to happen. In fact, I condemned such activity from birth to abortion.
Our first mini conference was in in Dayton, Ohio. Chairman Major was expected to be there. Clandestinely, those who were trying to unseat ULAA, refused to pick up Major from the aero port. So he was locked up there for a while. When I was contacted, I made the arrangement for him and he got to town. But he got in town late. The mini conference had too far in deliberations. Most of the attendees present at the time were in favor of The All Liberian Conference. They all were bent against me. It was by design. I felt alienated. Because I did not expect all this. Secret program and agenda was prepared. I was nowhere on the program. Because I wasn’t supporting their intent. I fought for ULAA during the meeting until Gus got in the conference room. He joined me and unleashed. All of those spewing anti ULAA sentiments curbed their utterances. In the end, ULAA took the day. But that was not all to that. Another conference was set for Atlanta, Georgia. In Atlanta, there’s where the most damage was done – the All Liberian Conference was born to replace ULAA. I maintained my position – I was against it, like I still do. Gus and I had developed such a working relationship since then. And so, if I say, I know Gus, that’s exactly what I mean. But in Liberia, I have never glanced at him. But I know he’s here. He was assigned at the General Services Agency (GSA). But I understand he has been transferred. Whatever the truth may be, I know for sure Gus is still in Liberia. Because on December 19, 2012, Hon. Rannie Jackson, deputy minister, Ministry of Internal Affairs told me so.
MOHAMMAD KROMAH I was in the US when he came to Liberia. I have been here in Liberia for five years without travelling outside. But I haven’t interfaced with the brother. I don’t know whether or not he’s still in Liberia. But Rannie tells me Mohammad is still here. I will do all I can to find him. He’s a great man!
I first met Mohammad in Washington D. C. in the Lafayette Park near the White House. Dr. Korto was then President of ULAA and I was President of Cleveland Liberian Association. I flew from Cleveland to Washington D. C. to demonstrate for the Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for Liberians under the US Immigration Laws. It would allow Liberians to reside in the US temporarily due the period of war and instability in Liberia. More so, we wanted the US government to extend the period of TPS. The number of Liberians that showed up that day was 75. ULAAA previously informed the US government ten thousand were expected to show up. The few of us marched on the sidewalk to Janet Reno’s office (then US Attorney General) and the Capitol. We presented papers. After all was done, we had to get some food to eat. But the food that was prepared for us had not reached us. And we were hungry. While standing in the street, Mohammad and his wife got there. When they opened the door of their minivan, there was so much to eat. That was the first time I met Mohammad and his wife. We were rightfully fed, especially me. Fried fish and cassava, plantain and gravy. That’s all you needed to show me. And that’s was good living for me. Those who eat rice and I don’t, let all that with me. And I did myself justice. I remember that. Because I was starving. A good way to remember a friend. Thanks to Mohammad and his wife. History will absolve them.
In essence, ULAA presence is still in Liberia. All of those mentioned above including others I heard about in the grapevine will be contacted just to know what exactly they are doing on the ground in Liberia. At least, so people can know their good service to our country and ULAA still continues.
I am Thomas G. Bedell speaking and writing on the ground in Liberia.
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