By: Washington Tumay Watson-onewash9@gamil.com
MONROVIA-Noble Peace Laureate and former independence day orator Leymah Gbowee has described Liberia as a hungry and angry nation.
Laureate Gbowee in 2019 served as first female orator for the 172nd independence anniversary at the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex where she named the Input –position, opposition and noon position.
Madam Gbowee, a Liberian feminist and peace advocate on her social media post indicated that she recently traveled back home to her native land Liberia where she observed the level of anger that many people carry mostly the youth.
“My recent travel back to Liberia has been a natural source of joy. I love being at home and interacting with the community, my students, friends, and family. During these last few days, I have observed a trend growing daily: the level of anger that people carry, especially the youth”, she indicated.
She indicated that the young people would fight at the smallest amount of provocation.
“These young people seem to have no qualms about insulting whomever, wherever, and whenever. Anyone driving an SUV is automatically connected to the government or those “stealing” the country’s money. In their state of anger, rationality appears completely absent” she wrote.
The Noble Peace Laureate further narrated “This morning, I witnessed two young men fighting over LD30, about 20 US cents. I stopped my car and tried to intervene. The aggrieved young man was adamant that he still wanted to fight. While calming him down, another young man started insulting my driver and me. He was upset because we were parked wrongfully. Even after apologizing to him, he continued hurling invectives at us’’.
Gbowee narrated that she was able to handle the fight and ignored the insults from the individual who was insulting she and her driver, “This incident is just one of the many occurrences daily in many communities across Liberia”. I was thinking about anger and its primary source and then remembered the famous saying, “an angry person is a hungry person.”
According to her Many friends and family members complain about the hardship in the country.
“ In 2012, when I spoke about Liberians being dirt poor under President Sirleaf’s regime, many came after me with fury, that I had insulted Liberians and their integrity, today, the situation is even worse” she indicated.
She additionally pointed out that as Liberians consider the economic hardship and the increasing anger amongst citizens, she used the time to also compelled to add the seeming lack of hope in any political system to truly serve the people’s needs.
“Unfortunately, many political factions seem more interested in scoring political points on social media than finding solutions for Liberia’s problems’’ she said.
She further that the times and seasons to point where Liberians need to do more to save their land, emphasizing that Liberians need to talk less and strategize more to transform the country from a hungry and angry nation to a satisfied, dignified, loving, and peaceful one.
But in reaction to Noble Peace Laureate and former independence day orator Leymah Gbowee assertion that Liberia as a hungry and angry nation ,a strong supporter of president George Weah reelection Jefferson Jacobs described her assertion as anti- democratic and unnationalistic .
He indicated that Madam Gbowee has not contributed to the overall growth of the country developmental programs but only speak of negativity to justify her quest to allegedly solicit funding to support her foundation.
According to him, she refused to work in sustaining the peace and stability of the Country when she was appointed by former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as Peace Ambassador a position that she could have used to unite the loving people of Liberia.
Mr. Jacobs further indicated the quest of Madam Gbowee is to incite the citizens against president George Weah and the government something he said they are prepare to resist with their blood.
However, Ruth Washington a student of the University of Liberia welcomed the Noble Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee assertion that Liberia is a hungry and angry nation.
According to her, such an assertion from Madam Gbowee is clear fact that needs no objection to be accepting the reality that the country is not united.
Madam Washington said the government and President Weah need to take the piece of advice given by Noble Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee in good faith.
Alphonso Toweh
Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters
He holds first MA with honors in International Relations and a candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict Resolution from the University of Liberia.