Liberian Literary Magazine
( Unification Day ) through an act of Legislature in 1960 was a unique step forward to defeating disunity and disintegration in Liberia , especially between the Americo-Liberian elite and the indigenous majority . However , after 56 years since the introduction of the Unification Policy , the fostering of national unity , reconciliation and brotherhood among all Liberians irrespective of culture or creed remains an unachievable dream for reasons stated above . Greed and unpatriotism have overshadowed the collective interest of our nation . Public service in Liberia nowadays is no longer about integrity , credibility or transparency . This is the dilemma of celebrating Unification Day .
When President Sirleaf announced through a proclamation on Friday , May 13 , 2016 that all citizens throughout Liberia should remain home and observe Unification Day on Saturday , May 14 , 2016 , I was wondering whether the President is unaware that vast majority of our people do not remain home to observe holidays ( or day of rest ), because they have to go out and hustle for food and money . Even on this holiday , our people are out en-mass in search of survival . They are selling in the marketplaces , loading cars and gambling . They are crushing rocks and riding motorbikes under the rain and hot sun . They are mining sand and hunting in thick forests . Some of them have to walk far distances to farm , fishing and fetch water while others are compelled to push wheelbarrows and wait for night hours to carryout business as usual ( prostitution and robbery ). These are the predicaments of today . How then can we celebrate Unification Day when public discontent is growing as a result of these predicaments ?
The people of Liberia can only commemorate Unification Day in a blissful mood when rampant corruption is minimized and economic criminals are unsympathetically reprimanded for raiding State coffers . National Unification starts with patriotism , and not patronage . National Integration comes through public transparency , and not fiscal indiscipline . It begins with the proper management of the people ’ s resources and power . How do we expect unity to prevail across Liberia when over 83.8 percent of our people still live on less than US $ 1.25 per day while top officials of government continue to receive bribes to alter our laws and auction our
Promoting Liberian literature , Arts and Culture
natural resources ? It is a paradox to celebrate Unification Day in the midst of mass unemployment , rampant corruption , inequality , nepotism and bad governance .
The gap between the rich and the poor in Liberia is too wide – there is no middle class . The people ’ s children who are currently working on goldmines in leeward counties and selling cold water in street corners deserve to be in school like the grandchildren of those in authority . Our young mothers , sisters and brothers deserve empowerment opportunities through quality education , gainful employment and profitable enterprises . The Liberian people have been through a lot and it is sad that no one is listening to their cry . There comes a time when they become constrained to reshape their own destiny and redefine history through genuine democratic actions ( April 14 , 1979 is a unique example to reference ).
The people have lost hope and confidence in a government they gave power to about 12 years ago . Were they wrong to cast their ballots ? I hope 2017 will make a lot of difference . We have a choice to make in 2017 . We either stay with poverty or embrace prosperity . We deserve better than what we have now . There can be no unity and cohesion in any sovereign state until public welfare becomes a matter of national imperative . A nation with a hopeless and jobless citizenry is far from achieving genuine unity . This is the dilemma of Unification Day in Liberia !
A teenage girl crushing rock in Liberia
About The Author : Martin K . N . Kollie is a Liberian youth activist , student leader , an emerging economist and a young writer . He is currently a student at the University of Liberia reading Economics and a loyal stalwart of the Student Unification Party ( SUP ). He can be reached at martinkerkula1989 @ yahoo . com
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