PHOTO: Press Union of Liberia’s Headquarters on Clay Street, Monrovia.
By Samuel G. Dweh (PUL member, native of Grand Kru County)
—+231 (0)886618906/776583266/samuelosophy@yahoo.com/samuelosophy1@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION OF THIS WRITE-UP
This professional piece is a “reflection” on (some) of the actions by members of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) during celebration of the World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) for year 2021. The event was held in Grand Kru County, southeastern Liberia, from the 1-3 May, 2021.
This kind of write-up is a first-of-its-kind (innovation) in the PUL, introduced by a “new entrant” (the Author), whose membership of the Union began in 2012—fifty years after the birth of the PUL (1962). Beginning from his first participation in a PUL-organized WPFD, the Author had observed each of the “reports” by PUL members—during World Press Freedom—being on the “actions” of other people (“news makers”), without a report on the “behaviours” of the “news reporters” (Journalists) that will certainly astonish or “horrify” other members of the public—and bring the entire PUL membership to public disrepute.
Irritating/horrifying experiences un-related to members’ behaviours—deplorable road conditions (that caused stops on highway and push of the car across mudslide); pandemonium over urination/defecation on the highway; absence of water at the Guest Houses; and poor handling of foods by hired food servers for the WPFD celebration, etc.—are not included in this write-up.
The trip started in Monrovia on Thursday, April 29 and ended on Friday.
Saturday was used for the Edward Wilmot Blyden Forum—in memory of Liberian renowned Diplomat, Orator—for members of the media to interact with heads of public and private institutions on issues affecting their institutions and planned solution methods.
Sunday was for worship by “Christians” in the PUL.
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE OF PRODUCING THIS ARTICLE
The Writer has three reasons for this article.
The first is to inform the general public—as well as to create in each reader’s mind—physical and verbal actions of PUL’s members as parts of celebration of the 2021’s WPFD.
The Author’s second purpose is to engender a “behavioral change” in the Liberian Journalism community on negative characters often exhibited by (most) members, that seem their “personal contributions” to this internationally endorsed and respected Media Occasion. I still remember a PUL member severely flogged by a husband in a public area during a WPFD celebration in Gbarpolu County few years ago.
The “disgraceful treatment” against the PUL member was on his “keeping” the other man’s wife in his room of a Guest House rented by the PUL leadership. Appeals from the angry husband’s friends prevented murder of the Journalist, as the woman’s husband had vowed to do to serve as deterrence to other PUL’s members hustling for “free women” after loading liquor into their system.
The third reason has two components. The first is highlighting of the Union’s leadership failure on enforcing the WHO/Liberian Government-mandated Coronavirus-prevention Protocol in the body of Journalists in the conveying buses; and in the body of Journalists during various aspects of the WPFD—Reporting Field Trips, Parade, Indoor Programs, et cetera.
The third is some officials’ promotion of “alcoholism” among the body of travelling PUL members by supplying only liquor. Members who don’t have the “head” or “heart” for any liquor—were “marginalized”. I had called the attention of two of the PUL officials to the “marginalization” on the highway and when we were in Grand Kru County. “I feel only liquor everybody in the bus likes,” the official replied to my concern.
This “flashback” begins with departure day at the headquarter of the PUL (article’s main photo, above)
AT THE PUL HEADQUARTERS
Fine Part:
- THE PUL leadership allowed into each bus (the number was two) members who failed to pay the mandatory USD25 as transportation fee (across the board) The Author of this article was one of the members who failed on the transportation fare. (Most of those who failed on the payment were arguing that Grand Kru County’s Legislators had sponsored the entire WPFD celebration through leadership of the PUL).
- The PUL leadership extended the ‘departure time’ from 10:00am to 2:00pm—considering challenge of traffic jam or financial constraints with members living in far-off places.
Ugly Part:
- Congestion on the bus (four persons to a seat), which violated Health (Coronavirus)-related Protocol announced by the World Health Organization and the Liberian Government.
- No mask on faces of Journalists.
ON THE ROAD—HEADING TO GRAND KRU COUNTY
WPFD celebration Bus #1: Brief stop on highway
for members’ unrination/defecation
Fine Parts:
- Hearty jokes and inspirational music (from a male member’s set) to kill boredom
- Supply of food and water by PUL leadership to all members.
Ugly Parts:
- Religious intolerance: Insistence on “Christian prayer” (by a female leader and majority of people on Bus #1) in a body of different religious faiths, and some (Christian) members’ opposition to brief stop by the driver ( a Muslim) for break of fast (The trip was made during the Muslims’ Holy Month)
- Encouragement of over-speeding by bus driver
- Excessive alcohol consumption, drunkenness, and liquor-induced profane languages
IN GRAND KRU COUNTY
Riding Journey ends: one of the scenes in Grand Kru County County.
Fine parts:
- Field Trips for interactions with the County’s residents on their problems: educational, agricultural, social, political, etc. (Saturday, May 1)
- Members’ appearances over County’s radio stations for discussions on the significance of the World Press Freedom Day celebration in Grand Kru County. (Saturday, May 1)
- Traditional honor for PUL President, Charles B. Coffey, Jr., in his maternal native home (Behwen)—Saturday, May 1
- PUL members’ interaction with County’s Officials (at the Edward Wilmot Blyden Forum) and Deputy Speaker of Liberia’s Lower House (also the Representative of Electoral District #2 of Grand Kru County), Hon. Jonathan Fonati Koffa, at the indoor segment of the WPFD in Barclayville City Hall (Saturday, May 1-Monday, May 3)
- PUL member, Samuel G. Dweh, launches personal organization’s writing-training project—“Writing Clinic”—for Senior High Schools (Main WPFD celebration—Monday, May 3)
- PUL mingled with County’s Christian community through attendance of a Church service. (Sunday, May 2)
- PUL socialized with County’s Authority through a soccer match that ended with one goal for each side. (Monday, May 1)
- PUL President (Charles B. Coffey) and Vice President (Daniel Nyakonah) enjoying pepper soup (with goat and chicken meat) at a traditional honor program for the President in his maternal native home (Behwen)
Getting Ready for Parade: Liberia National Police’s representative joins PUL members. Author Samuel G. Dweh 2nd from left
Parade through principal street of host County’s capital, Barclayville
The back of the celebration T-Shirt
Indoor Program: The High Table behind WPFD publicity banner
Ugly Part:
- PUL members’ openly begging for money from officials of the County’s Authority. (Between arrival day and departure day)
- Public nuisance on drunkenness (alcoholism)—PUL members confront traders of host County over prices of commodity, commercial motorcyclists on transport fare, and messed up jointly-shared bathroom with vomit and feces. Some brazenly insulted their colleagues that complained over the ‘mess’ (Between arrival day and departure day)
- Commotion of theft in a room occupied by male members. The victim had announced to colleagues he came penniless from Monrovia
DEPARTURE DAY (TUESDAY)
Fine Part:
- PUL members established new friendships
Ugly Part:
- A male member’s insult against the mother by another male member during argument over photo-taking of the contentious point of “land dispute” between Grand Kru County and Maryland County.
GENERAL NOTE: A shared ugly behavior of majority of PUL members traveling for the World Press Freedom Day celebration or in the County for celebration is DRUNKENNESS—and irritating behavior (use of profane profanities/vulgarities by many).
This behavior and actions were exhibited by over 90% of the Press Union of Liberia’s members who travelled for and took part in the 2021’s World Press Freedom Day celebration in Grand Kru County.
Now, we are on the public’s “monitoring radar” for our next World Press Freedom Day celebration…
About the Author
Samuel G. Dweh is a member of the Wedabo ethnic group of Grand Kru County, a member of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), and President of the Liberia Association of Writers (LAW)