New Castle, Delaware, USA—Liberia’s 172nd Independence Day Orator, Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee continues to receive commendations from various quarters both at home and abroad, with the Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA) becoming the latest to do so.
ALJA has described this year’s July 26th Independence Day oration delivered by Liberia’s Nobel Laureate Gbowee, as one of the best speeches delivered in recent history.
ALJA said Madam Gbowee’s assessment of life and the behaviors of Liberians in past and contemporary Liberia was candid, balanced, and objective. The Association says Ms. Gbowee has won its respect and admiration as a true nationalist.
The Americas based Liberian journalists said the notable Peace and Women’s Rights Activist fearlessly spoke truth to President George Weah, officials of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), opposition politicians, religious leaders and ordinary Liberians regarding issues of pervasive falsehood, bad governance, unity, peace, stability and political co-existence in Liberia.
In a press release issued on August1, 2019, ALJA maintains the 2011 Nobel Prize Winner’s speech, which categorized the Liberian society into three important groups of people, the Ruling Position (the ruling class which believes that it has an entitlement to Liberia’s wealth), the Opposition (recycled or wannabe politicians, who believe that they have all the answers to Liberia’s problems), and the No Position (the poor, marginalized and disengaged Liberians), cuts across all social, professional, religious, ethnic and political lines in the country.
ALJA says it welcomes and supports Ms. Gbowee’s preposition, which urges Liberians to adapt the practice of truth-telling and adherence to the rule of law as key steps for peaceful co-existence and a unified country. The Association states unless Liberians learn to treat one another with honesty, equality, pride, and dignity where the rule of law is respected and adhered to by all citizens and residents of the country regardless of political, social and economic status as insinuated by Nobel Laureate Gbowee, Liberia’s desire for political stability and peaceful co-existence would remain unattainable.
ALJA thanked Ms. Gbowee for the powerful, well researched and articulated speech which provided a panacea for the resolution of the many leadership hurdles including corruption and bad governance that continue to retard Liberia’s growth and national development. Meanwhile, ALJA is calling on President Weah and the CDC government to consider seriously the several recommendations advanced by the Nobel Laureate in their quest for the building of a prosperous and unified Liberia.
The Association says President Weah and officials of the CDC should muster the courage and begin the fight on corruption in Liberia with themselves by making public their assets and liabilities declaration forms; and eschew actions or tendencies that shield corrupt public officials in the country as proposed by the Liberian Nobel Prize Winner.
ALJA says unless the Weah administration stops the ongoing practice of selective justice in how individuals in the country accused of graft are prosecuted, the CDC’s professed war on shady deals would equate to a charade.