PHOTO: The Author
By Mwalimu-Koh M. Blonkanjay Jackson
Author, Scholar, Development Specialist
May 20, 2021
Thinking Thoughts
In my thinking thoughts I considered the month of May would soon be passing away, and how May 14 was supposed to be celebrated as a reminder for integration or the need for all Liberians to shun their pet peeves and become unified. I also reflected how the introduction of a National Unification Day holiday was an antecedent to sustaining peace among the people of Liberia.
Albeit, when I considered the recent turbulences and episodes unfolding in this unity month of May 2021, it appears like a tempest is raging all over the country that requires reproach and calm. When the question, “Who will calm the storm?” occurred to me, my whole human agency retreated into a scary quietude.
Unfolding events these days appear to indicate a tempest is raging in Liberia. For instance, a Police Station in Grand Gedeh County was recently torched; a sitting opposition Lawmaker Yekeh Korlubah was finally brought to his knees and suspended after the Supreme Court earlier ruled the House had no such authority; Senator Johnson is threatening “…turn Sen. Dillon’s table over if he continues to front for war crimes court; since December 2020, the people of Lofa who are expected to welcome President Weah in June 2021, remain aggrieved because their Senator-Elect Brownie Samukai has still not taken office while Senate Pro Temp Chie is asserting he now has quorum and will proceed with business as usual; Liberia is absent from the 2021 Paris Conference where Heads of States of other nations are currently lobbying for support to their nations.
Most scary of all, when I considered how the Government of the greatest nation of the world, the United States of America, condemned the election of Liberia’s foremost political kingmaker Senator Prince Y. Johnson to the Senate leadership, branding him (PYJ) a “notorious warlord”. The US Government then vowed to distance itself from his leadership, and further branded the Liberian Senate, our supposedly wise elders, as being unserious or in their very words, “By giving Senators Johnson and Sherman these leadership roles, the Senate is effectively ensuring that corruption and lack of accountability flourish”. The position of the USA immediately reminded me of the old Gospel hymn, “Master the Tempest is Raging, the Billows are Tossing High” the first stanza of which portrays turbulence is about to overwhelm a previously peaceful situation.
Master, the tempest is raging!
The billows are tossing high!
The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness.
No shelter or help is nigh.
Carest thou not that we perish?
How canst thou lie asleep
When each moment so madly is threat’ning
A grave in the angry deep?
“Master, the Tempest Is Raging” is a hymn based on Mark 4:36–41. The hymn’s text, written by Mary Ann Baker, focuses on the story of the Savior Jesus and His disciples crossing the Sea of Galilee when a heavy storm suddenly raged and waves beat upon their boat so furiously that they were about to drown. Having applied all of their navigational skills and turned to Jesus to intervene, He arose, rebuked the wind, and said unto the angry waves, “Peace, be still.”
Significance of President Tubman’s May 14 Unification Day Policy
National Unification Day holiday in Liberia was enacted in 1961 during the reign of Liberia’s 19th President William Vacanarat Shadrach Tubman (1944 to 1971). This annual observance was intended to draw attention to one of the most pressing issues of animosity and passive resistance between the returned free slaves (Americo-Liberians) and indigenous people. During those decades Americo-Liberians were held in higher esteems than the aborigines who were referred to as “country boys” or in harsher terms, “heathens”
President Tubman, in order to diminish the divide between these groups, introduced a National Unification Policy which featured among several things, an extension of vote to women and to the country’s indigenous people. The policy was supposed to remind Liberians what they hold in common and not to dwell on how they diverged or are different. In spite of Tubman’s unity vision, a general focus on how to unify the nation is still faced with setbacks which at some point germinated consecutive un-civil wars between 1989 to 2003.
National Unification Setbacks
Since its observance, efforts by various opinion leaders to unify the nation state has faced exceptional setbacks. Notably are Presidents William R. Tolbert, Charles G. Taylor and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
In a bid to unify the country, President Tolbert achieved a multi-party state status by allowing the so-called “Progressives” from the US to organize political movements; the existence of the Progressive Alliance of Liberia (PAL), Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Movement for Justice in Africa (MOJA) and other groups were milestones to President Tolbert’s credit. His Total Involvement for Higher Heights policy, with the fight against “Ignorance, Poverty, and Disease” carried close semblance of Tubman’s National Unification policy. In spite of President Tolbert’s huge steps towards unity, the nation was divided again between the Krahns and Gios when the semi-literate soldier Samuel K. Doe killed him and declared all Americo-Liberians fugitive and enemies of the state further deepening the rift Tubman had set out to bridge.
Unification became illusive when the killers of President Tolbert, the late Generals Samuel Doe and Thomas Qwiwonkpah disagreed over gubernatorial issues leading to a failed counter-coupe whereby all Gios and Manos became fugitives and enemies of the state as well.
As if to exacerbate the disunity, Americo-Liberian fugitive Charles Taylor who escaped from jail, in the United States with support from the Progressives, came swinging with his National Patriotic Front (NPFL) which targeted Samuel K. Doe, all former AFL personnel, all Krahn and Mandingo people. At the terminal stage of his reign, President Taylor confessed his greatest regret was that he failed to effect reconciliation and hence failed to re-unite the country. Similarly, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s greatest nightmare was her confession of possessing an unforgiving spirit and failure to reconcile and unite the country. As a consequence, National Unification Day has always stood as a policy on paper but never fully implemented nor accomplished not even by Liberia’s best and brightest.
President George Weah’s Unification Setbacks
In the case of President George Weah who formerly served as United Nations Peace Ambassador, it is becoming glaring each day that his administration is struggling with unity. In recent times, we have witnessed sparing, vigilante and militant postures among opposition and ruling party stalwarts. Instead of fronting to achieve what Presidents Taylor and Sirleaf did not achieve, President Weah’s team has taken on former President Sirleaf and other erstwhile opinion leaders. An instance, the President scuffled with Edwin Snowe at the early days of the December 2020 Senatorial elections, and moved on to spar with Alex Tyler and President Sirleaf of Bomi County hence brewing disunity instead of unity. As the tempest raged it then became clear that all Liberians sought a sought a Savior who would rebuke the waves and calm the storm.
Tempest calmer United States of America
Now as the greatest nation of the world has set its focus on our Liberian Senate, it depicts angry waves have begun to beat on our Liberian boat. The question is “Who will calm the tempestuous Waves?” From the shade of events unfolding, it appears like the United States of America might once again be ushered in to rebuke our winds and calm the tempest that is raging in Liberia as was the case during the civil wars.
After the 1990 war had ripped Liberia for 14 years, President George W. Bush of the United States of America rebuked Charles Taylor and commanded him to leave Liberia immediately. After some resistance, President Taylor the imminent danger imminent, departed Liberia in 2003 and sanity and calm finally returned to Liberia.
Yesterday on May 19, 2021, the US Government again rebuked our situation with a scathing statement that might calm the tempest which is raging in Liberia.
Liberian Senators, based upon their wisdom elected via white ballot, former warlord turned law maker and evangelist Prince Y. Johnson as chairman of the Senate Committee on Defense and Intelligence on May 19, 2021. Immediately the Liberian Senators’ wise decision, the Government of the United States of America condemned the action and vowed not to work with the “notorious warlord” Prince Johnson. In addition, the US Government reminded the Senators that the continuous presence of Senator Varney Sherman who was booked for corruption and sanctioned by the Magnitsky Act is an affront.
In his reaction to the US statement on a radio talk show, “notorious warlord” Johnson acknowledged the statement and promised to step down with justification that the interest of the country was more important than his tenure as Committee Chair.
Regarding the war crimes court which has become a popular discussion point, it appears apparent that the US Government might again need to issue a “marching order” before the Government of Liberia will act. From the way PYJ is bowing to the statement, there is no doubt that he would bow to the court were the USG to rebuked the tempest raging in his wretched scary troubled soul whereby he is threatening to turn tables. It appears apparent again that USG is getting fed up with our cheap politicking and frolicking and has garner the courage to rebuke our wind and calm our storm.
The Benediction
Fellow Liberians, as we bid goodbye to our unity month of May, let us not only look to the United states to rebuke our wind and calm the tempest. For the US Government itself is a creation of the Almighty and endowed proceed as it is doing.
I therefore declare unto all who have ears to hear, we should look up to Jesus to rebuke the winds of corruption, intransigence, recalcitrance, ineptitude, mediocrity, and wickedness in high places which have permeated our society. It is only Jesus who can rebuke our storms and calm our waves as the tempest rages in Liberia. The question remains: Master the Tempest is Raging in Liberia’s Unification Month: Will the USA or Jesus Himself Rebuke our Storms and Calm our Waves?
Now may the grace of God and the sweet communion of the Holy Spirit rest, and remain with Senator Johnson, the Liberian Senate and the Republic of Liberia. My He cause light to shine upon them and give them courage and grace to calm the tempest which is raging in Liberia, in Jesus’ name.
Please therefore join me in the old Gospel hymn, “Master, the Tempest Is Raging” (Note keenly the 2nd stanza)
Master, the Tempest Is Raging
- Master, the tempest is raging!
The billows are tossing high!
The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness.
No shelter or help is nigh.
Carest thou not that we perish?
How canst thou lie asleep
When each moment so madly is threat’ning
A grave in the angry deep?
(Chorus)
The winds and the waves shall obey thy will:
Peace, be still.
Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea
Or demons or men or whatever it be,
No waters can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean and earth and skies.
They all shall sweetly obey thy will:
Peace, be still; peace, be still.
They all shall sweetly obey thy will:
Peace, peace, be still.
- Master, with anguish of spirit
I bow in my grief today.
The depths of my sad heart are troubled.
Oh, waken and save, I pray!
Torrents of sin and of anguish
Sweep o’er my sinking soul,
And I perish! I perish! dear Master.
Oh, hasten and take control!
(Chorus)
- Master, the terror is over.
The elements sweetly rest.
Earth’s sun in the calm lake is mirrored,
And heaven’s within my breast.
Linger, O blessed Redeemer!
Leave me alone no more,
And with joy I shall make the blest harbor
And rest on the blissful shore.
Simply Thinking Thoughts!
About the author:
The Rivercess man, CEO and founder of the Diversified Educators Empowerment Project (DEEP), Mwalimu-koh M. Blonkanjay Jackson holds a Master of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Master of Science in Mathematics Education from St. Joseph’s University; he is a Yale University Teachers Initiative Math Fellow, and UPENN Teacher Institute Physics Fellow. He is part-time lecturer at the UL Graduate School of Education. Mr. Jackson served the government of Liberia diligently for four years and returned to private practice as Development Specialist and Education Engineer. The Mwalimu-koh can be reached at 0886 681 315 / 0776075129.