Some of the votes that may have caused the victory of Mr. Boakai in the Presidential election came from other Liberians’ mothers living with disabilities
By Samuel G. Dweh (Freelance Journalist)
+23188661896/776583266; samuelosophy@yahoo.com/ samuelosophy1@gmail.com
BACKGROUND OF THIS WRITE-UP: THE AUTHOR’S “SPIRITUAL ATTACHMENT” TO LIBERIA’S COMMUNITY OF DISABLED PEOPLE
I am in my 10th year of a freelance writing about the plight, education, business, talents exhibition by members of the PWD community. I also use my Facebook page to inform the Liberian Society and other parts of the World about their “pains” and “success stories”. I started 2013, two year after I returned from Nigeria where I taught Development and Humanrights Journalism (at the Times Journalism Institute—TJI, Lagos State. During my time—2004-2006 at TJI, the School was located at Plot 40-42, Imam Dauda Way, Orile/Iganmu, Lagos State)
JNB’s EMANCIPATORY COMMENTS DURING LIBERIA’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION (2023)
During Liberia’s Presidential election—first round (October 10, 2023) and run-off (November 14, 2023)—the catchword of Unity Party’s candidate, Joseph Nyumah Boakai, was “rescue” (each letter was in Cap/upper case)
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai
Another meaning of “rescue” is “emancipation” (or freedom)—emancipation from “economic hardship”, “disabilities-related mental tension”, and many other physical or mental conditions that deprive a person of happiness or reduce his/her lifespan.
With his “catchword”, “rescue”, what candidate JNB was saying, indirectly, to the community of Liberian mothers living with disabilities was: “I will rescue you from your mental pains from your disabilities, so that you won’t die before God’s appointed time for you.”
JNB’s “assurance” (“I will rescue you from…..”) to voters attracted to him the “winning number” of the total ballots (during the run-off election) over his rival—George Manneh Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)
PRESIDENT BOAKAI’S MOTHER HAD “DISABILITIES”
I am informed about this through the President’s Inaugural Speech I read in one of the Liberian newspapers.
On his childhood and his parents, the President JNB (on his inaugural speech) states: “I was born to a mother with disabilities, Madam Lusu Kumba Kpetu, and a father, Mr. Bundor Tamba Yamba, who was mostly absent”. He didn’t mention the “kinds” of disabilities his mother suffered from. The President added different people’s “assistance” (another meaning for “rescue”) to his disabled mother: “Modest help came through compassion of strangers and ordinary people…”
DOES PRESIDENT BOAKAI HAVE QUICK “RESCUE” PLAN FOR OTHER LIBERIANS’ MOTHER EXPERIENCING “PAINS” OF DISABILITIES?
Some of the votes that caused the victory of Mr. Boakai in the Presidential election came from other Liberians’ mothers living with disabilities. The disabled mothers gave their votes to him on their “collective belief” that he will “rescue” them—if he is the Head of State—from “economic hardship” their physical conditions (disabilities) have plunged them into.
And NEC (National Elections Commission) declared JNB winner—on the prayers of the mothers with disabilities!
ECONOMIC & MENTAL PAINS BEING EXPERIENCED EVERYDAY BY LIBERIAN MOTHERS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES
Being a child of a mother who had experienced similar conditions, Liberia’s current Head of State—now in his advanced age—Joseph Nyumah Boakai—is aware of such economic and mental pains during his childhood and, perhaps, his youth stage when he was living with his disabled mother.
If you (reading this write-up) tour around Monrovia (Liberia’s Capital City), especially in parts with buzzing economic activities (Central Monrovia), you will see dozens of mothers with disabilities begging for money from owners of business centers, or non-disabled people passing by them. Many of these disabled mothers are visually impaired (blind), in crutches (being pushed by one of their children or neighbors), while some are crawling, because they can’t find money for wheelchair. Some of them are with their babies!
Everyday a multitude of mothers with disabilities—with their disabled colleagues—at VAMOMA (along the Tubman Boulevard), 24th Street, Sinkor, Monrovia. They conglomerate here for religious organizations or secular humanitarian organizations who come around every week or once every month to share foods and clothes with the body of disabled persons. VAMOMA is along the route President Joseph Nyumah Boakai passes through, from his private residence (in Paynesville) and to go to his Presidential office (Executive Mansion) He often sees these begging mothers with disabilities!
THE “RESCUE” URGENTLY EXPECTED BY OTHER LIBERIANS’ MOTHERS WITH DISABILITIES
What they need is a National Welfare Program, by the Joseph N. Boakai-led Government, from which each person will receive free foods, wears (clothes), and free education for their children (if father of the children are dead or are jobless) This is possible with Liberia’s abundant natural resources that give the Government millions of U.S. Dollars and Euros (from foreign companies involved in concession business in Africa’s most mineral-rich Country) every month.
MAJORITY OF DISABLED PEOPLE’S FRUSTRATIONS IN THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES (NCD)
The NCD is the Government’s arm for mobilizing, registering, and providing needs of persons with disabilities. The NCD was directly under the office of “Vice President” Joseph Nyumah Boakai during the Presidency of Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (2006-2017)
However, majority of PWDs had written off the NCD as an “impartial” caring Institution during the Government of George Manneh Weah. During my interactions with several PWDs and groups, they expressed their frustration in the leadership of a woman (a disabled person) appointed as Director of NCD by President Weah. I was told she picked a few, especially those who were into praise-singing President Weah’s name (to get preferential treatment), and she used much of the Government’s funding (over US$800,000) for the “entire disabled community” for her personal project.
One of the frustrated groups of disabled people was the National Union of Organizations of the Disabled (NUOD), an independent body of persons with disabilities, headed by visually impaired Pastor Peter B.K. Flomo as Presidents.
I produced a news story (published in the FrontPage Africa Newspaper of Liberia) on what the NUOD leadership described as the President Weah’s appointed female NCD leader’s “misuse of US$800,000” of the Government’s assistance to the entire Liberia’s Disability Community. To call the President’s attention, NUOD planned a sit-in strike action on the Ground of the Executive Mansion (also featured in my news story published by FrontPage Africa Newspaper) On the eve of the planned strike, President Weah sent Monrovia City Mayor, Jefferson Koijee, and National Culture Ambassador, Juli Endee, to pacify NUOD, and to relay the President’s assurance of “financial assistance soon”.
“President Weah has not fulfilled his promise made to NUOD,” NUOD’s President, Peter B.K. Flomo, complained to me three months later.
A male wheelchair-mobile member of the PWD community, named Zeogar (who voted for JNB during the presidential election at the voting center on 18th Street, where I cast my vote) told me two weeks after the election. “The woman President George Weah appointed as NCD boss took much of money to her County for her personal project. I heard she is coaxing now Vice President Jeremiah Koung for her appointment as NCD Executive Director in the new Government. The disabled community will resist her appointment. We will march to the President’s office to register our complaints against how she robbed us on the money the Weah’s Government gave to the entire disabled community through her.”
The community of mothers living with disabilities are anxiously waiting for the empathy-based action of Liberia’s “RESCUE #1” for pulling them out of mental pains from their conditions.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Samuel G. Dweh (a member of the Wedabo ethnic group of Grand Kru County) is professional writer (fiction and non-fiction) He is a member of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), and member and former president (22017-2022) of the Liberia Association of Writers (LAW) He had worked as Proofreader, News Editor, Editor-in-Chief, and Senior Editor-Reporter with seven different Liberian Print Media Institutions (beginning as Proofreader at Daily Observer in 2011) and Reporter-Assistant Editor with one Magazine (IMAGES Magazine owned by veteran Liberian Photo Journalist Mr. Sando Moore) in 2013.