Liberians are Friday, August 24th celebrating National Flag Day, which President George Weah has declared as a public holiday.
In a proclamation declared Friday, August 24 as National Flag Day, President Weah said it is in consonant with an Act approved on October 25, 1915 by the National Legislature of the Republic of Liberia declaring the 24th Day of August of each year as “National Flag Day” to be observed as National Holiday.
According to the proclamation released by the Foreign Ministry, this historic day is in observance of the historic event when the National Flag was designed and produced by a committee of ladies led by Susannah Lewis.
It signifies the importance as Africa’s Pacesetter in the struggle for self-determination and inspiration to future African States and the National Ensign of the Republic of Liberia is a visible evidence of the country’s sovereignty and independence as well as a symbol of pride and dignity within the comity of nations.
Below we bring you this opinion piece on National Flag Day, as Liberians mark the 171st anniversary of their national colours.
By Y. Solomon W. Watkins, Contributing Writer
Since early age, the call to honor the flag we got to know. Honoring the flag is meant to be done in loyalty, commitment, adherence, faithfulness, honesty, diligence and allegiance to country.
To keep reminded, the flag is not only the marker of a country, but its colors and design allow one to know about the past history and future of the country.
Liberians come together on August 24 every year to celebrate Flag Day which is declare a national holiday to observe the making and the symbolic meaning of the Liberian national flag.
On this day, Liberians come together to remember their country’s history and the flag that it represents. Parades are customary with children taking to the street carrying miniature flags in their hands.
History has kept as fresh that on October 24, 1915, the president of the Republic of Liberia signed into law an act passed into law by the National Legislature, which announced that August 24 would be made a public holiday, offering the people of Liberia a chance to realize the national flag as a symbol of pride, loyalty, and dignity.
The first flag from 1827 was copied after the America flag but with a white cross instead of the stars.
The announcement of independence arose out of an occurrence in 1845 when the British captured the Liberian ship flying that flag, considered illegal by the British.
Solomon Watkins
The flag offered for use was a bit altered from the previous flag. The original 1827 flag carried 13 stripes. The number of stripes was decreased to 11, and a single white star was added. Some people go so far as to call the flag the Lone Star.
The blue field in the flag represents the continent of Africa; while the white star on the blue field represents the freedom finally given to the freed slaves of the country.
The 11 stripes signify the eleven signatories that brought Liberia independence and the framework of the constitution. The six red stripes show valor and the five white stripes represent purity.
When one takes a sober reflection of the significance of celebrating August 24-The Flag Day, key words such as, loyalty, dignity and purity, are used interchangeably and are considered as a nation so to avoid merely carousing the Flag.
Upholding purity in totality, like all other adjectives being used to describe how the Flag should be honored, the promotion of transparency, accountability and democratic development are essential in a society where people have been misguided, repressed and where endemic corruption and inadequate resource distribution have led to civil conflict from time to time.
This is done by post-war government supported by the international community, to enhance reconciliation, peace building and reconstruction processes.
Building on the already fragile peace the country is experiencing, embracing loyalty to state, purity (truthfulness and trustworthiness) both in hearts and actions, not let alone with government and its officials but total involvement of all, such is expected to usher in a new beginning and a breakaway from the traumatic past.
It is the proper platform on which freedom and a meaningful public administrative sphere should be built.
Looking ahead to the future, we project for our born and unborn generation, we cannot endure traits of doing business as usual.
Loyalty to state contextually is abstaining from acts or practices which harbored elements of mass annihilation, such as embezzlement and/or corruption.
Even if everyone around you is celebrated for participation, given our week justice system, you should be that shining light in the unprecedented darkness.
This is the loyalty we owe to our self and Liberia. For the betterment of Liberia we seek, must live in us, with us and for us through our Deeds, Not Words!
Forget not to commit this day to Liberia as we commemorate this year’s August 24th, knowing that the future we seek does not gait out to anyone, instead, we are under convictional obligations to go for it and do draw it toward us so that we can pace through as desired.
Kindly list three actions you would take to bring about the change you desired for Liberia.
For the change that Liberia desired must start with you! That is to say, don’t wait for Liberia to get better, before you become better, but be the person to make Liberia better.
Think about all the options available, bearing in mind that the change we seek is in you!
Solomon W. Watkins, Contributing Writer
Liberian Journalist and Media Development Professional