By Tokpa Tarnue-tarnue822@gmail.com
Voinjama, Liberia-May 14, 2019 supposed to be a National Holiday, National Unification Day, something that did not look that way in the Liberian capital, Monrovia and its environs.
On Tuesday, May 14, a www.newspublictrust.com Reporter was on an experimental shopping spree in the Paynesville commercial hub of Redlight and other parts of Monrovia, where things did not resemble a sacred national holiday.
But that was the opposite in the northwestern city of Voinjama, where local Authorities of Lofa County, some 244 miles from Monrovia. In collaboration with Lofa County Youth Network, stakeholders, CSOs and ordinary citizens officially observed and celebrated the 59 years of National Unification day in Voinjama. It was punctuated by calls for Lofans and Liberians at large to maintain peace and unity.
May 14 each year is celebrated as National Unification day in Liberia, since the declaration in 1960 by Liberia former President William V.S. Tubman.
The observance and celebration of the National Unification day on Tuesday began with a parade from the Unification Monument through the principal streets of Voinjama city, climaxing with an indoor program. It was held at the William V.S. Tubman Memorial County Hall, bringing together Local Authorities, the Lofa Youth Network, stakeholders, civil society organizations, Religious and Traditional groups, LMA and the ordinary citizens of Lofa County
Mr. James Zunnah and Lofa County Education Officer served as keynote Speaker for the 59 anniversary of the National Unification Day celebration day here.
Mr. Zunnah pointed out that the purpose of the holiday is to seek and improve relations between the descendants of the free American states who colonized Liberia and the original native population of Liberia.
He noted that unity is diversity that boosts the morale of people at work places, organizations and the communities and so Lofans should consider Unification as tool to nation building, peace and development.
For his part, Lofa County Superintendent, Mr. William Tamba Kamba said Unification began in Lofa and added that Lofa is blessed to have had six tribes, who have lived together in peace, unity.
Superintendent Kamba stressed the need for Lofans to maintain unification as a bench mark to develop the County.
The Lofa County Superintendent wants to the people of Lofa to cherish peace and unity. And he furthered urged the citizens and the leadership to come together and put aside their differences, in order to forge ahead for the growth and development of the County.