By Bill W. Cooper
Fatu Gayflor is calling on President Joseph Boakai to reconstruct the famous Kendenja National Culture Center, expressing her disappointment over the handling of its premises by past administrations.
The Kendeja Culture Center was established in the early 1960s through the efforts of former President William V.S. Tubman and some of the country’s outstanding indigenous sons and daughters.
For his love for the Liberian culture, arts and craft, former President Tubman initiated the construction of the Kendeja National Culture Center in Paynesville for the sole purpose of promoting the nation’s rich culture, history, as well as arts and craft.
The Kendeja building, also known as the Kendeja National Culture Shrine, was intended to be a hub for showcasing Liberia’s arts and cultures, providing a space for artists to exhibit their work, and for cultural events to take place.
But since after the war, there has been great concerns by many Liberians including renowned cultural artist, Gayflor, who is known for her vernacular music, for the loss of the country’s rich cultural heritage such as folklore, traditional songs and dances, storytelling, as well as traditional dress codes.
Seeing that it was necessary to nurture young people’s talent and showcase Liberia’s rich cultural heritage through performing arts, the center remained home to the Liberian National Cultural Troupe (LNCT) till 2008 when the RLJ and Companies demolished the shrine to build a hotel resort there.
The sale eventually led to the subsequent eviction of remnants of the National Troupe, thereby causing the dissolution of the group itself, as Kendeja and the National Dance Troupe had survived for over 60 years under past administrations.
The group was well respected at home and abroad, and over the years, it helped build a positive national culture conscience and attitudes among Liberians, as the troupe also served as a national pride and did bring home countless trophies won from festivals staged abroad.
In an effort to avoid public outcry, former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf then promised to relocate the group to a place called Boy’s Town, near the Camp Shefflin Military Barracks, on the Roberts International Airport (RIA) highway.
But so far, there’s no evidence of the relocation of the building as the status of the Kendeja Land “contract” between the “RLJ and Companies” owned by US billionaire, Robert Johnson, and the Government of Liberia, isn’t really clear.
But Madam Gayflor in an interview with a local radio station Monday in Monrovia stated, “The Kendeja building was meant to be a symbol of Liberia’s commitment to promoting our arts and cultures. So, it is a shame to see that we no longer have such a historical site and the past government did nothing for its rebirth.”
“I am saying this because we need a space where artists can come together to showcase their work and where cultural events can be held. I hope President Boakai can prioritize the reconstruction of the Kendeja building to ensure that Liberia’s arts and cultures continue to thrive,” she noted.
Madam Gayflor added, “We cannot put a price on the value of our arts and cultures because the Kendeja building is more than just a physical structure; it is a symbol of our identity as Liberians and by rebuilding it, we are investing in the future of our country and ensuring that our cultural heritage continues to be celebrated and preserved for generations to come.”
