By David K. Dahn
Since the Liberian civil war faded in 2003, it’s well over two decades. In its 22nd year since the return of normalcy, one would think that the epoch of tranquility has finally arrived. But that seems far from the practical reality. The dream of political stability is yet to go hand-in-glove with infrastructural development and peaceful co-existence. Perhaps these concepts are merely theorized.
Postwar Liberia has on records, conducted four (2005, 2011, 2017, and 2023) general and presidential elections. This has won admiration for Liberia within the comity of nations. The world also marveled at how a country which ejected out of a prolonged civil war sailed so smoothly with two processes of peaceful transfer of power. The first, in January 2018, when Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf democratically transferred stately authority to Mr. George M. Weah. Again the world witnessed the second peaceful transfer of democratic power from ex-President George M. Weah to President Joseph N. Boakai in January 2024.
Historically, those were memorable events and they are indelibly stamped in our nation’s democratic credentials. The probing question then is, has the aftermath of these laudable political events truncated into economic beneficiation for the impoverished ‘millions’ at the bare bottom in our society? On the premise of assumption, the response falls on the left side of a number line which would obviously be in the negative. It is then understandable while righteous anger has engulfed our public sphere.
I now deem it as a cliché to hide behind our inaction, bad governance or lack of innovation to build ourselves a functioning nation by always saying “ Liberia just came from out of 14 years of senseless war.” This alibi not only exposes but also reinforces our weakness in political and economic governance combined. I assume that global partnership supports are dwindling at an accelerated rate. Honestly, it doesn’t cut across my mind if Liberia falls within the ranks or enjoys the status which diplomats would reference as one of the ‘most-favored nations’ to be scaled for a preferential treatment. I guess partners are tired hearing, if I may repeat the Cliché “Liberia just came from out of 14 years of senseless war.” Or “Liberia has a fragile peace.” But who is going to make our peace sturdy or strong if our decisions and actions only invite political fragility? Other nations came out of wars and others are still battling with incessant wars yet they are thriving on the trajectory of progress. In my settled consideration, external sympathy no longer drives development, only national innovation and responsible governance do. The sooner we realize that trends in global politics are fast changing, the quicker we will be able to readjust national priorities and our personal appetites.
In his sixth cabinet meeting, President Boakai made a submission to members of his cabinet about the challenges of the time. In my mind, the President was bold in his admittance that there are looming problems. But guess what, the problems were presented to members of the cabinet in the form of a simultaneous equation which needs to be solved graphically. By the President’s statement, it now falls within the wisdom of each official to figure out which one of the problems falls within their quadrant and how is it going to be plotted on the line graph for a solution. I am strongly persuaded that history truly remembers intentional actors and not mere talkers or filibusters.
The President was very piercing in outlining the challenges which the cabinet needs to address collectively. The President succinctly laid out the challenge of persistent mob violence; the challenge of frequent civil unrest, where dissatisfaction often leads to destructive protests. In my mind, frequent civil unrest because as one anonymous author puts it, “When transparency provides plenty of evidence that public officers infringe the rules, citizens are more incline to believe that the public sector works through bribes and clientelistic exchanges.” The President also pointed out the challenge of repeated incidents of arson targeting Indian investment; the challenge of youth unemployment, recalling that the recent SOE supported youth program attracted over 15,000 applicants. On youth unemployment, in my opinion reflects a clear visualization of a frightening trend of event which needs strategic rationalization requiring time bound solutionization.
In a report from the sixth cabinet meeting I recounted a key policy statement from the President that his administration remains focused on delivering for the Liberian people and has no intention of nursing political ambition for 2029. The President provided the option for members of his cabinet who are bracing up for the 2029 elections now to freely resign.
Still keen on the sixth cabinet meeting, I heard a reaffirmation of the President’s commitment to prioritizing national development, accountability and urgent reforms. By this statement, my thought is anchored in hope that this is a period of renewed rectitude. But the President’s vision has to be translated into tangible deliverables through the concerted efforts of his cabinet members.
In his seventh cabinet meeting, President Boakai sounded firmed in my view, when he stated “our commitment must be to the country above all else. Personal interests should not interfere with national priorities.” This reminds me that reform agenda for democratic governance is about how to build states that are effective, responsive to social needs, inclusive, and accountable to citizens(Norris 2010: 379).
Commendable as the rhetoric may sound, the empirical question is, are these mesmerizing utterances new in our political discourses over time from one administration to the next? To the best of my recollection, certainly not. This is while this authorship is raising the awareness that the identification of challenges and the profound commitments to prioritize national developments should not be hearable matters only to be left un-addressable.
I singly applauded when I heard the President says “The time for talk is over”, adding that the Liberian people expect results and it is upon him and his cabinet to deliver.
The onus is now on the rest of the cabinet members to leave the intelligible ‘talking’ with the Ministry of Information while they focus on actions as much as each cabinet member role depicts. Plato, one of the philosophical pivots reminds us that “[w]ise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.” Otherwise, we are not only waiting but also watching to see for fact if the time for mere talking without actions is realistically over. I leave it with you.