Reflections from Liberia

Liberia, a struggling country in the West African sub-region, is a shocking example of the contradictions of poverty in plenty. Blessed with lush vegetation, fertile lands, and appreciable natural resources, Liberia is still a very poor country. My first visit to this country is a bit of a rude awakening. While the plane’s approach to the Monrovia international airport presents a magnificent landscape of lush green vegetation and a panoramic view of an elegant labyrinth of ocean flow, the airport and its environs however contrast sharply and present a depressing view of infrastructural decay and abject poverty.

A drive from the airport into the city brings another layer of depression. Poverty is in the air, in the faces of people you pass in the narrow, derelict airport road and the mud houses that dot the stretch of the road. This is the Liberia that we met on our arrival to be part of the 2011 general election. Monrovia doesn’t present an exciting picture but rather reinforces the horrors of the years eaten by war and irresponsible governance. In terms of infrastructure and development, Monrovia can be best described as a little village with very few trappings of a state capital.

However, the people of Liberia possess an enthusiasm and hope that belie the challenges they face every day. I was amazed by the outpouring of people into the street to campaign for their candidates—their joy, excitement, and the optimism they share. Of great significance also was the involvement of youth in the election process. It was a pleasant surprise to see young persons in their thousands throng the streets, use their resources to print posters and t-shirts, and stay under harsh weather conditions all day chanting and campaigning for their candidates.

The campaigning was remarkable because it brought Monrovia to a standstill. It seems like everybody was involved. However the most surprising part was when the rains started and people had to walk home or seek shelter. It was like a rainbow event. Youths wearing different party colors were crowding under one umbrella or walking home together, supporting each other. There were isolated cases of scuffles between opposing parties, but watching a sea of people who support different candidates walking home together sends a strong message of reconciliation and a level of political maturity amongst the youth that politicians should learn from.

I thought that I had seen all that makes Liberians great until I met May Coker. May Coker epitomizes unadulterated beauty and breathtaking poise. For a blind woman of 82 years, May was simply something. She has voted in every election in Liberia; she saw war and pain, lost family and friends, lost her sight but still believes in her country. She is a symbol of the resilience that I saw in the polling stations around Liberia. The inclement weather would not deter Liberians. Under the rain, young and old alike wait patiently to cast their vote. The feeling is one of hope and belief that tomorrow will be better. Grandma May was not casting her vote for herself, she was casting her vote for a future different from the hard life she has lived; she was investing in a better Liberia and a better life for her grandchildren. When I told her that I was from Nigeria, she quickly responded "adupe," which is Yoruba for "thank you." She had learnt those words from the ECOWAS soldiers. Her English was impeccable, her voice was strong, and her vision of a better Liberia crystal clear.

It struck me that Grandma May represents the spirit of a new Liberia. The country has seen hell, fought two civil wars, killed each other but all of this did not kill their spirit. Like Grandma May, most Liberians believe that things can only get better. Their vote is their power and their passport to a new future. They cannot let the mistakes of the past destroy their opportunity to build a better tomorrow.

Countries in West Africa and indeed Africa as a whole can learn so much from this war-torn country. In places like Nigeria, where the social indices are much higher than Liberia, citizens have given up on their country simply because leaders have consistently failed the people. It is right to feel indignant about bad leaders, but Liberia brings a different lesson to the table: condemn the evil of the past but believe in your country and go out of your way to make it work. If folks in Liberia can see anything good in this war-torn country, then Nigeria should constantly count its blessing and make the best of what it has. For our leaders, Liberia exemplifies what could go wrong if leaders don’t learn their lessons and work for their country instead of having their country work for them.

The West has a lot to learn from Liberia as well. The tendency to take liberty for granted and complacency in building a just society is a great threat to democracy. The recent economic woes of the West represent a clear and present danger. You cannot sustain democracy in an environment of growing poverty and a widening gap between rich and poor. Class resentment can trigger unforeseen crises that can undermine the principles of a free society. Grandma May Coker maybe 82, but her youthful hope sends a strong message to us that it can only get better only if we try.