My Rebuttal to Nimba County Deserves the Next Presidential Term in Liberia.

In respond to Mr. Abraham Gonkarnue editorial, “Nimba County Deserves the Next Presidential Term in Liberia” posted on Front Page Africa April 29, 2008 I can not believe that any responsible medium will post such trash on their website.

Before I respond to said article I have to say that I am not surprise that Front Page Africa ( FPA ) will published such filth that has no basis. Why will any medium published such self centered rambling without any credible fact to Mr. Gonkarnue editorial. Without a thread of doubt in my mind that Front Page Africa is anti President Sirleaf’s

Administration. If Front Page Africa ( FPA ) is trying to be objective by being divisive and negative, toward the Sirleaf’s Administration, you will never succeed because the majority of Liberians home and abroad know better. Because of her administration you are allow to publish such filth you call editorial.

According to Chapter III, FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS, Article 15 Section a and b of the 1984 revised Liberia Constitution States;

“a. Every person shall have the right to freedom of expression, being fully responsible for the abuse thereof. This right shall not be curtailed, restricted or enjoined by government save during an emergency declared in accordance with this Constitution.

b. The right encompasses the right to hold opinions without interference and the right to knowledge. It includes freedom of speech and of the press, academic freedom to receive and impart knowledge and information and the right of libraries to make such knowledge available. It includes non-interference with the use of the mail, telephone and telegraph. It likewise includes the right to remain silent.”

As you can see, no where in article 15 you have the right to slander others because you represent the media. You have to be responsible in your reporting and show supporting evidence. It is unethical for you to spread innuendo. Do not allow your hatred for President Serlief or your political affiliation tarnish your reporting. Your reporting has to be balance, objective and most of all fair. Some of us can read trough the lines. You have to bring some credibility to you website. It seems like you only post articles that are anti President Sirleaf Government. You have the right to do that but not at the expense of the entire nation.

As far as I am concern, Mr. Abraham Gonkarnue editorial is self centered, egoistic, and most of all insulting to all Liberians. His editorial starting off by speaking for all peoples of Nimba county descents. He said, “Thank you for the space for me to air our frustrations as Nimbaians and good desire we have for the Liberian nation.” I never read or seen any written document that elected Mr. Gonkarnue as spokesperson for the people of Nimba County. How can he glorified Mr. Thomas Quiewonkpa and Samuel K Doe for their actions of April 12 revolution as he puts it. He said, “I will say it without shame that we got all the good jobs in 1980 because of our son Brigadier General Thomas Quiwonkpa who chaired the appointment committee during the heights of the April 12 Revolution. As Commanding General and a personal friend to Master Sergeant Samuel Doe, we the Nimbaians prevailed on him to place us in lucrative positions, which he did”. No sir, you should be ashamed of their actions of depriving the rest of the nation from the wealth and growth of the nation. You are upholding the same reasons why the revolution took place in the first place, that the so-called Congo People deprived the indigenous people of said privilege. Your glorified statement supports SEPARATISM. No sir, you should be very ashamed of your statement; you should walk the street with hood over your head.

I can not believe that I’m responding to this garbage of yours, but I can not sit by idly and not respond to such filth. You said, “Moreover fellow citizens, we troubled our neighbours the krahn people so much that all the trouble came from our county. We destroyed Liberia. We led every rebellion. The Nimba raid was the first. The second was the infamous November 12th 1985 invasion financed by the Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. We later supported General J. Nicholas Podier in another rebellion which led to his death”. It seems like you are one of the rebels that should be testifying before the TRC because you have first hand info about President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf financing the November 12th 1985 invasion.” You had to be part of the act to be privilege to such information or you are hungry for attention. Never print or utter any word from your mouth without facts to back up you statement. Speaking without facts to back up your statement makes you a liar; hellion or you simply have no respect for due process.

Make up your mind, in your opening statement you said that you were not ashamed of actions taking by these people. Now you said, “Fellow citizens, we are ashamed of the atrocities we were misled to have committed against the Liberian nation. People like John Richardson, Harry Greaves, Agnes Taylor, late Enoch Dogolea, Isaac Musah, Grace Minor, Prince Yeduo Johnson, John Yormei and Aldophus Dolo etc are some of the people today who led the Nimba youth in killing our Nimba leaders and elders and prominent Liberians. We’re ashamed.” Here we go again, you speaking for all peoples of Nimba County. Yes, you should be ashamed of your ideology and bragging wrights.

Listen to what you said. “Now, all we can ask for is forgiveness and please give us the chance in 2011 for a son of Nimba County to be President. We spoiled it, and we can fix it better than any other Liberian. We have lot of book boys from Nimba County to be President.” In my opinion you talk without thinking of the ramification of what you are saying. In the first place, you did not name a single son or daughter of Nimba County that is bookish. Secondly, you are a male chauvinist pig because you only referred to, “lot of book boys from Nimba County”. According to you, there is not a single book girl from Nimba County. Again, you are being divisive and not even aware of your actions. If you want to be the next president of Liberia, while not wait until after the next two year to start you campaigning. But let me remind you, with your line of thinking, you could not run for a DOG CATCHING POSITION any where on earth.

Here we go again with names calling again without presenting any fact or thread of evident to support your accusation. You said, “Fellow citizens, please give Nimba County the chance this time. As you can recalled, our elder Jackson Doe who was widely known to have won the 1985 elections but never made it. We Nimaians are responsible for his death as well. The orders came from Ghankay at the time to eliminate the oldman because of his fame.” You had to be present and part of the plot, because your statement is definitive. I do not know who Mr. Jackson Doe was, was he one of the book boys from Nimba. I apologize if I am sounding insensitive to Mr. Jackson Doe’s demise, but I am trying to drive my point home.

You said, “My Liberian people, we need all your support. Please give Nimba County the chance to see what we will do in rebuilding the Liberian nation.” I can not understand who standing in the path of Nimba County from being progressive. What is being done currently by you people in the development of Liberia? I do not understand when you say give Nimba County the chance. What chance do you need? Forget about Liberia, what development was or have been done in Nimba County by you and your cohort. Before worrying about developing Liberia, first try to set an example by starting with Nimba County. I never been to Nimba, but hearing you speak of Nimba; it might be a modern and well developed metropolis. The late president John F Kennedy once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

You said, “We were fooled and today Nimba County has the highest number of amputees and all sorts of people” I can not understand how you let this happen to your people with all the book boys within your mix. Why not start by helping the folks you mention above before helping the entire nation. A nation is built one brick at a time.

You said, “When you elect a Nimbaians, you will see the difference. Please give us your vote 2011 to rebuild what we’ve destroyed, this is my cry.” Now I am totally surprise that you have abdicated yourself. I thought you specifically were running for the presidency of Liberia. You are telling the Liberian people that you can not contribute to the rebuilding and development of Liberia if not elected president of Liberia. Sir, you are a disgrace to all Liberian dead or living. You have the gall to betray the good people of Nimba County and the people of Liberia. The Next time that you decide to write an editorial, please researched your facts, and structure your thoughts accordingly. You were all over the place with no direction to your writing. I will not tarnish the people of Nimba County by giving you any credibility.

Mr. Abraham Gonkarnue, Chapter II, Article 5 Section a of the 1984 revised Liberia Constitution states; “The republic shall: aim at strengthening the national integration and unity of the people of Liberia, regardless of ethnic, regional or other differences, into one body politic; and the Legislature shall enact laws promoting national unification and the encouragement of all citizens to participate in government. As you can see the constitution already gave you the right to take part in the development of the nation.” The Liberia Constitution Clearly speaks of unity. I will advise you to read the entire document.

In closing I want to take a moment to personally thank President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for a job well done thus far. I am amaze of people who criticize her administration without one iota of knowledge of what it takes to run a country. It is easy to criticize when someone else is doing the driving. I insist that the development in Liberia is slow due to the fact that Liberians do not want to change their attitude toward corruption and their work ethics and habits. They have to understand that nobody will hire a person that steal and cheat from his employer. Why should a person invest in a business that will be run in the ground by its employees? We have to learn that it is the job that improves our standard of living and also takes care of the family. We as Liberian have to learn to be trusted and hard working. Licking fingers and elbows should be the thing of the past. To develop Liberia, we have to start with developing our behavior toward work and respect for others. There is no short cut to success.

I have never met or seen president Sirleaf in person beside in the paper and on television. I mentioned this because I want people to know that I am speaking as a concern person of Liberian descent. We have to wake up and take advantage of the opportunities at hand by working with the president in moving Liberia to the next height. People bickering about the lack of jobs, electric light, clean and save drinking water, paved road way, high price of goods and services, health care, et cetera. Presently the country does not have the technical or financial means to address all of our problems at once. We have to set priorities in our national rebuilding plan. You have to attack one issue at a time to really move on positively. Bring positive ideas to the table not divisive, destructive and pie in the sky ideas. Believe me people, Liberia is on the right track; let us rolled up our sleeves and get to work. What Liberia does not need at this time is distractions from self centered people.

Long live Liberia and good luck and thanks to the Sirleaf’s Administration for her well deserved leadership.

Samuel H Perkins
Yonkers, NY
(212) 460-4040