In all honesty, the man from Foya has the “Recuse Plan For Liberia”. What GOD has for you, is for you. The 2023 Run-off Election Results is clear Testament; not a dream comes true as most Liberians believed. Having been in the vanguard of the Liberian people’s struggle all these years; God’s delay in answering your prayers might not be a sign of His absence or indifference, but rather a divine strategy to lead you towards a new and better path. Sometimes, God sees that the timing is not right or that there is something better in store for you.
Based on the statement above, I can say with certainty that the election of VP Boakai is a revelation. GOD prepared him to lead the country in the right direction and as the statement goes: “The people and only the people alone are the motive force in the making of history.” Therefore, the decision was made by the Liberian people to elect the Unity Party (UP) candidate Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Sr. on November 14, 2023, to end the corruptions and sufferings of the Liberian people that is practiced by their government and elected officials. One Liberian patriotic analyst referred to the defeat of the CDC government as “The Land of Liberty has been liberated from thieves (rouges).”
In agreement with the statement above, journalist Seltue Karweaye mentioned the reason our government and its officials treat us as second-class this long is:
…Liberia has the funniest electorate of any nation in the world. Come election season, the credibility of a candidate standing for elections to any office in the land is gauged based on the size of his/her campaign war chest, tribal, religion, and regional affiliations… The discussion of Liberian politics has long focused on the role of the executive (President), or on the party, and less commonly on the role of the legislature. Big men (and now a few women) dominated national politics, either as democrats. They and their close associates were salient and largely determinative of political machinations and outcomes. Thus the President was for many decades omnipotent in the majority of Liberian politics.
This election broke a longstanding presidential record. As a matter of fact, the Liberian people and the National Elections Commission (NEC) should be commended for conducting a fair and peaceful National General Election.
The profound statement by Dr. Nelson Oke Aluya should serve as a reminder in this case. According him, “The worst kind of injustice to humanity is the silence of the majority in the midst of unfathomable violence to the oppressed.”
The election of former VP Joseph Nyumah Boakai in 2023 Run-Off Election is an historical event. Since the May 1955 General Elections, this time there are more candidates in presidential elections in Liberia. However, in the past, an incumbent president like William V. S. Tubman of the True Whig Party (TWP) would have been easily re-elected with over 99.5% of the vote.
The boy from Foya is a man with humble beginning. He was born in the rural twin village of Farndu/Worsonga. He was born about 1:00am on November 30, 1944 to Tamba Yamba of Farndu and Ma Lusu Kumba Kpetu of Wosongisi, Foya District (then Foya Chiefdom) in Lofa County, Liberia. He is of the Kissi ethnic group of Lofa County.
Nyuma was born in a traditional palm thatch roof house with walls made of sticks and mud. Such a house usually has mud beds with either straw mattresses or just mats. Generally, the house is round in shape with a main door and maybe a back door which is often sealed. Seldom, such a house has a single window. A small fire is usually lit to see and to keep the family warm.
Nyuma had seven brothers: Sah, Sia, Tamba Moin; the twins, Faya and Fallah, then Nyuma Kanda (who later became Vice President of Liberia) and Hallie but one brother called Kundu did not live. As already mentioned, the Kissi tribe has a special way of giving names to children at birth. (Excerpts from the book titled: “From Foya To The Capitol” by Dr. Sakui Malakpa)
The phrase “every delay is not a denial” is not explicitly mentioned in Matthew 15:21-23. However, this passage describes the story of a Canaanite woman who approached Jesus and asked him to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Jesus initially ignored her, but the woman persisted and demonstrated her faith. Jesus then praised her faith and healed her daughter.
The persistence of Boakai reminds me Canaanite woman. This passage teaches us that even if our prayers are not answered immediately, we should not lose faith. Sometimes, delays can be a test of our faith and perseverance. We should continue to pray and trust that God will answer our prayers in His own time. Therefore, no matter how deceitful people undermined your progress, what God has for you is for you.
Joseph N. Boakai served as devoted Vice President to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for 12 years; instead of pushing him to succeed her, the speech she delivered at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was a clear indication that Boakai was not the choice to succeed her. According her, “It was the time for the young people”. Therefore, she chose to turn over power to a political neophyte, George Manneh Weah (GMW). The results are what the Liberian people are experiencing today… corruption, extra judicial killings, drug smuggling, etc.
How deceiving can one be? Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is on record to have said: “Liberia is not a poor country, but rather is a country that has been managed poorly over the years.” Yet, she chose a political neophyte, George Manneh Weah. (From her Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy, 2007 presentation)
The parked race car has left the garage
During the 2017 Elections campaign, Vice President Boakai described his role in the Sirleaf’s administration like a ‘parked race car.’ According to Boakai, “Today, I want to say clearly that I am no longer a parked race car. I am alert, in good health, ready to participate, and win any race I find myself in going forward!”
I congratulate Joseph Boakai on his election to be the next president of Liberia. These free and fair elections and presidential run-off demonstrated Liberians’ commitment to making their voices heard through the ballot box, and I look forward to working together to continue deepening the ties between our nations and people in the years ahead.
This writer commends President Weah for respecting the will of the people, and putting patriotism above politics. As we discussed at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit last year, the peaceful transition of power is a threshold liberty of democracy. The people of Liberia have exercised their constitutional right and demonstrated the power of that truth. And they have set a clear example for West Africa and the entire world. Democracy is a powerful tool for progress, and democracies can deliver for our people.
The Man from Foya has a meaningful Rescue Plan for Liberia
A Rescue Plan comprises responsive operations that usually involve the saving of life or the urgent treatment of injuries after an accident or dangerous situation. There are tools involved! In general, rescue means coming to the aid of someone who is in danger. This could be someone who is stranded in the wilderness, is missing, or has been injured. For a long time, the people of Liberia needed to be rescued! We hope the Boakai administration and the Liberian people are up to the task.
President –Elect Boakai’s 100-Day Plan Should Be About
(From Chelsea Beck/NPR)
1. Lay out a real 100-day action plan including your core message and communication points.
2. Manage through the fuzzy front end
3. Complete a role sort sooner rather than later
4. Control all the signs and symbols of day one
5. Align your core team around the imperative
6. Implement a milestone management program
7. Deliver early wins
8. Adjust to changes down the road.
You have won the election; now you need to know what your administration actually going to do. While it is difficult to keep all the promises made during the campaign; now prioritize what you really need to work on. Once you get over the hangover from the victory party and come back from your well-earned vacation, sit down and map out what you want to get done across all the core list.
Start by mapping out your core message and communication points. Note this is different from your stump speech because you’ve got a different audience. The stump speech was designed to get you elected. This needs to help you get stuff done. Not everything – just what the people that elected you care about.
Conclusion
Finally, in order for the incoming Boakai Administration to be successful, the outgoing administration should be audited. The auditing of an outgoing administration is not a witch-hunt; it is called accountability, transparency and it is required by law/constitution.
ECOWAS leaders applaud JMW for accepting the authority of voters as a sign others in that situation will follow suit. Thus, it befits Rescuers to begin audits from 2006 aimed at reviewing, overhauling and reforming the postwar economy.
If as the serious-minded John Morlu said one night on Spoon TV that audit is aimed at asset recovery, why focus only on pickpocketing from 2018 to 2023, but forget those finessed white collar crimes of 2006 to 2017? Rethink Mama Liberia!
Accountability and good governance will bring about a sense of public trust in politics seriously needed for long term stability. Therefore, neither Weah nor a PYJ nominee should be near power in 2024. If audits do help understanding of an institution’s “spending habits, operational costs and overall financial condition”, a comprehensive audit from 2006 to 2023 will surely serve the search and rescue mission of team JNB.
In short, the outgoing administration must be audited. Auditing them will never stop the peace in the country. Liberia is for all of us, and not for a certain group of Liberians who will consider themselves privileged to do whatever they wish with the resources of the country at the expense of the rest of us because they are in charge. They should be audited, and if they are found in violation; they should be prosecuted in accordance with the law of the country. This is not a witch-hunt! It is call a new day and not business as usual.
About The Author: Mr. Siahyonkron J. K. Nyanseor, Sr. is a retired Mental Health/Developmental Disability (MH/DD) Clinical Team Leader and QMRP (Qualified Mental Retardation Professional) employed by the Georgia Department of Human Resources – Georgia Regional Hospital at Atlanta. He has over 30 years’ experience working as Clinical Instructor, Behavior Specialist and Administrator. Mr. Nyanseor is former Secretary, Vice &Chair of ULAA Council of Eminent Persons (UCEP), Inc. He is the historian of ULAA; a founding member and the organization’s 11th President (1986-1988). Also, Mr. Nyanseor is an ordained Minister of the Gospel. He is also a poet, Griot, journalist, and a cultural and political activist. He can be reached at: [email protected]
