Liberian activist based in exile, Martin Kollie, has written Liberian entertainers. Kollie in an open letter to Liberian Entertainers (Musicians, Comedians, Actors/Actresses, Dancers, Disc Jockeys, Bloggers, TV Celebrities, Producers, Tiktokers, Youtubers, Athletes, etc, urged them to choose between poverty and prosperity.
See the letter below:
In this letter to all Liberian entertainers, I have addressed 4 important subjects: The Role of Entertainers in Liberia, The Relationship between Entertainment and Politics, Comedian Paul Flomo and Musician Daniel George alias Deng, and pro-CDC entertainment fans (Why is P-Square campaigning for Peter Obi). Take a read if you can.
Dear Entertainers,
With so much love from me to you, I would like to salute every one of you for your sustained sacrifice and service to our country. I know what you go through every day to promote our culture, ease our stress, renew our hope, and add meaning to our existence. Thank you, and let me say this much, I do not take your work for granted because you exude peace and inspiration.
This is the very first time that I am even speaking to you in such a direct manner. It has become more compelling to do so at this point because our nation is in free fall; we are between hope and despair right now. My letter to you does not intend to eulogize our suffering as a people but to emphasize how important your role is to nation-building.
October 2023 is a defining moment. It is a moment to choose between poverty and prosperity. It is a moment to either remain where we are or embrace a new beginning. I beseech you to ponder over these simple but important questions: What kind of entertainment industry do you hope to see beyond 2023? As entertainers, what do you hope to achieve 6 years from now? Where do you want your career to be in 2029?
A perfect response to these questions can be found in a qualified, competent, visionary, and patriotic national leadership. Am I opposed to your choice to politically align? No, I am not, I have never been, and I won’t either. Do not get it wrong. Everyone has to vote. After all, it is your constitutional and universal right (suffrage) to participate in politics and support any politician of your liking.
I am quite aware of this right, and I will fight with every fiber of my being to protect it just in case anyone decides to deprive you of it. You have my utmost commitment to upholding this pledge.
However, your career (entertainment) and politics are NOT analogous or alike, especially in Africa. Whenever you make a choice to politically align with a specific party or politician, you’ve already put your career at risk. I hope you often consider the downside of such a decision.
Because your career (entertainment) cuts across political lines, my best advice to you would be to remain nonaligned politically. The rationale behind my advice is that your fans are from different political parties and they have different political interests. So whenever you decide to support a particular party, your choice/preference comes in conflict with some, if not most, of your fans’ interests. There could be a clash between you and them at different intervals. The German Philosopher, Karl Heinrich Marx, called this clash a ‘Class Conflict’.
As an entertainer, the fans are like your lifeline. Without them, you’ve got no career. Before taking any political decision to align and realign, you must always consider their feelings and thoughts. Respect for your fans has a lot more to do with your career’s success. This is what makes them even more loyal to you. Remember, you are NOT ordinary. You are an influencer, and I want you to underline the word “influencer”.
Am I asking you to support an opposition politician? No, I am not, I have never, and I won’t either. Am I asking you to hate Mr. George Weah or CDC? No, I am not, I have never, and I won’t either. The choice to decide your own future lies with you. My only caution to you is to be very MINDFUL of your choice/preference because there are inadvertent consequences when an entertainer decides to become a politician.
You could even lose your entire career. In this case, your talent becomes a trade-off, and politics becomes a pay-off. This is a simple scenario that I could find to share with you as a student of Economics. Don’t trade your talent for Liberian politicians –They ain’t worth it until they can value your trade (entertainment). Focus on your career to promote your country and serve humanity. You are too productive to be pranked by greedy and corrupt politicians. The E&M sector in Liberia can only rise if all of you unite to push back against politicians who want to divide you and abuse your individual talent.
Your talents have been overlooked, scoffed at, and suppressed by these very same politicians. See how you have been deprived:
2023 National Budget (Page 35):
Culture, Tourism, and Entertainment – US$0
In 2021, you also got US$0. Do you think Liberian politicians really value you? They can only value you when elections are around. That’s when they know that you have talent and influence. Don’t fall for it because it could cost you your career. It’s up to you to listen or not.
Paul Flomo-Daniel George alias Deng (Political Entertainers):
I want to address this also, and I hope you will engage it with an open mind. I have made no fuss with any entertainer before. I have no reason to do so either. I respect y’all. Flomo and Deng are supporters of candidate George Weah. They’ve got every right to support whomever they want to support, and I respect that. But they’ve got no right to distort and deceive our people.
It is their right as entertainers to promote THE OPPRESSORS, but it is my right too to protect THE OPPRESSED. Whenever an entertainer (e.g. musician or comedian) chooses to join ranks with the oppressors in order to oppress the oppressed, it becomes a moral imperative to push back, and that’s exactly what I am doing.
When an entertainer chooses to use his/her ‘influence’ or ‘platform’ to support rogues, killers, and power abusers, some of us feel compelled to stand up, especially in times like these when our people are hopeless and miserable. Support GMW all you want. It’s your right. But it’s my right to expose your two-facedness too. I won’t sit here and allow a politician-musician or a politician-comedian to deceive our people. When an entertainer transitions to politics, he should expect backlashes. This is normal because politics itself is conflicted due to clashing interests.
Since all of you (entertainers) are my brothers and sisters, I want to make my position crystal clear as an activist. I do NOT support Mr. George Weah for President because he is unfit, ill-visioned, corrupt, greedy, and abusive. I have no faith in our collective future with a George Weah serving as president because his first term is just more of a disaster.
Under his watch, Liberians have become poorer, unhealthier, and hungrier. It’s time to shut down this national nightmare. Am I asking you to share my position on this issue or to believe in what I believe? No. You have every right to criticize me too. This is what democracy calls for –self and mutual criticism!
To Flomo-Deng pro-CDC fans:
I have seen a few comments from some pro-CDC zealots about “Davido, P-Square, Kanye, etc.” participating in politics too. Two different scenarios. These entertainers/musicians have hit the jackpot of their game –all of them are millionaires.
Unlike Flomo and Deng, they don’t need to prostrate at any politician’s feet for crumbs. They are not supporting politicians because they need ‘money’ from them. For instance, P-Square is supporting Peter Obi out of conviction and love for Nigeria. The duo is not supporting Obi because they were called to have breakfast or lunch with Obi.
Unlike George Weah, Peter Obi has a solid public service record, and he has laid out a real vision for Nigeria. That’s why a lot of Nigerian entertainers are supporting him. Obi has even promised to take entertainment in Nigeria to a level it has never been before. What has GMW promised Liberian entertainers or what has he shown Flomo and Deng? Nothing –no vision, no agenda, no plan, and no strategy. His government has betrayed your trust.
GMW is trying to divide you. He often invites only a few entertainers, including Flomo and Deng, and care less about all of you. No serious president leads a nation like this. Your career is being politicized, and this is sad. You’ve worked so hard to give it up like that. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Think about it.
Important: Get this today. I am NOT a member of any political party, and I have never been. My membership is only with a student-based political party in Liberia (SUP). I am not loyal to any politician and I have never been. My loyalty belongs to Liberia and Liberians. I am extending an olive branch of peace and love to all of you. Let’s work together to salvage our country.
May God bless you. I love y’all. Thank you. SHALOM!
Signed: Martin K. N. Kollie
Exiled Liberian Activist and Chief Convener
Voices from Exile (VEx)
