WHEN THE MASSES BECOME CO-SIGNATORIES OF THEIR OWN NIGHTMARE, MISERY…

A Patriot’s Diary

With Ekena Nyankun Juagbe-Droh Wesley

On Monday, January 30, 2023, President George Weah delivered a strangely elaborate State of the Nation Address (SONA). A moment to give an account of his stewardship instead the audience was bored into the craze of long hours of undiluted crap. His critics accused him of delivering a bouquet of lies but the President’s supporters think otherwise. On the heels of the furore generated by a controversial SONA, a fragile ruling establishment organized a planned million-man match. The object was to renominate President Weah as the sole candidate of the governing Coalition for Democratic.

Was it indeed a million-man match as regime-faithful comrades sought to herald it toward the build-up? Why plan a million-man match in a sports facility meant to accommodate approximately eight thousand spectators? Were the zoomed-in photos taken indicative of a million-man? Granted Monrovia’s population is about 1.1 million. Relatively, nearly everyone in the over-populated capital city was out and about for the match. Was that the case? The crowd we saw on Saturday, February 4, 2023; was unrelated to the ones pulled by senator Abe Darius Dillon as well as the June ‘6’ protest, which brought the government to its knees.

Let us for argument’s sake accept the postulation of social cum political commentator, Abdullah Kiatamba that: “The crowd was massively massive,” notwithstanding, the relativity of his disposition should be contextualized. In spite of Abdullah’s previously held ‘CDC-affinity’ – we have every reason to take his analysis seriously. Surely, his outspokenly critical track record on obtaining national issues, speaks to that element of trust though.

Conversely, no government that came to power based on a populist aura of support needs to engage in contestation or debate about any form of overwhelmingly distracted loyalty from its base. Any continued support would be self-evident by the leadership’s ability to deliver on promises made. How does the ruling establishment maintain its support base in the absence of jobs for its mass-based support?

Could it be CDCians are a different kind of people? Are CDCians doing just fine in the absence of social services or employment opportunities to fend for their families? How are CDCians faring amid the lack of survival opportunities? We are specific about CDCians; because Weah has politically factionalized the country. He sees himself as President for CDCians!

It is inarguable that President Weah still commands considerable popularity amongst Liberians. Mind you, that popularity has since 2005 never taken Weah beyond 38 – 39% in successive elections. Darius Dillon beat Weah’s popularity in Monrovia in two successive elections in terms of total votes tallied. When Thomas Fallah symbolically appeared on the ballot in 2020 despite the reckless infusion of cash violence; it was George Weah who received a ‘dressing-down’ at the polls. Weah aggressively campaigned for Thomas Fallah – who lost to Dillon miserably.

Whether we like him or dislike his face, cluelessness, or incompetence, Weah is loved and admired and remains an inspiration to scores of Liberians. Lest we forget, President Weah and his surrogates did not physically coerce able-bodied men and women unto the streets. Even in the face of alleged dishing out of $20.00, folks made their choices. Perhaps the inundating presence of several civil servants in party regalia could have amounted to subtle coercion as it were. Civil Servants should not be political! Successive governments are guilty of lining up civil servants for political purposes.

Those who made the buck of the million-man match were the ‘masses.’ The masses are largely the unsophisticated! Various politicians would for whatever reasons rally the masses, particularly for votes during electioneering seasons. They usually lack the ability to carefully discern analyze and make an informed judgment about the track record, history, competence, experience, and contributions of people who put themselves up for elected offices. The actions of the masses are often driven by impulses and not logic or calculated thought processes. They would most often than not unreasonably take actions – whereas become reminded about the harsh consequences of their inactions versus their miscalculated action.

Arguably, George Weah’s uncircumcised entry into politics was greeted with a pinch of salt until the crowd-pulling trappings had begun to set in. It turned out to be some kind of Tsunami. It was by Liberian standards. There were those who saw his popularity as a basis for cajoling him to venture into politics. Weah has never been stupid! Life in football ended bizarrely. He remained pennilessly confident and smartly thrived on those who either received alms from him during his hay days as well as those who would generously volunteer to reach out to him.

As for the ‘masses,’ George Weah’s only credential to lead is anchored on the fact that he comes from the slum. PERIOD! They seem unbothered by anything next to ineptitude. They care less about Weah’s cluelessness! The masses believe before Weah of 2018, there were leaders since independence. Liberia’s backwardness, they reckon cannot be attributed to George Weah. Hmm! Evidently, they forgot that Weah put himself forward to lead because others failed.

That’s not for their discernment. To the masses; George Weah is the best! He should at no time be challenged or questioned. Even if they go to bed hungry, it doesn’t matter. Politically, George Weah is their liberator and the man at the center of ‘Change for Hope.’

After five years of misery, hues, and cries, the masses are at it again. They are trumpeting their icon at the forefront of the ‘Goal for the gods…” They believe he has done more than any singular national leader in our history. Well, well, well, should that be a matter for debate? Like football is equated to some kind of ‘religion’ – the masses’ unbridled emotional gravitation toward soccer legend, George Manneh Weah is unquenchable.

In an election, the outcome is like in insurance; you simply pay for what you get. When the masses vote right or wrong, they are bound to live with the consequences. Dire as those consequences might be, such is the reality they must face. Because they acted emotionally as co-authors and co-signatories, it doesn’t really matter when reality sets in.

That is when reality sets in. But they cannot suddenly change the mess created though. The politicians are elected for a term. All we become fed with are the trappings of their nightmarish state and the undeserved misery they had become signatories. They have to own it after all.