Africa

Liberian Crisis - Any Lessons?

by Samuel Asare Addai

Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana said on 6^th March 1957, when he assumed leadership position in Ghana following Ghana’s independence, that: The Blackman is capable of managing his own affairs. I wonder whether the Great leader still feels the same way in his grave.

Charles Taylor is no worse than many other leaders of this continent, particularly his predecessors. President Charles Taylor, in fact, epitomizes what pertains to the African Presidency: corruption, dictatorship, ‘machoism’, disregard for the rights of ordinary people, downright abuse of power and all.

So Charles Taylor doesn’t amaze me at all; what sometimes amazes me is why any one could vote such a man as he was to the Executive Mansion as President – at the time he was so elected. He was a criminal – wanted in US for breaking jail; a thief – having diverted public funds into his own personal accounts; and a murderer.

Trying to analyze why Charles Taylor became President, I believe, requires that we look at the people who voted him.

That Charles Taylor was legitimately elected President explains how we Africans judge people. We look at one’s riches – what houses they have, what cars they own, how many houses are in their name and such like; rather than how they acquire their wealth. Integrity, commitment to the common goal, and other such good values are all thrown to the wind. Charles Taylor was followed, worshipped because he was rich albeit wrongfully.

Another factor accounting for his election is the ethnic affinity. President Doe, like many leaders of his time surrounded himself with his tribesmen, the Krahns. It was therefore easy for Charles Taylor to mobilize the marginalized ethnic groups after him to topple the oppressive Doe regime.

Another bane of African predicaments is the lack of knowledge. I wonder how many ordinary Liberians at the time of the 1997 elections knew the implications of voting the man Charles Taylor for President. The African doesn’t read, perhaps because of poverty, or lack of vibrant publishing industry and book market. It is said that if you want to hide something from the African, put it in a book. This subculture has resulted into a continent of ignorant majority who are easily deceived to vote in an uninformed direction. Vote buying is very dominant in the African body politic. And I suspect, Charles Taylor used this tool as well.

Also worth mention is the fact that many an-African indulge in the wait-and-see attitude. We probably lack the vision to pre-empt crisis and often have to grapple with curative measures which is always more costly. Certainly, there were big men who knew that making Charles Taylor President in 1997 was a non-starter, but kept quiet until he had won the election before they started making noise. In this instance however, I would draw in America and all who are today asking Charles Taylor to step down, including the UN who thought it wise to indict him only on July 4 when he had been invited to attend a peace talk. Here, I praise the Ghana government for not giving him away. Why now and not 1997?

As far as I am concerned, Charles Taylor should have been left to serve his first term and then shown the exit, through a wiser decision in elections; then it would be clear that the Liberian people have matured to decide who rules over them. To recall the words of former Ghanaian President, J.J. Rawlings, as things stand now, Charles Taylor should ‘hand over to whom?’ Though J.J misjudged his opponents’ ability even at the time, I think Charles Taylor would have a case should he raise this question.

Axing Charles Taylor the way it is being done now is to set a rather bad precedent – that a few power drank rebels could rise against elected presidents at anytime and get what they want.

Nonetheless, if the premature exit of Charles Taylor will bring peace, then of course I am for it. I do hope, however, that the people of Liberia will learn a lesson from the past mistakes and next time look for integrity, selflessness, honesty and dedication to the good course of their country in leaders before they elect them to power.