One of my favorite stories is found in the sixteenth verse of the fourteenth chapter of Exodus in the Christians’ sacred Book—The Holy Bible. The story is about (the rod) that parted (the Red Sea).
The Red Sea was the sole obstacle in the way of the collective dream of a people (Israel) to enjoy political stability in their God-given Land they were marching to. This mental—or wooden—stick was the solution to their problem: Servitude and Persecution in Egypt.
On enjoyment of political stability in their God-given Land, the people of Liberia have a God-given rod—built in their conscience.
That means, we, Liberians, can use this rod with our voices—unlike the type used by Moses (the leader in this story)’, which was used (stretched out) with the hand. The rod available to the Liberian is so small that it can’t occupy an inch of a space on any object.
The Rod Can Be Your “Yes”
This rod tells of a Liberian’s support to another Liberian’s revelation of somebody’s action threatening the unity of our country. Example: You were present at a polling station where a National Election Commission (NEC) officer allowed ballot box-stuffing to give a particular politician advantage of winning.
Alarm blows on the NEC officer’s action, and one of the election observers who had seen you at the polling station tells investigators you were present when the act was taking place. When you are being asked, answer “yes”. Your support—based on patriotism—will save your Country—than keeping silence on feeling of threat to your life will do.
The Rod Can Be Your “No”
Many business people become rich on political instability in a Country. For example, heavy weapons (rocket-propelled grenades, Missiles, etc) of mass destruction were being smuggled into Liberia by foreign business persons in arms, in collaboration with (some) Liberians who were feeling such illicit trade was the only way they could amass wealth in the shortest time.
These mass-murder facilitators have packed their wares again, waiting to ship or airlift them into Liberia—when Liberians give a ‘enter’ signal with creation of a politically chaotic situation: throwing petrol bombs to public or private buildings or firing bullets at protesting group of people on Presidential election result.
These anti-Liberia unity people depend on you to facilitate entry of their wares into Liberia. They would come to you and show you thousands or hundreds of thousands of money, promising to drop the money into your palm if you allow them into Liberia. Your reply should be “no”.
Will you enjoy this money when Liberia is politically vibrating or smoky from collision of bombs, missiles or rocket-propelled grenade against roofs of homes or the ground? Which rich Liberian was enjoying his or her money in Liberia when the Country was vibrating and smoky during the civil war time?
This specially goes to the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) officer, or the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) officer, or the Liberia National Police (LNP) stationed at the border point. The gun-runners are coming—being beckoned by Liberians’ hard-pitched and vexatious political utterances or write-ups!
The Rod Can Be Your “Sorry”
This five-letter word— s-o-r-r-y—has so much power to suddenly cure the bruised heart of a person—example: a victim of severe persecution against his/her tormentor. One of the reasons for Liberia’s-civil-war-time-victims’ long-staying war-caused mental wounds is the perpetrators’ refusal—due to pride—to say “sorry” to their victims or the living relatives of the victims (now late) This pride stands in Liberia’s way of achieving her post-war peace project titled Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC)
You’ve consciously offended your compatriot with your ‘political’ comment or writing, only so that the person will lose a House of Representatives or Presidential election, or will be evicted from a home, or will be forcefully removed from daily-bread source, or will be jailed, or be chased into exile to be a refugee. Your action has turned you into a ‘demon’ in the victim’s vision and the person wants to terminate your life or your relative’s.
Reach out to the victim, and say, in a remorseful tone that can’t be doubted, “I’m sorry.” The victim’s conscience—which is God’s prompter of correction in every man—will force him or her to drop the ‘weapon’ against you.
Any of these is a political magic wand (symbolic of rod Moses used to part the Red Sea). I believe can work with any and for Liberia.
Fellow compatriot, just try any—and the political stability in you’ve envisaged in your Country will appear suddenly.
About Author
Samuel G. Dweh, a Journalist and Fiction Writer,
886-618-906/776-583-266/ [email protected]