In March of 2022, the book entitled: “Let the Pepper Bird Fly” was officially launched in Liberia at a ceremony attended by cross-section of Liberians including well-meaning educators and eminent individuals, among others.
By: Jonathan O. Grigsby, Snr. Contributor Writer
The book written by a Liberian, Adolphus Scott, detailed and pinpointed occurrences of the nearly 14 years’ civil upheaval that engulfed the nation and its people as well as foreign nationals ravaging the socio-economic fabric of the country.
It contains twelve chapters, which include: At a Crossroad, The Battle for Monrovia, Behind NPFL Lines, Journey to the Gold Coast, Feared Dead and Journey to Southeast.
The remaining six chapters are: Beating the Embargo on Foot, Back in the Land of Kings, The Lull, Back to the Barrel of the Guns A new Dawn and Home Sweet Home.
With the chapters mentioned above, the book also elaborated on the coming of the Free Slaves to the Green Coast, the formation of the American Colonization Society (ACS), Liberia gaining her independence on July 26, 1847, the overthrowing of the True Whig Party (TWP) on April 12, 1980 of President, Dr. Rev. William Richards Tolbert to the People’s Redemption Council of Master Sergeant Samuel K. Doe and the incursion of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) on December 24, 1989 in the country including the captured and the death of President Doe on September 9, 1990 by a splinter group of NPFL, led by Prince Y. Johnson.
However, during the official ceremony in Monrovia to unveil the book, “Let the Pepper Bird Fly,” the Former Director of the General Services Agency (GSA), Mary T. Broh, performing the task as Chief Launcher stated: “Writing and reading are fundamental, and without them a nation would not produce great leaders.
Madam Broh did fall short but to recommend that lessons from the book be taught in high schools, colleges and universities.
Also at the elaborate ceremony, Assistant Education Minister for Instruction Felecia Doe-Somah, as a stakeholder in the country’s education sector indicated: “This is something we need to read about in order to be guided by our decisions that we make as a country and people.”
“This is a book that should be used as a supplementary material for High School and university students. I would like to encourage all to buy this book. This is a meaningful investment that we can make for our children. This year we are planning a very big back to school campaign with people in their communities, and we can have this book into our consideration meetings.” Minister Doe-Somah underscored then.
Several other speakers who participated in the program put forward similar recommendations for the book to be taught in Liberian schools because the writer’s accounts are factual and real that is best suited to be part of country’s national curriculum to enlighten current day and unborn generations about the civil war.
The book is on Amazon and was ranked 5.0 by the African Book Review on April 18, 2022, which shows that “Let the Pepper Bird Fly” is of high international standards basically from the way the book was written by the author.
Of recent, I was opportune to come across this book, which is historically written not to just to educate Liberians about Liberia’s civil unrest but for others to know what happened during the war period.
But since the launched of Let the Pepper Bird Fly” with the good recommendations coming from stakeholders for it to be taught in schools across the country, particular at the Secondary, College and University levels, the push for their recommendations to be a reality has only ended as a ceremony’s recommendations.
Another thing that I see is what the author must remind these officials who made recommendations to have this work included in our curriculum. I am of the conviction that those individuals are still around and will encourage him not to wait but push to have this well recognized book within our schools across the country.
Moreover, there are actors in the education sector, who you need to engage positively about the significance of book to the Liberia’s education sector. This is a real source for current and unborn generations to be educated about events of their country’s dark days, building resilience among us, among others.
