Talking-ology is defined as an “art of plenty talking, most time ending in a no-sense”. It’s now being a specialized field of study in Liberia’s social circle, starting from all the Country’s highest institutions of learning and filtering down to the grade school levels (6th to 12th grades).
Talking-ology is a new word coined by a Liberian writer. (See name above) Can we advocate a space for this into the global Lexicon?
Don’t mistake this ‘course’—of intellectualism—with Political Science that causes constant over-stretching of one’s neck veins from loquaciousness and, sometime, causes hoarse of a person’s throat on campus or after leaving the University. Talking-ology—found only in Liberia—is different from Political Science. Even though they have some kind of similarity: bla…bla…bla…(plenty talking).
You will find some of my course mates in each relaxation shed at the University of Liberia’s park, inside or outside the campus of the United Methodist University (UMU) on Ashmun Street (in Monrovia), on the campus of the AME University on Benson Street, on the campus of the Cuttington University in Bong County, at Medical Training institutes, and in each of the other Liberian highest institutions of learning.
Each of my course mates is only talking. Just talking. The only thing they are studying—or has studied—at his or her institution. It seems. The same thing I used to do.
Another group of my course mates are often gathered at a place called ‘Intellectual Centers’—a place some outsiders call ‘free talking points’ for the ‘less busy’ people in the society. Majority left their homes only to be at this spot—staying here throughout daytime. Some of them would beg other ‘talking-ologists’ for a glass of herbal tea (called ‘Hatai’) sold at this place, or beg for bus or taxi fare to return home at the end of the ‘economically profitless’ ‘talking session’.
At any of these Intellectual Centers, just say one thing about a popular politician or about the political arena and you will hear hundreds of ‘reactionary voices’ from my course mates to what you said. Many would even dive into area unrelated to the subject: the politician’s private life.
If you can’t reached the University campus or the Intellectual Center to hear my course mates, turn on your radio and you will hear the voices of some of my course mates, callers to or guests on a ‘Talk show’, ‘discussing issues’. And mispronouncing many of everyday English words.
We, talking-ologists, have organized ourselves into a group named ‘Talking Union’. The group’s leader (whose nonsense is repetition of one story at the same forum, thrice or more) is Liberia’s current most renowned historical storyteller, a preacher of the Gospel, who can remember and tell you about any political, social or economic event that occurred in 1847 (the year Liberia was declared a sovereign state) and twenty-six years ago (when Liberians began destroying their Country through a civil war that would last fourteen years)
But this is the shameful part of this historian: No ‘written version’ of the person’s ‘voice’. And this is the excuse this historian will give you: “I don’t write because Liberians don’t read.”
Such intellectually retrogressive perception is ingrained in the psyche of my other fellow ‘talking-ologists’ in leadership in the Government—from the Executive Branch to the Legislative Branch. That is why they support only ‘talking programs’—especially on radio—and never ‘writing program’, or that is why they support only construction or renovation of private ‘Talking Points’ (called Intellectual Centers in their respective communities) and never support construction or renovation of a private ‘Writing’ (or Reading) Point’ (Library) in their communities.
Leaders of these Talking Points are paid to get on the radio to praise-sing or defend the benefactor on national radio (even if the politician knows he/she is performing poor)
The evidence of this ‘Talking Point’ support can be seen in politicians’ participation in discussions at the place or the Center bearing the name of the Politician. See two examples below.
Example one: President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf spoke at a ‘Talking Point’ on Carey Street in 2013. But she has never honored any program of the Liberia Association of Writers (LAW), Liberia’s national writers’ body, which she’s a registered member of with a membership card. LAW doesn’t have an office—over ten years now—in spite of being connected to a Head of State (H.E. Ellen Sirleaf).
Since losing a rented office space in 2002, due to inability to continue paying rent, the national writers’ body has been ‘squatting’ at the WE-CARE library located on Carey Street, owned by the reading-and-writing promotion nonprofit organization named WE-CARE Foundation. LAW members (including the writer of this article) meet here for their monthly meeting (second Saturday of each Month) but only when WE-CARE Foundation isn’t having a program in the library.
Example two: A Talking Point—or Intellectual Center—in Fiamah, of Sinkor, in Monrovia, has the name of Hon. Munah Youngblood, current Representative of Electoral District #9, as supporter of construction of the structure, nailed to the face board of the structure.
I can’t write. I can only talk. Big mouth! Throw an ink pen and a paper at me to give you a “written version” of everything I ‘said’ at the University campus or at the Intellectual Center or on the radio. You expecting me to write? Think about a person expecting oil to turn to water. So, keep waiting!
Why I Chose Talking-Ology
It’s the surest way to be popular in post-war Liberia and the easiest way to get the desired job in the current national political leadership—that’s suppressing the private sector so that everybody outside of the Government would depend on them for their livelihoods. We, in the private sector, are still waiting for the 20,000 jobs per year for (all) Liberians promised by Madam President in 2011 during presidential campaign.
That’s why I studied Talking-ology at the University. And that’s why majority of my course mates at their Universities—or those who graduated and can’t find a job—opted for ‘plenty talking’ as
About Author:
Samuel G. Dweh, who hasn’t entered any University as a student, is an indigene of ‘educationally backward’ Wedabo ethnic group of Grand Kru County; a product of the ‘demonized’ West Point Township in Montserrado County; is a journalist (with special interest in Education); the Publisher of Edu-Diary (education newspaper); creative writer and Author; a Writing Teacher and Reading Coach; a member of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), and member of the Liberia Association of Writers (LAW)