Monrovia – The political leader of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Mr. Alexander Benedict Cummings, is urging his fellow Liberians that as they celebrate National Unification Day on Tuesday, May 14, they should remember the intent and purposes as conceived by the Father of Liberia’s National Unification Policy, the late President Williams V.S. Tubman.
In his Unification Day Message to his partisans and others, Mr. Cummings, a member of the four major collaborating political parties, further urged Liberians to not loose sight of putting the love ‘of “Liberia First!” ‘during these difficult moments in our country’s history.’
“When President Tubman assumed the reigns of political authority, Liberians were a deeply divided people he had sworn to protect and defend. He knew that if our country was going to create the kind of development needed to better the lives of its people, it was compelling for all Liberians irrespective of tribe, social status, politics, religion, etc, – to be under one umbrella shielded by ‘UNITY and RECONCILIATION.’ That vision inspired the launch of his National Unification Policy,” the former standard bearer of the ANC stated.
According to Mr. Cummings, at the launch of the National Unification Policy in Voinjama, Lofa County more than five decades ago, President Tubman told a huge gathering: “We feel gratified that all sections of our country and people have cooperated in making the National Unification Policy a success; all tribes, segments and elements of our country deserve our commendation for putting national unification above all other considerations This leaves much satisfaction with those who had anything to do with the planning, programming and execution of this policy.”
The ANC political leader said that Liberia is even more challenged by serious missteps that threaten national unification, and reconciliation; adding: “It is no doubt that as a people, our path will not always be rosy; however, our ability and determination to rise to the occasion during such turning moment reflect our true character.”
“Fellow Liberians, in spite of the current hardship we are faced with, I urge you not to despair or wallop into the abyss of hopelessness. There is hope for a better future. When our forebears conceived this nation, they anchored their ideas and ideals on ‘one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all’. As such, unification is an integral part of the fabric of our nation and we must not compromise it.”
Mr. Cummings called on all Liberians despite their persuasions to recognize this National Unification Day as a moment for rekindling their individual and collective aspirations to build a strong, reconciled and unified nation. “We must see each other as brothers and sisters from the same country; we must inculcate into our children a sense of belonging, patriotism, love and respect for country. We must love each other, respect each other and genuinely care about each other. Most importantly, we must love our country. We must put ‘Liberia First!”
“My Fellow Liberians, we can transform this nation for the better. We can do things differently and we must ultimately become reconciled and unified.”
Recently, the party hosted its third national convention in Ganta City, Nimba County where it elected a new crop of officers to steer the affairs of the party leading the next national elections in 2023. Mr. Cummings was re-elected as the Political Leader of the Alternative National Congress.