Monrovia – As the political season approaches, many politicians are now clearing the air on issues the public have with them which might serve as a stigma or an obstacle to their political ambition.
Report by Edwin G. Genoway, Jr – [email protected]
Some politicians are stigmatized because of corruption while others are being accused of immorality with the rest swimming in the allegations of corruption and poor human rights record among others.
Vice President Joseph Boakai is one of those politicians that are among the candidates vying for the presidency. He currently sits in The Senate, serving as the President of that body.
The Vice President at all times has been accused of sleeping at functions and at the workplace. The sleeping notion of VP Boakai is common in Liberia as every common man on the streets of Monrovia perceives that VP Boakai is a sleepy Vice President.
There have been mixed views about the Vice President alleged sleeping at programs. FrontPage Africa has been gathering the views of some Liberians at the University of Liberia concerning the alleged sleepiness of the VP Boakai.
Laurina Brown, a student of the University of Liberia, described the allegation as not far from the truth, using the African proverb ‘where ever there is a smoke there is a fire.’
“It could be true, because that old man head is always bowed like someone that is seriously sleeping while attending programs. For me from what I can see, I can believe it that he is a sleeping Vice President who cannot make a good President for our country,” she noted.
Abraham Jallah is a student of Political Science at the University of Liberia. Political Ab, as he’s called among his colleagues, has a different view about the Vice President’s sleeping allegation.
“You cannot determine whether the Vice President sleeps at program or not. Maybe the brother can be meditating and thinking about Liberia’s problem. I don’t want us just judge him because he bows his head at program and conclude that he’s sleeping,” he stressed.
Catherina Robison from the Liberia College urged the VP to visit the hospital before the 2017 election begins.
“It will be so bad; while his friends are running campaign talking to people then he’s sleeping at programs. Why should we even elect a man that cannot control his sleeping habit?
He’s in the Senate sleeping and all kind of bills are being passed while sleeping, what will happen when he’s elected President in 2017? I am sure he will be sleeping when he represents our country at international programs,” she noted.
Rudolph Kamara, a Political Science student wants the Vice President to prove all Liberians who have the wrong perception by providing his medical records to the public to convince Liberians that he is ok.
“He needs to convince us that he’s ok. We don’t want him be sleeping in the Mansion and he be overthrown. I know that he can sleep but not at all programs, let the VP understand that the presidency is not for sleepers like him, let him give those who have the energy to contest come 2017,” he said.
“Maybe he’s less busy that’s why he’s always sleeping, but when he’s elected President and the work load becomes heavy, the sleep will vanish. I believe that the VP will stop sleeping when he starts to work for the Liberian people,” Timothy Freeman from Business College noted.
But with all the allegations levied against VP Boakai, the VP recently rejected the perception of constantly sleeping while attending national duties.
VP Boakai challenged those behind the perception to publish the venue of events where he has slept at, saying as a Christian, he at times bows in prayer when he is misconstrued of being asleep.
“I challenge anyone who will prove that I can sleep at programs. Let them point at one program where they saw me sleeping, you know I am Christian and at times I can be bowing down to prayers not that I can be sleeping,” he clarified.
Speaking to state radio ELBC recently, VP Boakai also denounced same sex marriage and opposed the controversial Christianization of Liberia.
According to him his Christian principles do not support the two contentious issues.
Responding to the question of a running mate, the vice President said he would prefer a young person but failed to name the individual.
He explained his long journey with the Unity Party and noted that the party under his stewardship is prepared to lead Liberia towards development.
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