Archive for December, 2014

Sinoe Citizens for Accountability & Equal Representation

Borough of New Kru Town

Monrovia, Liberia

Cell: 0777228098/0886211580

December 4, 2014

The Committee on Internal Affairs & Governance

The Honorable Liberian Senate

C/O Honorable Armah Z. Jallah, Chairman

Capitol Building, Capitol Hill

Monrovia, Liberia

Dear Honorable Gentlemen:

We, your humble undersigned legitimate citizens of Sinoe County, present our compliments, and respectfully petition the Honorable Liberian Senate, by and through you, to deny and reject the nomination of Mr. Thomas Romeo Quioh by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf as Superintendent of Sinoe County. The reasons for our petition are as follows:

The superintendent of any county should be the custodian of public trust and tax payer resources, such as the County Development Funds (CDF) and the Social Development Funds (SDF). Therefore, and in order to ensure public trust in the superintendent, he or she must be trust-worthy and credible. Unfortunately, two state-owned anti-graft institutions, the General Auditing Commission (GAC) and Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), have indicted Mr. Quioh, tainted his character, destroyed his credibility, and portrayed him as a great risk to handle Sinoe County’s financial and other resources.
Specifically, in her balanced and objective Final Report on the CDF and SDF of Sinoe County, dated November of 2014, the Auditor-General of Liberia, Ms. Yusador S. Gaye, indicted Mr. Quioh and others for:

a. Failing to account for US$727,669.20 Sinoe County’s development funds;

b. Making 44 bank payments (totaling US$215,880.20)without voucher supports;

c. Failing to report accurate financial information;

d. Failing to disclose revenue collected;

e. Making payments and failing to include same in the Project Management Committee’s financial reports;

f. Receiving money for six projects abandoned;

g. Signing contracts with (and making payments to) bogus/unregistered companies;

h. Opening and running multiple bank accounts;

i. Indulging into poor and unacceptable accounting practices;

j. Making payments NOT traceable to bank statements;

k. Making payments for so-called scholarships withoutdocumentation;

l. Failure to comply with Budget Laws;

m. Violation of Public Procurement & Concession Commission Laws;

n. Running a flawed asset management regime without fixed assets register and policy; and Making unsupported payments;

o. Willfully violating the Budget Laws prohibiting two signatories of the same category from signing together on single checks, claiming to auditors that a senior government, such as he, with a graduate degree and long service in Government was not aware of such prohibition;

p. Opening and operating four bank accounts for the CDF and SDF in total DISREGARD for the Budget Laws of Liberia.

Interestingly, Honorable gentlemen, the records indicate that Superintendent-designate Quioh was given an opportunity by the GAC auditors and LACC fraud investigators to explain his side of the charges against him. He took advantage of the opportunity, but his excuses made no sense to both the GAC and the LACC. Hence, his indictment (please see attachments). Kindly note that the audit and investigation only covered the periods July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2013. Much more may have happened beyond this period, judging from the very troubling illegal and fraudulent activities under discussion.

Esteemed Senators, we recognize and respect the President’s constitutional right to choose and nominate county superintendents. Equally, we know that the Liberian people, through the current Constitution, under the doctrine of separation of powers, have empowered you (the people’s deputies) to vet the nominees and ensure that they meet the highest level of credibility, honesty, and competence required for the position of superintendent.

Additionally, we sincerely believe that the Liberian people elected you because they know, as we do, that you possess the unflinching desire to act right on their behalf in cases like this. Above all, we file this petition because your track record gives us no reason to entertain any doubt that you will do justice in this case without fear or favor. We are very confident that you, the embodiment of public trust, will NOT knowingly confirm a man indicted for major economic crimes against the state to serve as superintendent of Sinoe County.

Honorable Senators, we cannot (and would not) overemphasize the sacredness of the role assigned you by the Liberian people to ensure the sanity and credibility of individuals nominated by the President to serve in key positions of trust. We can (and would) only pray that God continues to give you the enduring courage and tenacity to execute this sacred responsibility to the best of your ability so that the Liberian people and posterity will remember you kindly, even long after you are gone from the Senate.

Honorable Senators, you need no lecture, for you are fully aware, that the Liberian Government spends millions of tax payer dollars annually to run many anti-graft institutions, such as the GAC, LACC, PPCC, IAA, and the PAC. This is why you, our leaders, should NEVER allow any public official to violate the laws and disregard the works of these agencies.

We believe you will do justice in this case. We trust you. May God sanctify the works of your hands, and bless Liberia.

Respectfully:

Andrew C. Gmatoh

J. Aloysius Pannoh

Prince S. Suku

Wilson T. Tweh

C. Kayjleh Blyee

SECRETARY-GENERAL

Grover King Koffa

VICE CHAIRMAN

Isaac Toe Nyenkan

CHAIRMAN

December 8, 2014 | 0 comments | View Post

Robert Sirleaf’s frivolous and self-serving ‘lawsuit’

By Tewroh-Wehtoe Sungbeh

Presidential son Robert Allen Sirleaf never had the Ebola virus, and doesn’t even know how it feels to have the disease in the Liberian society, and eventually be killed by it.

The privileged Sirleaf doesn’t understand suffering, especially when you are a Liberian who has to live day in and day out in a country governed by a lady named Ellen, who happens to be Robert Sirleaf’s mother.

Any individual with good intentions who understands suffering and the deadly effects of Ebola, and the politics surrounding the disease in the Liberian society will not allow his or her personal ambitions to drive the debate as to why the October 2014 mid-term senatorial elections should be cancelled.

While it is so true that Liberians are frustrated with Ebola and the dismal leadership of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Robert’s mom, the object of their frustration is also abject poverty and making it – living from day to day with little or nothing to eat; and not knowing whether their kids will eat or go to school the next day.

Instead of Sirleaf suing his mom (which would have been the right thing to do) for her dismal leadership, her poor handling of the Ebola virus, and her deadly role in the Liberian civil war, he called himself suing for the postponement of the mid-term senatorial elections.

What a joke!

“The Order is discriminatory in that it seeks out only the people of Monrovia for its enforcement when the issue it proposes to cure – the possible transmission of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease – is actually occurring all across the country. It clearly is punitive because it punishes all the people of Monrovia many of whom continue to respect and abide by the Ebola preventive Procedures established by the government and its partners. Obviously, these people do not need to be punished for observing the law. And it undermines the ongoing democratic process,” his statement reads.

From what I know, the mid-term senatorial elections are a nationwide event that pits an incumbent against a possible challenger in counties throughout the country.

Also, from what I read, Madame Sirleaf’s quarantine and executive order are nationwide decrees that are supposed to keep the Liberian people indoors and in their own areas or homes, to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus.

If for some reasons Mr. Sirleaf feels the Sirleaf administration failed to enforce its executive quarantine and curfew orders in the various regions of the country only to focus on Monrovia, then he ought to sue his mom – the President of Liberia for not doing her job.

Robert Sirleaf cannot use the temporary postponement of the mid-term senatorial elections, which of course is the right call, to pretend as if he cares about the democratic process.

In as much as I have problems with the Supreme Court of Liberia for not being independent and neutral in most cases, and Madame Sirleaf’s inability to create jobs to put a dent in poverty, genuine democracy, upholding the rule of law, corruption and transparency, nepotism and her penchant of flying constantly around the world when she could have stayed at home to run the country, I am with her and the Supreme Court of Liberia on this one.

Because when a country is invaded and overwhelmed with a threat of this kind that killed over 7,000 of its citizens and undermine the integrity, health, safety and daily living of those citizens and the country, it is a national security crisis that shouldn’t play second fiddle to national senatorial elections and Robert Allen Sirleaf’s political ambitions.

Since there are incumbent lawmakers who will still be holding on to their jobs illegally because of the postponement, and there are also appointed Superintendents who were relieved from their jobs by the president because of their respective candidacies, what Mr. Sirleaf can now do is to work with the legislature, civic and political groups and the president to find a legal way to avoid a constitutional crisis.

I wrote not too long ago about the insanity of holding the October mid-term senatorial elections in the wake of Ebola, when the Liberian people are still mourning, hurting and burying their relatives and loved ones. I wrote then that the elections be postponed.

This was when Liberians were told to stay home; when government workers were told to stay home and not bother to show up for work, and businesses partially shut down. This was also the time when a state of emergency was declared by the head of the Ebola Task Force, President Sirleaf.

So when Liberians are told by their president to stay home so as not to spread the Ebola virus, is it wise for those same Liberians to be asked by the National Elections Commission (NEC) to walk to a voting booth with others, to ride in a crowded taxi, or ride in a crowded bus to a voting precinct, to get in line and vote?

In the wake of all these prevailing forces, do you really believe Liberians would have cared anything about national senatorial elections and voting for a candidate? I doubt it.

This is not an advocacy for democracy. This is about Robert Allen Sirleaf trying to make his national mark on the political scene, perhaps for the 2017 presidential elections.

Watch my words!

December 6, 2014 | 0 comments | View Post

Statement by Montserrado County Senatorial Candidate Robert Allen Sirleaf

Friday, December 5, 2014

My Fellow Liberians:

Today, the Robert A. Sirleaf Campaign for Senator of Montserrado County has directed its lawyers to file a suit against the Government of Liberia. On behalf of the people of Monrovia, and in our own name, we have represented to the courts that Executive Order No. 65 is discriminatory, punitive and wrong, and it seeks to undermine the ongoing democratic process by which the citizens would elect the individuals they believe to be qualified to represent their interests in the government for the next nine years.

The Order is discriminatory in that it seeks out only the people of Monrovia for its enforcement when the issue it proposes to cure – the possible transmission of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease – is actually occurring all across the country. It clearly is punitive because it punishes all the people of Monrovia many of whom continue to respect and abide by the Ebola Preventive Procedures established by the government and its partners. Obviously, these people do not need to be punished for observing the law.

And it undermines the ongoing democratic process.

Firstly, it seeks to unfairly portray all campaigns as incapable of controlling their supporters and of conducting themselves in line with the provisions established and agreed upon by the NEC, political parties and independent candidates should these other campaigns decide to also publicly turn out their supporters. I strongly reject this characterization as our campaign has and will continue to be orderly and respectful of all others.

Secondly, it creates an unfair advantage for one candidate over the others. By seeking to suddenly ban the public display of support by other campaigns who may desire to do so, the government has generated the wholly false impression in the minds of the electorates that other campaigns may not have the capacity to turn out numbers sufficient to confirm their ability to win these elections. Failing to turnout supporters will not only demotivate campaigns that are desirous of doing so but also could unfairly influence the votes of independents, as well as discourage many from turning out on Election Day.

Thirdly, we have already heard threats about cheating and the promised consequences. The turnout of one campaign without permitting others to do the same would lay dangerous basis for these claims and threats to be possibly realized. The veiled message of Executive Order No. 65 – that because one campaign turned it supporters out and others did not by which a reasonable assessment could be made about the actual strengths, depths and competitive advantages of each campaign – will play favorably to support claims of cheating and threats of disorder should another candidate other than the one who turned his supporters out, wins.

We believe that Executive Order No. 65 is dangerously wrong to impress the minds of the public that only the candidate who turned out his supporters deserves to win, and as such, an outcome which does not confirm this belief ought to be fraudulent. Therefore, rather than an orderly process which the Order may have intended, largely on account of the public perception which the Order itself wrongly creates, disorder could actually follow the announcements of results.

Finally, and of no less importance, we have sued the government and are determined to set this Executive Order aside because it is wrong. We submit that we have also seen violations of the Ebola preventive measures, and we condemn these violations. However, it is always wrong to change the rules of games in the middle of the games. And although intentions may be right, it is always better that our actions are right, as we are judged not necessarily by our intentions but by our actions.

And so, as we legally challenge Executive Order No. 65, we again propose to all of us who dare to present ourselves in the service of our people at this time to act as the leaders our people truly deserve. I ask all of us seeking these political offices to let our actions keep our people alive, and as I have promised, let our mission of service truly empower our people with opportunity and hope for a better future.

May God bless us all. I thank you.

December 6, 2014 | 0 comments | View Post

Robert Sirleaf sues Liberian Government for Executive Order 65

By Jay Nagbe Sloh

Monrovia, 12/07/14 (LINA) – Montserrado County senatorial candidate Robert Allen Sirleaf Friday sued the Liberian Government for the issuance of Executive Order 65, prohibiting political rallies throughout Monrovia in the wake of the Ebola crisis.

The state-owned Liberia News Agency, quoting a special statement Mr. Sirleaf issued in Monrovia late Friday, said his Campaign had “directed its lawyers to file a suit against the Government of Liberia on behalf of the people of Monrovia, and in his own name,” because Executive Order No. 65 is “discriminatory, punitive, and wrong.”

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf signed Executive Order No. 65 on December 3, 2014, and said it was intended to strengthen Government’s efforts to contain the spread of Ebola, protect the security of the State, maintain law and order, and promote peace and stability in the country.

She said the existing law requiring persons desiring to march or demonstrate to obtain prior permission from Government have proven ineffective to address rallies, parades and concerted mass movements on the streets of Monrovia and its environs.”

In his statement, Mr. Sirleaf, who is also a son of the President, said Executive Order 65 “seeks to undermine the ongoing democratic process by which the citizens would elect the individuals they believe to be qualified to represent their interests in the government for the next nine years.”

Mr. Sirleaf also referred to the Order as “discriminatory,” arguing that “it seeks out only the people of Monrovia for its enforcement when the issue it proposes to cure, which is the possible transmission of Ebola, is actually occurring throughout Liberia.”

According to Mr. Sirleaf, the Order “is clearly punitive because it punishes all the people of Monrovia, many of whom continue to respect and abide by the Ebola preventive procedures established by the government and its partners,” adding, “Obviously, these people do not need to be punished for observing the law.

The statement did not say which court the suit was filed in.

LINA/JNS

December 6, 2014 | 0 comments | View Post

Cremation vs. Interment: A case of environmental prudence in the face of Ebola

By Morris T. Koffa, Sr., ABD

There has been a contentious debate in Liberia and perhaps in Guinea and Sierra Leone, regarding the disposal of Ebola-infected corpses. The concerns have been about the preferred method of the traditional burial practice that takes place in most countries.

From an environmental perspective, however, research shows that cremation is preferable in the wake of the deadly Ebola virus that has devastated the West African countries of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

The concept of cremation is not a common practice in Liberia, and perhaps in most, if not all African countries. This concept is new to the African culture and therefore needs adequate public education to ease public paranoid. Because of the spread of Ebola, traditional burial can no longer be an option for the sake of public health safety. One of the ways the Ebola epidemic is spreading rapidly in Liberia and other infected countries is by means of traditional burial practices where, according to medical experts, cultural rituals are performed on the deceased prior to burial.

The Ebola disease can easily be contracted from bodily secretions such as vomit, defecation diarrhea, urine or sweat of the victim. Therefore, medical and environmental experts urge communities and governments to engage in crematory practices of Ebola corpses.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ebola virus is not airborne and cannot be contracted from water sources either, but by the corpses entering bodies of water so often used as drinking water source. This process can undoubtedly raise a serious sanitation problem and environmental concern.

While cremation is environmentally preferred, it is important that it is done consistent with contemporary sound environmental practices that include but not limited to identifying suitable designated areas, respecting the right of individual communities to receive the appropriate public education—particularly as it relates to disposing of the victims’ ashes.

This call resonates with the point Hon. Anyaa Vohiri, Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA-L) made in a 2014 FrontPageAfricaonline article. Hon. Vohiri addressed the agency’s concern about the manner in which the Liberian Crematorium Management headed by Hon. Ciatta Bishop cremated Ebola-infected corpses (1,700 bodies or more) in the Boys Town community in Marshall, Margibi County. The community complained that the open air crematory practices caused residents to at times abandon their homes because of the offensive odor from the process. The residents fear and justifiably so that such crematory practices will likely lead to serious environmental challenges, in terms of mercury deposits and possible fossil fuel emission from the smoke. We cannot trivialize issues of carbon footprint.

But that is not all. There have been mass burials of Ebola victims in shallow graves – in some instances, according to FPA, bodies are found in wetlands or are abandoned in some communities. Of equal concern is the fate of those who dwell in the rural communities where there are inaccessible roads, and health facilities are non-existent. These people are most at risk. With such a situation, communities are often left with no option but to bury Ebola victims through traditional practices. The environmental fear is that with such burials occurring in the midst of the raining season, the corpses can likely end up in numerous bodies of water during heavy rains. These environmental concerns are serious and are a critical threat to public health. They do have long term consequences, and therefore shouldn’t be ignored.

The Ebola outbreak have made Liberiams to alter their burial practices for the sake of public safety. In addition, the emergence of the Ebola outbreak in Liberia has left environmentally challenged communities with concerns related to medically hazardous materials generated from infected patients. Such materials should be incinerated to reduce the spread of diseases like Ebola. Instead, most of the medical wastes are dumped on beaches, in wetlands, and other isolated areas.

As has been seen, Liberia’s traditional burial practices and the increasing disposal of medical wastes without great care are not environmentally friendly. Thus, it is important to educate various stakeholders on the need to strike a balance between the safe cremation of Ebola-infected victims and the careful disposal of medical wastes.

Of course, the nation’s Environmental Protection Agency cannot be left out of those issues related to cremation and the careful disposal of medical wastes. Particularly as it relates to cremation, The EPA of Liberia should have been involved in establishing the crematorium and fashioning or purchasing the appropriate equipment; agreeing on the minimum operating temperatures/air retention time; emissions standards; the maximum usage time (e.g., the number of hours a year the crematorium should be run at its licensed capacity); what cremation containers are used; training of the crematorium operators; and the maintaining of a log on the use of the operable equipment.

Such focus would lead to initiating regulations and protocols necessary for human cremation and pet cremation. From what has been gathered so far, the EPA-L was not involved in the multiple arrangements leading to the crematory practices in Liberia. Consequently, EPA-L has found it difficult, if not impossible, to help engage in the most suitable public education for the entire country.

Considering all that is known about Ebola and the public health risk, when it comes to cremation, entombment or natural burial is not a feasible practice for the safety of others and the prolonged protection of the environment. A traditional burial is an expensive process. It takes up needed land space which might pose a problem in the near future. Caskets used contain metal particles and release toxins from the embalmed bodies. Dental fillings and some implants contain metals that can produce mercury deposited in the soil. Mercury is very dangerous to the environment (soil and air), and can introduce elevated levels in fish. When humans consume the fish, the mercury may be deposited in the human body which can then damage the nervous system and harm childhood development.

In the case of cremation, the process is high-temperature burning, vaporization, and oxidation to reduce human or animal cadavers to basic chemical compound such as gas and mineral fragments. Cremation remains do not constitute a health risk and therefore is an eco-friendly practice.

However, there are few potential environmental concerns with respect to residual metal from dental filling and other metal implants that could introduce mercury into the environment. These items, however, can easily be removed from the body before cremation. Such removal can significantly reduce the risk of mercury deposits in the environment.

In most cases, when natural gas, propane, or diesel is used to generate energy for cremation, the emitted smoke is controlled through new technological practices. The adverse environmental impact under this scenario is quite minute and difficult to precisely calculate the carbon footprint. In substance, new technologies are available to mitigate the level of carbon emission related to cremation.

During periods ofhealth crises, cremation is more environmentally friendly than traditional disposal of bodies and medical wastes. Because cremation is new in the Liberian culture, public education is required, and the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia should not be left out of the professional circle of stakeholders needed to bring literacy and sanity to the country.

[email protected]

240-417-2545

December 3, 2014 | 0 comments | View Post

Conversation about Liberian idioms: The way we did back then

By Siahyonkron Nyanseor

Sometime ago, a young man who I will identify as Wreemongar and I engaged in a healthy conversation; one of those conversations where the person wants to know about the country his parents came from. Wreemongar was born in the United States to Liberian parents. He loves his name because of the meaning – “Money is man.” Two other things he loves about the Liberian culture are the food, and referring to older people as ‘uncles, aunts’, and “when they see you doing something wrong they will not hesitate to tell you to stop; and then will tell you the reason why, and you cannot pass by them without speaking.”

” These older folks know you by your name and who your parents are, says Wreemongar.”

By the way, Wreemongar is 14 years of age, and an “A” student in middle school. His only regret is he cannot speak his parents’ Bassa Language.

On the day of our conversation, Wreemongar approached me to find out what I meant by the statement, “God can’t sleep”. He read my article with the same title. It was published in frontpageafrica and The Liberian Dialogue. His question to me was, “Elder Siah, what do you mean by “God can’t sleep?” He continued, “Are you saying God does not sleep?” My response to him was – “He is God! He can do anything, including not sleeping.” He looked at me with a surprised expression on his face. I said to him “God can’t sleep” is a Liberian idiom. He then asked me, “Please break it down small!” I said to him you just used one Liberian idiom. “Break it down small” is a Liberian idiom! “What then is an idiom?” He asked. Then I said, ‘let’s look it up!’ In no time he found it on his Smart Phone. Here are the results:

IDIOMS

Idioms are words, phrases, or expressions that cannot be taken literally. In other words, when used in everyday language, they have a meaning other than the basic one you would find in the dictionary. Every language has its own idioms. Learning them makes understanding and using a language a lot easier and more fun!

For example, “break a leg” is a common idiom.

Literal meaning: I command you to break a bone in your leg and you should probably go to the doctor afterwards to get it fixed.

Idiomatic meaning: Do your best and do well. Often, actors tell each other to “break a leg” before they go out on stage to perform.

http://www.heathermeloche.com/What%20is%20an%20Idiom.htm

Examples of idioms and idiomatic usage: English and American

Idioms are, literally ideas as expressions. They develop from older usage, where the words mean something other than their literal meaning. In some cases the meaning of the original expression has been lost, or is an archaism.

Moreover, Idiomatic expression is the extension of the idea of an idiom, using it as the basis of the statement. In many cases this is a more effective use of the language, because it maintains the same subject, and extrapolates its meaning.

There are strong elements of metaphor, and in some cases literary references which shorten language usage because the meaning of the phrase is well known.

A blessing in disguise

Something which seems like a problem has an unexpected beneficial effect or becomes an asset to you.

That sprained foot turns out to be a blessing in disguise; you weren’t in the bus crash because of that.

A chip on your shoulder

This is a grudge for a previous experience. It can apply to people or subjects.

He has real chip on his shoulder about the industry retirement schemes.

Actions speak louder than words

Not passive, active expression of deeds based on opinion or situation. Often relates to a response to debate or indecision. Actions do speak louder than words. He just went and did that.

A doubting Thomas

Derived from the New Testament, refers to the Apostle Thomas, famous for asking questions and needing explanations to be convinced. A true doubting Thomas he insisted on seeing some proof of the whole idea.

A drop in the ocean

A very small part of something! The statement is used to put things into a perspective, generally as a proportionate statement. Their revenue is a drop in the ocean compared to the debts.

A fair-weather friend

One who is a friend during good times and not during hard times! Talk about fair-weather friend, I mentioned my problems with my phone bill and he disappeared for six months.

A fool and his money are soon parted

This idiom is basically a truism. It means stupidity costs money. Like many idioms, the subject of the idiom is sometimes contracted; if you use the phrase.

A dumb investment, it did part him from his money.

A friend in need is a friend indeed

A friend who’s around when you need them is a real friend. In some cases idioms are reshaped into the sentence structure: That was a friend indeed, and was around when he was needed. http://www.examplesof.com/idioms/

‘Free-kick’ and ‘Bufeh’

During the late 50’s into the 60’s, boys in Liberia – between the ages of 9 to 13 were engaged in all sorts of playful games, either at school or in the community; two of such games were ‘free-kick’ and ‘bufeh’. Why children played such foolish games, only God knows. It reminds me of what Bill Cosby used to say; “Children do the dawnest thing.” To us, ‘free-kick’ and ’bufeh’ were fun, and we did it for the heck of it.

Free-Kick

To enter into ‘free-kick’ you and the other person will have to enter a contract. The contract involves two persons joining their two pinky (the smaller) fingers together and have another person serves as witness. The witness’ duty is to separate the pinky fingers. This very act solidifies the contract; which indicates that the two of you have entered into a ‘free-kick’ contract. This procedure must be repeated to get out of the contract. When ‘free-kick’ is on, the parties involved must keep their one hand on their behind/backside at all times, except when there is truce/time-out; if not, they are likely to get kick in the behind. Any one of the parties can call for a truce/time-out to avoid from being kicked. Also, this same process is used to joining ‘bufeh.’

Bufeh

Bufeh involves knocking food from your opponent’s hand and when it falls on the ground, you say “bufeh, ground hold it!” To prevent your opponent from knocking food from your hand, you must cross your index and middle fingers on the opposite hand when there is food in your other hand. When the food drops to the ground, and you say “bufeh, ground hold it” and the food lands on a dry ground, you who bufehed it, wipes the dirt off and say, “No germ in Africa” and proceed to eat what you bufehed with a smile.

In some cases bufeh leads to arguments and fist fights because the person who bufehed the food from your hand did not notice your fingers crossed; he does it from the back of you. Like the song says, “a hungry man is an angry man.” Usually, the person who you bufehed the food from will not be pleased.

There is truce/time-out like in ‘free-kick’ but the difference is your opponent will have to agree to the truce/time-out. For example, if you are in the habit of calling for truce/time-out during recess, your opponent may not agree because recess is the favorable time for bufeh. Some of the foods involved in bufeh are: kala, biscuit, chewing gum, doughnut, etc. Here is where “God can’t sleep” comes into play. Let say, your opponent bufehed your kala from you and it falls in pile of dirt or dirty water; your opponent cannot eat it, you then say to him, “Hen, hen, it goody for you; God can’t sleep;” which means I can’t eat it and you can’t too!

Find below are Liberian idiomatic expressions and translations:

CRAKY Deranged

KATAKATA Not to be trusted

KPANA Not hip

NOKO Soldier

GBALA Police

CROOKED Dishonest

FECE Unskilled

SMALL PEKIN Small boy/girl from Spanish word pequeño meaning

KWII Civilized

CORFRADOMA God damn it

MY MAN My friend

JACK Fool / Name unknown

JOE BLOW A tough person

CIVILISE Educated

PROPOR PROPPING Layered clothing

HUMBUG Troublesome

GBETU Tall

PLOTER Porter

SINGLET Undershirt

SCOBIE Tennis shoes

HUMBLE SHACK One room dwelling

DUAZET Old / Used

COASTER People from down the West Coast, example

Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, etc.

FACE LIKE

DEAD PERSON Face resembles that of a corpse

CHAKLA Scatter or destroy

VARQUE Put a spell on someone

KPANKPA Put a spell on someone

DIDIBY Trickery / Rascal

KROKROGEE Corruption or manipulation by force

COLD WATER Bribe

WARD Someone who lives with another person

THAT THING An issue of little significance

REAL, REAL Something authentic

COUNTRY MOUTH Indigenous language

STATESIDE United States of America

CHICK A girl or female

CORLOR Black American

JUNKLE JUSTICE Kangaroo justice/unfair justice

P.R.O. Public Relations Officer

or (People Reporting Others)

SEESAW Up and Down

HEART/HIDE MAN Killer

TAMNANH Unskilled

BONOHN Unskilled

HELLOVA Huge

ZUTA To be fashionable

ZUTE Fashionable

GIKER TOE Infected toe

C. J. Cane Juice

BLUFF Show off

YANKAN Bluff

YARNAH Vendor

GOAT SOUP Bribe

BURN WIRE Make a connection

STUDENT COMPAION Reference book

FLORIDA WATER Scented water

LETTER WRITER Book of templates

BEND ELBOW To get drunk

BAD MOUTH Rude

BUGGAR Idiot

JUKE Mislead

HOME House or Country

NYNOH ZAAH Woman palaver

GOOD FRIEND My friend

PEOPLE’S THING Political issues

SIDEWALK PREACHER Street evangelist

FIRST, FIRST TIME Initial experience

I NA I did not

W. C. Toilet (latrine) from British expression Water Closet

PINE WINE Wine produced from the pine tree

NYAMANYAMA Grouping of different things

MORLEY Medicine man

GRONA Undisciplined person

FOOT TO FOOT Follow closely

JUJU MAN Medicine man

JEJE WA What is this?

EFE YOU If it were you…

DAT ONE That character

POOR BOY Ordinary guy

POOR GIRL Ordinary female

AFRICAN SCIENCE Put a spell on someone

WORWOR Ugly

DUNGERINE Blue jeans from the American word dungarees

I DEH FOR I stay at

BE DEH Stay put

KUBA Street smart

KETEHKPOT short person

Typical Liberian Idiomatic Expressions:
WHO KNOW YOU? You are unknown

YOU KNOW WHO I AM? Don’t you know me

JUKE FINGER IN MY EYE To fool someone

DON’T PLAY WITH ME! Don’t mess with me

I NA PLAYING I am serious

YOU ACTING LIKE CAT

NA LICK YOUR FACE! You are not shy

SOFTLY, SOFTLY CATCH MONKEY Easy does it

YOU CHOP, I CHOP Let’s go fifth, fifth

HE BE BIG MAN Very important person

I COMING I am coming

I GOING I am on my way

DON’T FOOL WITH ME! Don’t mess with me

I LIKE YOU! I love you

YOU THINK I BE FOOL? I am not stupid

DON’T ACT THE FOOL

HERE! Don’t misbehave

MY BELLEH FOR YOU-O My pregnancy is yours

HURRY, HURRY BUSS

TROUZY Too much haste causes accidents

MY STOMACH FULL I have had enough

YOU PUT YOU FOOT IN IT You put your stamp on /You made your name

YOU ACTING LIKE YOU

DON’T KNOW ME! You avoiding me

I WILL MAKE THIS PLACE

SMALL FOR YOU! I will embarrass you

YOU ACTING LIKE YOU

SOMEBODY You’re pretending to be important

THE GIRL TOO FINE! She is pretty

HE RUDE-O He is too rude

SHE TOO FUSSY! She argues a lot

DON’T TROUBLE ME! Don’t bother me/disturb me

HIS STOMACH BIG LIKE

HE NINE MONTHS

PREGNANT He is overweight

TOO MUCH GENTILITY

LEAD TO BRUTALITY! Too much kindness causes problems

MY HEART WORRY! I am disturb

I CAN’T SLEEP

BECAUSE OF YOU! I can’t stop thinking about you

YOU IN MY MIND! I am thinking about you

MY FRIEND DRESS-SMALL! Please move over

YOU SHOWING OFF! You’re bluffing

LAPPALONIA Native woman

AYE HELL TO TELL THE

CAPTAIN! It is difficult situation

I SICK LIKE HELL! I am very ill

YOU THROW ROCK AND

HIDE YOUR HAND! You pretend to be innocent

YOU PULL ROPE, ROPE

PULL BUSH One thing leads to another

GOOD PLAYERS DON’T

FIGHT OVER JERSEY One who is good at doing something doesn’t have to boast or advertise

DET RAW POWER That brute force

COME SEE ME LATER To finalize the deal

THROUGH CRAB,

CRAWFISH DRINK WATER Through the assistance of others goals are achieved

IF YOU PINEAPPLE,

SHOW YOUR JUICE Prove yourself

WHAT IS GOOD IN BILLY

GOAT’S MOUTH WILL RUN

HIS BELLEH Too much of anything is not good

SHIFTING BLAME Finding faults in others

SO, SO, ENGLISH Too much English

I SOR BASSAU I am Bassa

MABAHN COUNTREN Mamba Country

THE BOY NA TRAVEL The boy has travelled

SMELL NO TASTE The smell of the aroma

I DE FOR WAY INSIDE I live all the way inside

MY BELLY DE TALK I am hungry

YOU BETTER MAKE HASTE

QUICK Hurry up

SO PLENTY PEOPLE SAY That’s what many people say

YOU GET BUTT LIKE

WOMAN Your behind is like a woman

PINEWINE CLUB The drinking spot

WALK AROUND ON TEN

TOES Walking barefoot

SO, I SEE I do understand

IT NA BE REAL BUTT It is not a natural behind

IT RELLY BE SOMETHING

- OH! It is real

I CAN’T WAIT TIL DEY FOR

CHICKEN CROW I can’t wait until morning

SOON MORNING PLAWA Early morning fuss or confusion

LAY CURVE To disappear or run off

RAIN OR SHINE Either rain or sunshine or no matter the weather

EAT MY MONEY IN

BREEZE! Use my money for no reason

DOGGONE FOOL A fool or jackass

YOU GET LUCK LIKE A

LOUSY CAT To have bad luck

MAKE DEED Strike a deal

MY RIGHT HAND MAN Someone I depend on

GOOD FOR NOTHING Not of any use

PUT OR JUKE FINGER IN

SOMEBODY’S EYES To cheat someone

LAUGH BEHIND MY BACK Gossip about me in my absence

BROAD OPEN DAY In daylight

YOU BETTEH TRY HARD You are not making sense

THE SAME SIX AND SEVEN Same old thing

YANKAN BOY SHIRT Bluff shirt

Ps AND Qs Be on your best behavior

SO SAY ONE, SO SAY ALL Agrees with everybody

LIBERIAN STANDARD

TIME (LST) Not in a hurry; will get there when I can

THEY SAY That’s what everybody says

GREENBACKS American paper dollars

KINGER Load

KU KA TONOR In Kpelle: “We are one”

STATE SIDE America

THAT YOR KPORMENI In Kpelle: “That is your business”

MY MAIN SQUEEZE My steady boyfriend or girlfriend

MOSQUITO POLICE Not professional police

CHAY, CHAY POLY

or CHI, CHI POLY To gossip

OH MY MAN, WHA YOU ON What are you up to

IT LEE WAY YOU-O It is up to you

MOU FROM HERE, MAN! Excuse me

YOU SAY WHA? What did you say

YOU MOR NA BRING IT

TO ME! Do not provoke me

DAT DIFFREN THING

YOU ON NOW! You are up to some else

DON’T BRING IT TO ME-OH! Don’t mess with me

YOU WANT PIK FUSS? Are you looking palaver

OH, DAT ME YOU WAN TO

BRING IT TO? Do you want to start something with me

YOUN LOOK AT YOURSELF

GOOD, ENH? You did not think it over

LOOK AT THIS ZAM! Look at this fool

IT GOODEY FOR YOU! You deserve it

PLAY, PLAY KILL BIRD! When you play the fool, there are consequences

WHA YOU ON, MY MAN? What are you up to

YOU KNOW PLENTY BOOK You are too bookish

YOU TAKE ME TO PLAY

WITH, ENH You don’t take me seriously

BRING IT TO ME, YOU

WAY SEE! You mess with me and you will see what will happen

YOU BOY, YOUN SCARE

LAW NOTHING, ENH! You are not afraid of anything

KNO YORSEF,

KNO TO CUSS Beware of Skelton in your closet

THERE MORE BEHIND 6

THAN 7! There is more than meet the eye

DEH FOOD TOO SWEET! The food is very delicious

YOU RELLY SATISFY

MY HEART! You please me

DIG HER-O! Like her very much

DIG HIM-O! Like him very much

YOR HEY NOT STRAIGHT,

ENH? You are not acting normal

MY MAN, WHO YOU TAKE

ME FOR? Who do you think I am

DAT THING YOU ON, I NOT

I NA INSIDE-O! What you are doing I am not a part of

DAT JOHN PALM OIL WIS

ON JOHN RICE! Destroying something his family owns

I FEAR YOU-O, YOU

NA EASY! I am afraid of you because you are daring

YOU MON SIT DOWN

THERE! Just wait and see

YOU NA INSIDE-O,

YOU NA KNO! If you’re not part of it, you won’t know

DAT IT NOW, I TYRE! This is enough, I am tired

EIN GOT NO HAY, EIN GOT

NO TAY It makes no sense

WHAT FISH YOU GOT TO

FRY IN IT? It is not your business

WHO YOU KNOW? Who knows you

WHO WANT WORK? I want work

YOU NA KNOW ME! You do not know me

MY WOMAN CALL YOUR

NAME My woman confessed your name

THE FOOD NA SWEET SELF The food is not delicious

MY STOMACH RUNNING I am having diarrhea

BEFORE GOODFOOD WIS,

LET BELLY BUSS Eat all you can eat before throwing away leftovers.

Conclusion

According to Mark Twin, “When in doubt, tell the truth…..It is okay to say ‘I don’t know’”. Don’t go about making up lies. Lies have the way of catching up with you. Truth is what last forever! Therefore, take the time to learn about your culture; ‘Better late than never!’ Jesus said, “…You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”(John 8:32 – NKJV).

Wreemongar, the young man in the story got the benefit of my knowledge about his Liberian culture. Someday, he too will tell it to his children or when someone ask him what is meant by ‘“God can’t sleep’ in Liberian Idiom?’” He will remember what to say. I na do my par!

NOTE: Liberian Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions were developed with the assistance of Ms. Rinnelle Hilton van Ee. They are found in my new book of poetry: TIPOSAH: Message from the Palava Hut.

Siahyonkron Nyanseor is Chair of ULAA Council of Eminent Persons (UCEP), Inc. He is a poet, Griot, journalist, and a cultural and political activist. He is an ordained Minister of the Gospel. He is Chairman of the Liberian Democratic Future (LDF), publisher of theperspective.org online newsmagazine and Senior Advisor to the Voice of Liberia newsmagazine. In 2012, he Co-authored Djogbachiachuwa: The Liberian Literature Anthology; his book of poems: TIPOSAH: Message from the Palava Hut is on the market. Nyanseor can be reached at: [email protected].

December 3, 2014 | 0 comments | View Post

A pastoral reflection on Ferguson & Michael Brown

By Rev. Dr. William B. G. K. Harris - Senior Pastor

Lessons: Luke 4:18; Proverbs 14:34; Ezekiel 22:30

Text: 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,….Luke 4:18…… 34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people …Proverbs 14:34. ….. “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none… Ezekiel 22:30. THEME:” A FEW WHAT IFS OF THE FERGUSON SAGA TO PONDER ”

SUBTHEME: “Where Do We Go From Here To Reconcile & Heal?”

Date: November 26, 2014

I. INTRODUCTION:

A. My attention was arrested on the late afternoon of November 24, 2014 by the CNN breaking news that the “decision of the jury was to be given soon” in the death case of Michael Brown. I became very interested to know what the outcome would be as I waited like many others as the time was being pushed back. Then the news finally broke that Darren Wilson was not indicted by the Grand Jury based on the information that they were given. My heart sunk deep and many things started going through my mind about the whole matter that the entire nation was confronted with. Even though it would sound as a “Monday Morning Quarter Back,” many questions ran across my mind as the “what if questions” that will be presented late in this reflection. Certainly, mood in Ferguson, Missouri and around the nation and the world was very tense after a grand jury decided against indicting the police officer for the killing of unarmed African-American teenager Michael Brown.

B. In my view as a pastor and considering the passage of Scripture as recorded in Luke 4:18 based on Isaiah 61, the matter at hand and the tension that we see ought to raise a serious question about the role of the Church in the midst of the situation and beyond. What role should the Church play with respect to social justice, the poor, healing broken hearts and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in season and out of season. Certainly, despite the progress of civil rights and the election of President Obama as the first modern African-American president of the United States, we are living in a time in which racial division is not yet behind us. That reality ought to motivate us as citizens (and specifically as Christians…the followers and disciples of Jesus Christ to work for justice, peace and love) as we strive to be about reconciliation and healing amongst all people regardless of color, race, creed or physical limitations.

C. No doubt, as the weeks go by, the legal professionals and others will sort through all the evidence that the grand jury saw to help us make sense of how the decision was made. However, what we do know is that the Ferguson situation is one of several in just the past couple of years where white and black Americans have viewed a situation in starkly different terms. In most cases, White Americans, in public polling view the presenting situations as though they exist in isolation, dealing only with the known facts of the case at hand whether there is evidence of murder. On the other hand, most African-American and other ethnic groups polled show they tend to view such crises through a wider lens of personal and collective experiences. For most African-Americans in such shootings, the question that is pondered upon is whether African-American, particularly the youths are too often profiled and killed in America. The growing stat shows such a trend and there are other conditions and situations that greatly impact African-Americans and other ethnic groups in many ways, including the large percentage that are in jail (and fewer male on college campuses); couple with vast poverty, crime and poor educational systems in their neighborhoods, to mention only a few.

Notwithstanding, Mike Brown, the unarmed 18 year-old, black teenager was shot and killed by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, (a suburb of St. Louis), has taken the bandage of the fresh wounds from the shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida few years ago. This and countless other shootings around the nation are troubling, very sad, horrific, and an all too familiar ugly story. So the question must be raised about how the Christians view such shootings! Think about this! Would the views be from a different lens of White Christians and African-American Christians or should they all have the same view based on the Scriptures that they Christians have in common? Sad as it may seem, Sunday morning in America is “the most segregated hour” as Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. said many years ago. In many instances, the brutal act and impact of slavery still lingers and the drum of segregation still beats in many cities and states across the land in different forms and shapes. All of these and other issues not mentioned are contributing factors and personal experiences that serve as input to the view points of people. Nevertheless, the question is this as asked in Ezekiel 22:30…”who will stand in the gap for Me?” Will and can the “Church” stand in the gap at such a time as this or will the Church continue with business as usual and wait for the next “shooting shoe” to drop?

II. A FEW WHAT IF TO PONDER UPON FOR YOUR REFLECTION :

A.What if Michael Brown had not forcibly taken the cigars and shoved the store owner?

B.What if Michael Brown had not been walking in the middle of the road?

C. What if Michael Brown had not interacted with Darren Wilson at the off-set?

D.What if Darren Wilson would have not ran after Brown as he was running away?

E.What if Darren Wilson had instead called and waited for backup or drove away or not even shoot when Michael turned around?

F.What if Darren had a body camera and his on-board camera was functional?

G.What if the prosecutor had opted to take the case to trial instead of the Grand Jury?

H.What if the evidences/data were mis-handled and/or improperly processed?

I.What if the protesters only had a peaceful demonstration and no property destroyed?

J.What if majority of the same protesters were registered to vote and voted in the last election?

K.What if more emphasis was placed on personal responsibility, educational equality, family values, respect for the rule of law, good citizenship and universal moral values in the land?

L.What if there were more multi-ethnic culture mega churches in our communities across the land instead of the now Sunday morning segregated services?

M.What if Michael Brown was known or not known to be active in a church?

N.What if police trainings were uniform and/or different than what it current is?

IV. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HEAR TO RECONCILE AND HEAL?:

A.To stand in the gap and bring about reconciliation and healing, the “Church” must take the lead in promoting and continuing the conversation of shooting and guns at the community level, city, national and international levels.

B. To stand in the gap and bring about reconciliation and healing, the “Church” must take the lead in educating the youths about social responsibility, respect for the law and self, as well as promoting family unity and togetherness through its biblical and intentional teachings, programs and services. The teaching of non-violent principles which are consistent with the love of Jesus Christ must be taught as a way of resolving conflicts and that violence is never the answer to any injustice. The purchasing of “warfare and gun toys” /”violent video games” must be highlighted as dangers to the wellbeing of the child and community.

C. To bring about reconciliation and healing, the “United States Government/State/Local and Courts” must take the lead in promoting justice and peace as well as establish rules and policies relating to such shootings and other related matters, fund programs, training, and services that are pro-active and educationally driven, also provide police with body cameras and related technologies to prevent or minimize such situations.

D.To bring about reconciliation and healing, the “Civil Rights Organization and Community Groups/Leaders” must take the lead in organizing local communities to be pro-active instead of being reactive to situations. The effort to register and ensure high voters turn-out must be addressed and planned for. Discussions with local/state and federal leaders must be held to identify strategies, programs, training and service that can become solutions to our national plight.

E.Let me plug this in as I close on this reflection. It is very important and necessary that the “Church” which is the Body of Christ be “one” and demonstrates our oneness by words and deeds. If this Christ-exalting life were to become our reality, we could address racism, oppression, and injustice together. Consider what will happen if African-American and white Christians and other Christian ethnicities shared life with each other in a local church community and heard each other’s stories and walked in each other’s shoes what a force we would become for Jesus Christ? If such Christ-exalting life were to become our reality, I believe our suspicions and mistrust of one another would be abandoned and replaced with love for one another. Nevertheless, as we press forward beyond Ferguson and what have occurred in other cities; and the known “black on black” shootings, let us become resolved to keep hope alive that it is possible that we can live in peace and harmony, respecting one another, respecting the law, and striving to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Let us therefore turn to God and be God’s people who will be known by the way we love one another. AMEN.

Rev. Dr. William B. G. K. Harris is Senior Pastor, International Christian Fellowship Ministries (ICF) in Atlanta, Georgia.

December 2, 2014 | 0 comments | View Post