How Liberia’s ex-presidents, most of them, U.S. citizens, neglected Africa’s oldest nation
A Reflection at 1st Pres. JJ Roberts’ birthday-
Note: This article, first published March 7th & 10th, 2019, by Modern Ghana and Sweden based Nordic Africa News is re-published here by public demand! Story was edited and additional information added. ALL PHOTOGRAPHS BY AUTHOR
Liberia declared independence in 1847 and is considered Africa’s oldest Republic. Its national flag and constitution are replicated after those of the U.S. Founded (in parts) by repatriated free black American slaves, who ruled that country for over a century, Liberia was once viewed by its neighbors as a US Colony in Africa due to the close relations between the two. But despite its abundant mineral resources like Iron ore, rubber, gold, diamonds and timber, its corrupt leaders from settlers to natives continue to kill her dreams. As of the time of this publication not a single national library could be found in the entire nation; a proxy library in the capital remains in shambles, adding to a case of total neglect!
By: James Kokulo Fasuekoi|Editor-Publisher
Liberia, the oldest nation on the continent of Africa does not own a national library and it has been so for over a century and half in spite of possessing abundant mineral resources. Interesting as it seems, many of Liberia’s early presidents, born in the U.S. and educated there, prior to their migration to Liberia, West Africa, never considered the erection of a national library as part of their political agendas.
And the same is also true for succeeding administrations, mostly led by indigenous themselves, after the overthrow of the TWP oligarchy, April 12, 1980, beginning with Samuel Doe, through Charles Taylor, Ellen Sirleaf (a so-called ‘Harvard University trained economist’), and now current President George Weah. In the meantime, a proxy “national” library stands in total shambles at the heart of Monrovia, with no one willing to revive it.
Next July, (2018) Liberia will turn 172 years old but sadly, there’s barely a significant development to show to match her age. Basic social services like computer labs, national libraries, for instance, essential for research works as well as enhancing the learning capacity of locals, remain practically non-existence. And things have been so before the war broke out.
Most find this rather ironic, especially for a country this old and with strong ties to the United States. The story however seems totally different with Liberia’s close and distanced African neighbors such as Guinea, Ivory Coast and Ghana-all of whom gained independence just in the 50s and 60s. Many have modern roads, hospitals, universities, as well as modern libraries and computer labs.
Understatement
When Rev. Dr. Francis Tabla first raised the issue of the country’s lack of national library in 2013, in Minnesota during a fundraising rally for the construction of a library project in Kakata, Liberia, some gnashed their teeth in disbelief while others weighted his remark as an understatement. However, an investigation by this writer proved Dr. Tabla was right-there isn’t a single public national library in the entire country.
As of late 2018, a few universities and colleges in Liberia ran some type of makeshift library and with a few maintaining a computer lab. Even so, these institutions restrict use of such facilities to only their students, prohibiting the public and out-of-campus users from using them.
The University of Liberia, considered the nation’s highest learning institution, didn’t even have an internet café on campus for its students in 2018, the time UL students leader, Martin Kollie took this writer on a brief tour of its main campus on Capitol Hill. It wasn’t clear whether the UL’s own library destroyed by war had been rehabilitated or was in use.
Such a situation has left many in a serious dilemma and with practically no hope in sight. Some educational experts attribute it to be largely the cause of mass failure in entrance exams or aptitude tests offered by colleges, an example being the 2017 UL exams during which only 1,901 passed out of a total of 10, 837 students that sat for it nationwide.
But for Dr. Tabla who now owns a mega African immigrant church in Minnesota, there’s hope that his Kakata library-a resource center for the community-when finished, would help alleviate some of the headaches long faced by teachers and students in the Margibi region.
Paradox
It may sound paradoxical but it’s clear from a historical perspective that close to a dozen of Liberia’s twenty-three or more, former presidents were freed black Americans born to slave parents in America.
Take for instance, Joseph Jenkins Roberts who was first president and a descendent of slave, was born in Norfolk, VA, as were presidents Edward James Roye, Newark, OH; James S. Smith, Charleston, SC; James S. Payne, Richmond, VA and Stephen A. Benson, Cambridge, MD. Daniel B. Warner, the 3rd president, originated from Baltimore, MD, while Alfred Russell and William D. Coleman, came from Kentucky.
Except for a few, most settlers or new comers, received their secondary and higher education in the U.S. before their migration to Liberia which started 1822 with the help of the American Colonization Society (ACS). But in spite of their rich educational background, not a single one erected a public library.
Neglect
During President Williams V.S. Tubman’s era, for example, a period during which economists said Liberia experienced “surpluses” in goods and heavily exported gold, diamonds, timber, rubber and iron ore at excellent rates, nothing much changed in terms of national development.
Though some credit him as the “Father” of “Modern Liberia,” yet, historians remain critical of his administration, arguing that developments undertaken by Tubman didn’t commensurate with the revenues intake from the booming mining industries at the time.
Substitute
In the absence of a national library, the Law Library located in the heart of Monrovia and operated by the local lawyers’ committee has managed to fill in the gap all these years.
Although the library falls short of functional equipment and academic research materials needed to run a modern library, yet journalists, visiting scholars, teachers, and students, across Monrovia and beyond, have found it resourceful and far better than having none.
Like every institution in Liberia, the two civil wars of 1989-1996 and 1999-2003, took a heavy toll on the Law Library when the fighting reached downtown Monrovia. Looters broke into properties including this library and looted them each time there was a lull in fighting.
Remnants
When the wars ended, the library staff went in and recovered whatever had been left there after looters. And it soon became obvious that this recordkeeping center stands badly in need of rehabilitation and donation in order to keep it alive after its assistant manager, Peter Doryen Wreh, took me on a tour of the facility early March 2018.
On its partly emptied dusty shelves, are books on religion, Liberian and world histories, as well as US encyclopedia, literature, science, math, chemistry and physics. Among its treasured collections are braille on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s stone, the history and lifestyle of Braille Francis, the inventor of the Braille. Its oldest book is a World’s Atlas, printed in 1972. Most appeared worn out, something Wreh attributed to the books’ extensive usage and lack of ventilation.
Unlike most modern libraries, the Law Library lacks functional equipment like computers (desk and laptop) and photocopy machines. The most valuable equipment found is a 2020 Microfilm projector-though obsolete-that sits on a table in the corner.
Next to the adults’ library, the staff also runs a skeletal library for children and like the adults’ the kids’ library exists only in name because it practically lacks computers, and currently reading books, magazines and toys for children.
Donation
Doryen Wreh said he and his staff had been hopeful for some aid from Mrs. Jewel Howard Taylor, now vice president of Liberia. He explained that while Mrs. Taylor was still senator for Bong County, she had promised to give help to the library but according to him, “She hasn’t made meaningful contributions to the library.”
Wreh didn’t make it clear whether he made any attempt to contact Mrs. Taylor’s office in the past concerning such a pledge. Attempt by writer to contact Mrs. Taylor’s office proved futile.
On the other hand, a pledge made by a local Lions Club regarding renovating the library came through in 2009. Wreh maintained that the Club also donated chairs and tables, enabling the facility to stay somewhat functional.
Library’s History
This iconic one storey building opposite Centennial Pavilion on Ashmun Street, a place all of the country’s past and current presidents get sworn into office, is the private home of Liberia’s first president, Joseph Jenkins Roberts who served two terms.
According to Doyen Wreh, Pres. Roberts turned the family residence into a ‘presidential palace’ soon after he became head of state in 1847. Roberts is said to have lived and conducted state’s affairs from this building till the first state’s house down the street was erected. The Roberts Family later donated it to the local lawyers committee to be used as a library.
Manager ‘Steals’
In a country where state leaders barely show respect for law and order, amid widespread corruption and abuse of power, even junior staffers, including heads of government bureaus, think stealing of public funds or properties is normal.
In the months leading to the end of Ms. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s regime, Wreh said a senior female Sirleaf’s appointee who previously worked there seized and took the library’s single big screen television home for her personal use.
“She came one day, just packed it and took it home,” Wreh told this writer. The TV was donated not long ago by an organization. No action was taken against the woman, he said. The former female staff hadn’t returned the library’s property up till the time of this publication.
‘Blind Steals’
Amid hardship and a culture of impunity in the post-war nation, a blind too, took his chance, carrying away one of the library’s most treasured books, “The History and Life Style of Braille,” the inventor of brailing.
How did the library staff get to know it was a blind person who had stolen the missing referenced braille? I asked.
“We know because he [blind] hasn’t come back since that incident. Besides, he had expressed love for this book several times and wanted to take it home but we refused because that’s the only copy we have here,” says Wreh.
Meantime, the library staffers are pleading for aid from philanthropic individuals and groups to help rescue the proxy national library already nearing collapse. The appeal, Wreh says, also goes to Mrs. Taylor to make good on her promises.
Wreh named two wall fans, twelve desk computers, several laptops, a copier and a digital camera, as items they need badly in order to keep the library functional. The laptops and cameras he said would go a long way in training staff to do a documentary on the history and cultures of the country’s distinct sixteen ethnic groups.