By Robert M. Sammie
Every year, May 14 is a national holiday, celebrated as National Unification Day in Liberia.
I suppose the purpose of the day is to underscore the significance of national unity, initiate a national conversation on enduring issues of disunity, and advance policies or programs for the maintenance of national unity and cohesion that are underpinned by social, political, and economic factors.
In this sense, yes, the meaning and importance of the day become much more pronounced today than ever, and so the intent of this write-up is to contribute to such a national discourse.
It is undeniable that we have made some significant strides in the areas of social and political integration, but our nation appears much more divided than ever on the economic front, which is a major factor in national unity.
Before making any attempt to support my claim, let’s have a short historical reflection. I have read that after more than a century’s dominant rule by the Americo-Liberians, President William V. S. Tubman became troubled by the visible divides that existed, which perhaps still exist in some respects, between the settlers and the indigenous Liberians.
Thus, in 1947, he proposed a unification policy, which became effective in 1960 and established May 14 as unification day. The intent of the policy has been to promote national unity and integration. President Tubman succeeded in granting voting rights to women, as well as including indigenous people in the national government. He initiated programs that encouraged intermarriages and cultural diffusion. For instance, he assigned public officials to different regions, enabling them to experience and comprehend the cultures of others.
Furthermore, successive administrations have implemented similar programs, such as the County Sports Meet, the Free and Compulsory Primary Education Policy, and the Free Tuition Policy at all public universities.
I firmly believe that, as a result of these interventions, we have made great strides and achieved fruitful results in political and social integration. Besides the fact that we have had indigenous and female presidents, we are experiencing pluralistic democracy. Everyone has the right to hold different political views and persuasions. We also have cross-cultural and inter-marriage relationships, among many others. I feel justified by the conditions to submit that the national endeavor for social and political integration has been relatively successful.
However, I acknowledge the views of some skeptics that we have not done much on the social front. They argue that elitism still dominates our national life. They have argued that the eloquence of a person’s written and spoken English, not a local language, measures the level of their educational achievement. They further argued that due to the persistent use of English as our national language and the Western dress code for national occasions, there is a significant need for social integration.
While I acknowledge their skepticism, it is necessary to note that our educational policy gives everyone the opportunity to learn English, and traditional attire is acceptable at national occasions.
Conversely, the vast economic disparity between the ruling elites and ordinary people truly manifests the enduring challenge to national unification. This economic gap poses the ultimate existential threat. If Liberia experiences another civil unrest, it is because of the economic hardship the majority of Liberians continue to unjustifiably endure. About seventy years after the introduction of the concept of national unity, Liberians still face issues such as chronic unemployment, inadequate electricity, unsafe drinking water, a disorganized educational system, a poor health care delivery system, and a deteriorating road network.
Because it is perennial, less of this condition is attributable to the current administration. I strongly believe that herein lies the issue of national unity. Only government officials are exempt from the discomfort of the aforementioned economic vices because they can afford the cost of the alternatives. The clamoring for economic power has endured through the attainment of political power. This is because there is a strong and direct tie between economic and political powers in Liberia. The core of national disunity is that those who have political power gain economic power. It is very rare to accumulate wealth in Liberia without political power. This abuse of political power for personal gains is the fundamental issue that we must address if we are to achieve national unity.
Unfortunately, it is a glaring fact that, despite state actors’ understanding of the factors that continue to divide us, they continuously find delight in perpetuating these divisions because it gives them pleasure and their desire for state power.
Therefore, I submit that, although we have made some significant gains since its introduction about 70 years ago, President Tubman’s Unification Policy, which aimed to integrate us, remains relevant today. The importance of this day should never escape our lips until we arrive at a political, social, and economic equilibrium for all Liberians in our national life. Until then, I’ll insist that it’s useless to celebrate a national unification day without a strong commitment to implement a national unification policy.
