No ‘Excessive Celebration’ for July ‘26’

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

 As Liberians eagerly anticipate the official celebration of their country’s 165th independence anniversary next week Thursday, July 26, in the City of Monrovia, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has disclosed that this year’s official celebration is “unfortunately… not going to be an excessive one.” 

The Liberian leader told this writer in an exclusive interview last Thursday at her Foreign Ministry office that “although we will celebrate the way we always do, but it is not going to be an excessive celebration, unfortunately.”

The tradition of dedicating development projects at this time has brought a whole new dimension to the July 26 celebrations, especially in other counties whose vast rural areas have been targets of such projects.  The various project dedications, depending on the nature and number of them, could extend the festivities agenda to begin several days in advance of the official celebration on July 26.  

According to journalists and others who have travelled with the President on some of these expeditions, she uses the opportunity to get closer to people in towns and villages where she would not normally go.  “And she can’t go to the poor people empty-handed”, one journalist remarked.  Items such as football jerseys, bags of rice and cash, as well as school items and candies for children, tend to really spice up the Independence Day celebration for these rural communities.

Unlike Voinjama, Sanniquellie, Gbarnga and other provincial capitals that underwent significant – but basic – infrastructural enhancements, just to be able to host the official Independence Day festivities, in addition to other development projects in their respective counties, Monrovia, the nation’s capital, is already well within the range of capacity to host the activities of the nation’s biggest political holiday.

“BTC is ready for the parade,” the President continued. “The C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium is ready for the decoration program. There will be an investiture, dedication of projects and the regular oration. We will have the activities in facilities that already exist.”

This does not mean, however, that there are absolutely no development projects in Montserrado County to be dedicated during this year’s Independence Day festivities.  What seems to be the “unfortunate” part for the President could be that the Montserrado terrain might not be as rugged and adventurous as that of Bong, Lofa, Grand Bassa, Margibi and Nimba counties, where “sometimes you have to drive through the river to the point that it almost covers our vehicle”, the President noted, reminiscing her expedition to Buutuo, Nimba County.

No to “No Excessive Celebration”

This also does not mean that ordinary Liberians will follow suit with President Sirleaf’s “no excessive celebration” statement.  Liberians across the country will seize the opportunity of week-long jamborees.  During this period, banks are normally jam-packed with citizens trying to balance their budgets (i.e. empty their accounts) for the long weekend of events.  Some banks are known to experience ‘system breakdown’, inter alia, to ensure that their own books are balanced.

Ladies will queue for hours in front of the various beauty salons in Monrovia to don that festive look, from as early as 7 a.m. until well after mid-night. From the eve of Independence Day (Wednesday, July 25) until the following Sunday night, the various entertainment centers (including nightclubs) during this festive season will become the hottest places in town.

The festivities also come with performances of all kinds, ranging from traditional African rhythms of the sassas and drums with dancers to band music in commemoration of the nations’ independence anniversary celebration.

Excessively enough, children are constantly found participating in under-age drinking during such festivities, something that the Gender Ministry and law enforcement agencies are continuously challenged to bring under full control.

Deviating from the Norm

This year, the President has chosen someone from academia, Dr. D. Elwood Dunn, to serve as National Orator of the day. During the course of her first term in office, the Liberian leader decided to deviate from the norm of the orators that have been given such prestigious opportunity to deliver national orations on July 26.

“You will notice that I have deviated from the norm on the orators that have been chosen for the 26.  I consider the norm to be refined with some intellectuals, some high-level personalities and also some traditional leaders being a part of it,” she told the Observer in an interview in July 2009, days before that year’s Independence celebration.

President Johnson Sirleaf explained why she decided to deviate from the norm in these words:  “I wanted something different and so, for the first celebration, I selected a woman; the second, I selected a youth; the third one, I gave to a physically challenged (a blind professor); and the fourth one, I thought we have to go back to our roots by giving the opportunity to one of our chiefs - a traditional leader - who also has something to say. Even if they are not educated, they have knowledge.”

Against this background, the President had a woman, Judge Emma Shannon Walser, delivered the oration of the 2006 July 26 celebrations held in Montserrado. This was followed by a youth, Kimmie L. Weeks (Grand Bassa, 2007); the visually impaired Dr. Sakui Woiba Suo Godoe Malakpa (Margibi, 2008); a traditional leader, Paramount Chief Flomo T. Barworor, (Bong, 2009); a religious leader, Rev. Monsignor Dr. Robert G. Tikpor (Nimba, 2010); and a market woman, Mrs. Garmai Estella Korboi (Lofa, 2011).

Professor Dunn (2012 oration) will be the seventh National Orator of the Sirleaf-led administration and the first of her second term.