Well, I do not hate Sen. Taylor and do not hate anyone for that matter. As a matter of fact, I love humanity and humankind hence my advocacy role throughout these many years. Madam Taylor and I are members of a network and at some point, we both worked briefly on the “Affirmative Action for Political Representation Bill of 2016”. Our relationship has been cordial and respectful. She is a beautiful woman with admirable eloquence.
However, my love for Liberia supersedes everything else. I began closely following Mrs. Taylor a few years ago when she publically supported a divisive call by few Liberians to “Christianize” Liberia. As a senator of a religiously and tribally diverse county such as Bong, she has stated on many occasions that she is “going to work for the Kpelleh people”.[1] This piece intends to summarize why my critical stance is nothing “personal” or hateful. However, my love for Liberia is personal.
In 2012 during an interview with the Voice of America (VOA),[2] Madam Taylor craved the indulgence of the Liberian people to see her for who she is as an individual and not align her with her ex-husband Charles Taylor and that she was not responsible for crimes he committed. Ironically in the same interview, she said she is proud to associate herself with the name and is honored to carry it. "But I am just happy to say that that name also carries a lot of positivity because I work for the people of my country and that has enabled me to be the senator you see today. So, some people might look at the negatives, but I’d like to look at the positive”.[3] Madam Taylor intoned. Many politicians today associate themselves with the successes at the same time distance themselves from the failures of their associates.
Critics of Madam Taylor often question her role during the crisis her ex-husband led. During a town hall meeting in Philadelphia[4], quizzed about her role in the crisis as her ex-husband reined terror in Liberia, Madam Taylor said she provided relief items to victims.
Marriage to Mr. Taylor, sudden rise to the Bong Legislature and women’s rights advocacy
The two were joined in holy matrimony in 1997 few months before he would be sworn in as Liberia’s 22nd President. A wedding that was televised by the national broadcaster. Before their marriage, the two dated for many years while he was married to Mrs. Enid Tupee Taylor and had their son [first and only for Madam. Taylor-one of 14 children for Mr. Taylor].[5] In December of 1989, he launched the revolution that displaced, killed and raped many as well as using young children as members of his Small Boys Unit (SBU). During Mrs. Taylor reigned as the first lady of Liberia, many Liberians were in exile in neighboring countries and some in displaced and refugee camps in Liberia. Under their rulership, Liberians lived in fear and intimidation. While she does not want to be associated with Mr. Taylor’s crimes, she believes that he did nothing and that he is and was being misunderstood. In a video interview with the Guardian News Agency, she defended her ex-husband that he shouldn’t be held liable for crimes committed in Sierra Leone as he was in Liberia and could not have been actively involved.[6] Mrs. Taylor returned to Liberia in 2004 after spending some nine months with him while in exile in Nigeria. She filed for divorce in 2005 and was grated in 2006 the same year Mr. Taylor was arrested for crimes he committed in Sierra Leone.
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| Jan 1996. Mr. & Mrs. Taylor Photo Credit: BBC |
Madam Taylor is aware of the benefits of the Taylor name that she enjoys today. Bong County was Taylor “Country” where he settled and had his military base. Madam Taylor herself is from Zorzor, Lofa County. Citizens of Bong County are sympathetic to Taylor and see him as their “godfather” or their protector. By herself, she couldn’t have won the Senatorial seat of that county. Before 2005, Mrs. Taylor wasn’t an active politician. The 2005 election was a special one and special rules were adopted by the National Elections Commission as an outcome of the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement. The National Elections commission encouraged political parties to ensure that their final listing must include at least 30% women candidates. That call enabled the NPP to bring on board Mrs. Taylor and CDC submitted the name of the late Hannah Brant. Many parties followed. Women occupied 14% of the Legislature in 2005[7]. 2014 senatorial election came rather quickly. This time the contending parties were many and Madam Taylor saw that she was losing the county. In the eleventh hour of the campaign, she allegedly used a voice recording believed to be Mr. Taylor’s calling on his loyalist to support his former wife. It can be argued that that was a game changer for Mrs. Taylor. She became senator for the second time. Madam Taylor was never a women’s rights advocate but only became a beneficiary as the result of the 30% representation call in 2005.
Christianization Campaign
Liberia being a Christian nation is a faulty assumption but widely spread by divisive religious clerics. Prior to 2008 when the most recent census was conducted, about 40% of Liberians practice Christianity while 40 percent were believed to practice Traditional African Religion and 20% Muslims with the remaining distributed among Bahai’, Hindu etc.[8] The 2008 census placed Christianity at 85.5% while Islam was at 12.2%. Many Islamic clergymen contested this but there wasn’t any empirical evidence to prove otherwise due to resource -financial & technical- challenges. They believed the census report was an attempt to marginalize a certain group of people.
Madam Taylor joined[9] the call to make Liberia a Christian nation in order to put Liberia into chaos as if the mayhem her ex-husband did wasn’t enough.
Religious identities and other lineages have led to the destruction of people and places. And for a fragile country like Liberia and someone who wants to serve as Vice President to join such a call only shows how divisive and intolerant they are.
In retrospect, 2004 an alleged land dispute between two people metamorphosed into religious violence and landed the city and its surrounding in total chaos with the burning of mosque, churches, schools, and businesses. There was also a spillover impact in other counties.[10]
The Resuscitation of Charles Taylor’s NPP Agenda
Charles Taylor came to power with guns. His rebel group the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) was transformed to the National Patriotic Party and the leaders of NPFL were all active players in the Taylors administration that came to power in 1997. What is the NPP’s agenda that Madam Taylor is using the Congress for Democratic Change platform to resuscitate? [11]
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| Mrs. Taylor Comforting her then-husband.video Photo: CNN |
In his six years rule, Liberians lived in fear. His military groups, the Anti-Terrorist Unit (ATU) and Special Operations Division (SOD) of the Police instilled fear in peaceful citizens. For the most part of his presidency, we lived in the Sierra Leonean Refugee camp in Caldwell and later fled to neighboring Sierra Leone as a result of constant harassment from his boys. During his presidency, the economy was at its lowest. He was a tyrant and dealt with everything in similar form. For instance, he dealt with issues of price control with a radio announcement. “All foreign exchange bureaus and businesses must reduce their rates now or else their businesses will remain closed”. He warned. Without studying the economic implications, he would make those decisions and the after effect would be devastating. Freedom of speech and of expression was none existent. Critical journalists were intimidated, abused, harassed, imprisoned and their establishment shutdown and some were forced to leave the country.[12] The widows of the Armed Forces of Liberia and any pressure group couldn’t dare come on the streets to protest or they would meet Taylor’s ATU and SOD well-armed. As if that wasn’t enough, Mr. Taylor himself would use the radio to warn citizens not to take the streets else, they would bear the consequences. Is that the NPP agenda Madam Taylor wants to revive?[13] Fear, intimidation, suppression, violence, rape, etc. During all of this, Mrs. Taylor was the First Lady of the Republic of Liberia. Liberians must think!
Salary increment and financial autonomy
In April of this year, Madam Taylor spoke to an audience in the United States at a Town Hall meeting. In her meeting with a cross session of Liberians, Senator Taylor justified the necessity to increase lawmakers salaries because as she put it, “they cater to their constituents who come to their offices daily for assistance and in some cases they pay tuition, underwrite burial cost and make other expenditure for their constituents”[14] and that they complain about the huge salaries they are making. She further stated that while their constituents lived in so much poverty which “is demeaning” so their salaries need to be increased because it is not “enough”. She says the ten thousand monthly salary excluding benefits is insufficient. In 2016, Madam Taylor was a key proponent of the Financial Autonomy Bill[15] that intended to give the Legislation full leverage over the decision of the finances they receive. Since its formation, the National Legislature has not been audited. They approved the final budget. How can you be the referee and the player at the same time? Where is the accountability?
Conclusion
Many would ask with all these views you hold of Mrs. Taylor why now and why only George Weah and Madam Taylor and not the other candidates? Is it because of job protection (as is often insinuated)? Well, to simply put it, there is a place and time for everything and they are the closest opposition to the Presidency with the most divisive agenda. Prior to entering mainstream government, I was actively involved with advocacy and activism and was satisfied with the impact and inroads I was making through the several organizations I served. In 2012 I applied for a job vacancy (Adolescent Girls Unit Coordinator) at the then Ministry of Gender and Development and was interviewed, assessed and given the job. I later became the Director when the Unit was elevated to a division. In March of 2016, I was appointed by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as Assistant Minister for Youth Development a position that I am honored to serve. (Thankful to Madam President) I began work in May of 2016 after confirmation hearing and it has been less than two years. If the argument of job protection is valid, all those who worked with Madam Sirleaf in 2005 and supported her should have still been around. This is for the greater good of the Liberian people and I owe it to my conscience and love for country. Additionally, my advocacy for religious tolerance dates back as far as 2006 when I joined the National Muslim Students Association of Liberia to advocate for Muslims holiday and remove the teaching of Bible from the National Curriculum to replace it with General Religious knowledge among many things the organization did.
As someone who wants to serve the country at that higher level, Madam Taylor needs to understand she cannot use the “divide and rule” theory. Liberia’s path to sustained peace has been long and challenging. Many of our compatriots shared their tears, blood, sweat, and life for this great nation. She must understand that the Vice Presidency is a powerful space that can be used to unite instead of divide. The thought of reigniting the Taylor’s NPP agenda scares me terribly with nightmares too. With all that has happened and all that she continues to portray is as if she is a selfish, divisive, and intolerant senator. Liberia needs a unifier; certainly not Madam Jewel H. Taylor.
As she is intending to reinstitute Taylor’s agenda, George Weah, on the other hand, doesn’t understand simple rudimentary of governance. It makes it even scarier.
For me, this election is about sustaining the gains, strengthening the peace and making Liberia work for all Liberians. I will hope that Vice President Joseph N. Boakai wins. However, I wouldn’t mind if Liberians decide Mills Jones, Alexander Cummings or Charles Brumskine but certainly not a Weah Howard-Taylor Presidency. If Weah and Howard-Taylor take on the leadership the motherland, I pray a million times not, I will join the intellectual and armless revolution to save the motherland.
For me, Liberia before anything else!
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men (and women) to do nothing"- Edmond Burke
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[1] https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=716256281864574&set=pb.100004406254932.- 2207520000.1507341352.&type=3&theater
[2] https://www.voanews.com/a/liberian-former-first-lady-on-first-us-visit-after-nine-years-of-sactions/1519310.html
[3] https://www.voanews.com/a/liberian-former-first-lady-on-first-us-visit-after-nine-years-of-sactions/1519310.html
[4] https://thenewdispensation.com/2017/04/10/liberia-for-me-usd10000-00-salary-not-enough-says-vice-standard-bearer-of-opposition-party-senator-jewel-howard-taylor-
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Taylor_(Liberian_politician)
[6] https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2012/apr/25/charles-taylor-wife-war-crimes-video
[7] http://www.necliberia.org/others.php?&7d5f44532cbfc489b8db9e12e44eb820=NTk3
[8] https://2001-2009.state.gov/p/af/rls/24149.htm
[9] http://www.theperspective.org/2012/0301201202.html
[10] https://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2005/51480.htm
[11] http://frontpageafricaonline.com/index.php/politics/5474-liberia-taylor-s-agenda-back-on-the-table-ex-wife-deals-weah-cdc-a-major-conundrum
[12] https://www.ijmonitor.org/2010/02/charles-taylor-did-not-encourage-press-freedom-in-liberia-prosecutors-say/
[13] http://www.frontpageafricaonline.com/index.php/politics/5406-coalition-for-democratic-change-echoes-fulfillment-of-charles-taylor-return
[14] https://thenewdispensation.com/2017/04/10/liberia-for-me-usd10000-00-salary-not-enough-says-vice-standard-bearer-of-opposition-party-senator-jewel-howard-taylor-
[15] https://www.liberianobserver.com/news/legislature-wants-financial-autonomy/
Kula, you can not deceive us. Your criticism of Sen. Taylor is hypocritical and politically motivated, to say the least. The Madam Sirleaf who appointed you as minister is a TRC-indicted financial sponsor of the so-called Taylor War. Where was your spirit of advocacy when Madam Sirleaf ran in 2011 and you being fully aware that she is a TRC-indicted criminal?? You keep quiet in your convenient advocacy and latter that year (in 2012) you worked with the Ministry of Gender in her government. You also received your ministerial appointment from the chief sponsor of the civil war (Madam Sirleaf)that took the lives of over quarter million Liberians. How did you not notice that Madam Sirleaf was indicted? Just be honest about why you despise Jewel -she is a very popular candidate who won two senatorial elections while almost all the other senators were shown the exit door. Just be bold to say that your political survival depends on the victory of VP Joseph Boakai, and Senator is reducing your chances of political survival. You advocated for the elimination of Biblical Teachings in schools but at the same time advocated for Muslim's Holiday -what an irony. It is selfish, deceptive and hypocritical for you to not be supporting a Muslim candidate and yet claim that your Islamic struggle is genuine. By the way, why are you not supporting the Movement for Progressive Change (MPC) that has a Muslim as Vice Standard Bearer and other Muslims as candidates??
ReplyDeleteA FRIENDLY REBUKE FOR KULA FOFANA’S CONVENIENT ADVOCACY
ReplyDeletehttp://kulafofana.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/colleagues-have-asked-why-do-i-hate.html?spref=fb&m=1
Kula, your latest piece partly captioned “...Why do I hate senator Taylor this much… “appears like a poorly edited, cut-and-paste portion of a news story, which you chose to use in validating your hypocritical argument against Senator Taylor, who is your political superior. I will expose your deception and hypocrisy in the up-coming paragraphs.
No amount of “hatred” from you against Senator Taylor will change her destiny. Every time you subjectively attack her, you lose significant portion of the little credibility and integrity you have left. You are no longer regarded as an activist in this case but an antagonist, because people can see through all your hypocrisy, dark deceptions and subjective arguments as explained below:
1. You have serious problems with Jewel whose only crime was to have once being married to Charles Taylor and was never indicted by the TRC but you happily ran to accept your appointment from a TRC-Indicted criminal who admitted to financially sponsoring Taylor's war.
2. You have problem with Jewel for being married to Taylor but you kept quiet when Aisha Konneh, the wife of Sekou Damateh Konneh, supported Madam Sirleaf for the presidency, -a presidency from which you are a direct beneficiary as a minister. Your hateful and one-sided advocacy targets Jewel for simply being married to Taylor but it leaves out the wives of your kinsmen like Alihaji Kromah, Sekou Damateh Konneh and their likes.
3. You claim to be an activist with serious issues against Taylor, a former warlord, but you have no problem with Edwin Snowne (Former SBU Chief), and Mr. J. Nathan Blayee alias, General Butt Naked (a notorious killer) who both support your candidate, VP Boikai.
4. You have no problem with notorious warlords like Alihaji Kromah (ULIMO-K Leader), Sekou Damateh Konneh (LURD Leader) and other LURD Rebels who are allegedly closely related/associated with you but you busy yourself with attacks on an innocent woman who has never fired a bullet.
5. Since the issue of a renowned killer, General Jungle Jabba, was highlighted by the Western media, what has been your input --in fact what was/is your role as a “war-crime activist”, then and now??
You questionably claim to care so much about Muslims and Islamic solidarity and I will never judge you. However, I have seen some contradictions and insincerity in your heavily touted Islamic solidarity. Just so you know, there was a Capemount Declaration, which sought to essentially promote and support Muslim candidates in these elections, through whom the Islamic Community would resist Proposition 24 (Christianizing Liberia). Unfortunately, your conspicuous support for the Unity Party’s JNB-JEN Ticket explains otherwise. Just in case you still intend to support an Islamic/Muslim ticket, which I know you won’t, the pleasure is mine to introduce to you Mr William Knowlden who is a devout Muslim and the Vice Standard Bearer of Simion Freeman's Movement for Progressive Change(MPC). If you are sincere about your Muslim/Islamic solidarity and or Islamic support, why are you not supporting Mr. Knowlden and the MPC?? Do you think we are unaware of your Islamic-coated deception being disguised as Islamic solidarity?? Many people are now aware that your entire advocacy depends on how you can benefit directly, and that's called CONVINIENT ADVOCACY!!
Finally, I don't despise you Sister kula, but my advocacy or criticism is not gender discriminatory. In fact, I admire you but I am critical of your recent actions because you have allowed your emotions, sentiments and political interest to cloud your judgment and that's not who you are. That must stop and until it stops, --KUKAMAH!