Bishop Brown Identifies Liberia’s Enemies.

Bishop Brown Identifies Liberia\’s Enemies- Says Is Not CDC Vs.CPP Liberia commemorates her 174 Independence Day; Liberians have been called upon to realize that the real challenge facing the country is not who belongs to which political party and/or which political party is in power. The real enemies of Liberia remain “Ignorance, Disease and Poverty” as the late President William R. Tolbert averred about 50 years ago. The assertion was made by the President of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC), Bishop Kortu K. Brown when he spoke at a Special Praise Service to commemorate Liberia’s 174 Independence Anniversary organized by the New Water in the Desert Assembly of the Apostolic Pentecostal Church in Brewerville, Montserrado County

The praise service was held under the Theme: TO GOD BE THE GLORY! Scripture Text was taken from the Book of Psalm Chapter 126 verse 3 which reminds us that “The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad”. Praise was rendered in the various Liberian languages according to the County to thank God for His manifold blessings on the nation and its people. The congregants thanked God for bringing the nation through years of struggles, the civil war, Ebola and now COVID-19. Intercessory and thanksgiving prayers were said for the family, church and nation including all the frontline workers in the fight against COVID-19 including our Development Partners who have continued to stand shoulder to shoulder with the country.

Speaking at the close of the worship service, Bishop Brown concurred with many Liberians who believe that the country remains under-developed after 174 years of independence. He decried the level of ignorance prevailing in the country terming it as the one number enemy quipping, “How can tribalism, sectarianism, corruption, political schism, etc develop Liberia? How can someone working in a public office not know that if the fuel or funds allocated to execute the functions are diverted, that assignment or particular development work will not be done and it will contribute to underdevelopment of the country? It is a level of ignorance fueled by a high degree of selfishness and un-patriotism”

Concerning diseases as a major enemy of the country, the astute cleric wondered why up to now Liberia is not able to properly fund a major health center in the country that will be able to handle critical medical cases instead of the country repeatedly reverting to Ghana which the country is 110 years older than. “Do you mean that our generation will expire and Liberia will not still be able to treat serious medical cases because of our insensitivity to our own health needs? Are we not able to run with equipment and staffing a good hospital in Liberia? Why do we even lack behind in supporting our fight against infectious diseases like COVID-19? How will our health workers be braved to go fight these terrible diseases if they do not have the fighting gears?

Bishop Brown who is senior pastor of New Water in the Desert Assembly and head of the Apostolic Pentecostal Church concurred with Liberia’s 19th President, William R. Tolbert, Jr., that the real enemies of the country are ignorance, disease and poverty. After 174 years, the majority of the people are still languishing in hunger and poverty while the same politicians run from one political party to another. “Our politicians have proven incapable of fighting ignorance, disease and poverty after 17 decades as a nation-state. All they do is run from one political party to another and blame one another for the country’s problem stating that “yesterday’s opposition is today’s ruling party while yesterday’s ruling party is today’s opposition aligned with the rest of the political parties that they met in the Opposition camp. The challenges facing our country are not just about a contestation amongst political parties or about the ruling versus the opposition parties. 99% of the political class has associated with the ruling establishment over the past 174 years and the country hasn’t changed much. So what’s the problem?”, the outspoken cleric said.

Blame shifting

The Pentecostal cleric and social advocate decried the unnecessary blame game in the country. “About 50 years ago, they said President William V. S. Tubman was the problem. He did much to develop the country, etc. President Tolbert came and about 41 years ago he was brutally overthrown when he was accused of rampant corruption, high treason and misuse of public office, amongst others. The man who benefitted from his overthrow, President Samuel K. Doe, was himself brutally murdered about 31 years ago in the fratricidal war that was prosecuted in the name of ending political impunity in a nation shaken to its very knees. President Charles Taylor who led the civil war and eventually made his way to the Presidency was also driven from the position because he was perceived to pose a threat