Red White and You

Should freed slaves repatriated to Liberia get reparations from America?

In this episode, I talk about the case for reparations for free slaves. I also take a look at the famous essay written by renowned journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates of the Atlantic. I raise the question about possible benefits for Liberians in the event America deems it necessary to compensate free slaves.

As Liberia celebrates the 174th Independence Day, I use this time to reflect on the rocky political issues that led to the repatriation of free slaves to Africa. I touch base on how the banning of slavery led to the American civil war.

Liberia typically has two sets of laws: the national formal constitution and customary laws of the indigenous peoples. What this means is that Liberia has a dualistic legal system and if you dig deeper you realize it is more like a multilateral legal system if you can differentiate amongst the sixteen tribes their individual implementation and interpretation of their customary processes and add on that the Muslims and sharia laws in the mix. This is a conundrum for the small country.

Poverty is a governance strategy in Liberia. Matthew Nyanplu, a Liberian journalist based in Europe breaks down how the Liberian plutocracy's lifeline is poverty of the masses.

Poverty has been decisively found as one the key contributing factors to the brutal 14-year long civil conflict that ravaged Liberia between 1989 to 2003. In June 2011, a research by the HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER of the University of California, Berkeley - School of Law, Poverty was found to be the third most prominent cause of the civil war. The war destroyed the country’s systems and infrastructures. It obliterated the access to already struggling public services making them non-existent. Recovery has been a slow gruesome process that might take several decades to achieve, if ever.

Liberia journalist Matthew Nyanplu provides insights in how poverty is a governance strategy.

One of the many challenges facing development in Liberia is corruption. It is the most evasive form of societal ills that exist in every nook and cranny of every sector of the country.

We are recounting 13 reasons why Liberia remains underdeveloped.

Reason #3, Lack of Information and Education.

According to UNESCO, adult literacy rate in Liberia is just slightly over 40%. That is more than half the adult population of Liberia is illiterate. This is due to a combination of multiple factors, but importantly, is the lack of access to education and information.

The 16 tribes of Liberia: Mano, Gio, Kpelleh, Bassa, Grebo, Kru, Lorma, Mandingo, Kissi, Mande, Gbandi, Belleh, Vai, Gola, Dei, and Gbee.

This episode discusses how chronic tribalism and racism contribute to lack of development in Liberia.

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13 Reasons Why Liberia is Underdeveloped

In this series, I will explore and uncover 13 reasons why the country remains underdeveloped. I will explain the various root causes of inequalities that have existed since the establishment of the country 1847.

I have broken down these issues into 13 episodes to bring a great listening experience and I have gathered some of the best minds I could find on these topics.

1.  Secrecy

2.  Tribalism and Racism

3.  Lack of Information and education

4.  Corruption

5.  Poverty

6.  Conflicts of Laws

7.  Culture of impunity

8.  Weak Economy

9.  Lack of political will to prosecute wrongdoings

10.  Effects of the civil war

11.  Greed

12.  Weakened civil society

13.  Brain and Resources Drain

Tambah Saah recalls the final and dark days of gun fights amongst warring factions in Liberia. The arrival of United Nations Peace Keeping Troops and the roles of community radio stations in peace-building and conflict resolution.