Monrovia – President Joseph Boakai’s symbolic Unification Day outreach to former leaders has drawn mixed reactions — welcomed by many as a step toward reconciliation, yet critiqued as too little, too late by key national voices like Bishop Kortu Brown.
By Obediah Johnson, [email protected]
On May 14, President Boakai revealed he had extended goodwill messages to former presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and George Manneh Weah, along with prominent political, religious, and traditional leaders.
He said: “It was squarely within such frame of mind that I, earlier today, placed special goodwill telephone calls to former Presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and George Manneh Weah as well as eminent national leaders Benoni Wilfred Urey, Alexander Benedict Cummings. I also reached out to the Liberia Council of Churches and the National Muslim Council of Liberia as well as the Chairman of the National Council of Chiefs and Elders of Liberia.” Joseph Nyuma Boakai, President of Liberia
The gesture was framed as an effort to promote national unity. However, the follow-up responses — particularly from former President Weah and Bishop Brown — suggest the president’s move may have opened a broader conversation about Liberia’s fractured politics and the urgent need for deeper engagement.
Bishop Kortu Brown, former president of the Liberia Council of Churches, cautiously welcomed the gesture but noted that it should have come much earlier.
“I think it’s good; it’s something that Liberians have waited for, for a long time. It’s almost one and a half years now—I think it is a good effort for the President reaching out to political, religious, and traditional leaders,” Bishop Brown told reporters. “I believe the President could have done this quite a while ago, not one and a half year [later],” he added.
His reaction speaks to a larger sentiment among many Liberians: while gestures are appreciated, they are no substitute for consistent leadership engagement across political lines.
Bishop Brown underscored the need for more than ceremonial gestures.
“All Liberians must now build on this action of the President in a bid to move Liberia towards national unity,” he emphasized. “Our leaders have been weak; they need to do more and they need to work in the interest of the nation and people.”
He argued that real unification would require ongoing dialogue between former and current leaders to reduce political polarization and bring their supporters together.
“Engagement between past and current leaders would help bring their supporters together,” he noted.
Perhaps more critically, Bishop Brown cautioned against the dangers of exclusion and political intolerance, describing them as roadblocks to nation-building.
“Exclusion doesn’t build a country. It will only delay the country’s progress,” he said. “People feel they should speak, but they should not work together. That mindset must change.”
He pointed to deeper structural issues—social, political, and economic disparities—that continue to inhibit national integration.
“The intent of national unification was to tackle the disparities in the political, economic, and social interactions in the country. Unless we tackle those concerns, the space for greater interaction by all Liberians will remain limited.”
The bishop also criticized the unprofessional conduct of some government officials, particularly their social media behavior.
“They should focus on executing their duties instead of reacting to everything being said online,” Bishop Brown said. “Some of these responses only worsen public perception and create additional problems for the government.”
Former President George Weah responded with diplomacy laced with skepticism. He confirmed receiving a missed call and text from Boakai but clarified that no phone conversation took place.
“Earlier this morning, I received a missed call from an unknown number, which was followed by a text message from President Joseph Boakai wishing me a happy Unification Day and urging national unity,” Weah stated. “I responded to said message in return by also wishing him a Happy Unification Day. I have not spoken to President Boakai since January 2024.”
Weah used the moment to critique what he termed “superficial political gimmicks.”
“True unification is not based on superficial political gimmicks, but on the rule of law and constitutional order,” he declared.
He added a pointed reminder to the Boakai administration: “I again urge President Boakai to respect the rule of law, respect past and present political leaders, and uphold the sanctity of our hard-fought democratic institutions and processes in order to foster national unification.”
The statements from Bishop Brown and former President Weah highlight a common concern—genuine national unity must move beyond public relations optics.
Boakai’s outreach may have been a goodwill move, but the reactions it provoked underscore that Liberians are seeking substance: inclusion, consistency, and meaningful collaboration.
As Bishop Brown put it bluntly, “What complaints have we not heard here yet? Our leaders have been weak; they need to do more.”
In the current climate of high political expectations and persistent social divisions, Boakai’s symbolic call may be just the beginning of a much-needed reckoning with the real work of unity.
