My Dearest ‘Motherland’… Liberia,
It is with sober reflection that I write you this letter. It may not be one of my best communications, because, as I write, I cannot control the loads of tears rolling down my cheeks in grief and sorrow of your current poor and sad condition. So, please forgive me should I forget some key points or misrepresent some facts. I shall leave it to your other well-meaning children to fill in or correct me (should they be touched and decide to do so).
‘Mother Liberia’, I can vividly recall how, at the time of my birth, you were a loving, beautiful, hospitable, caring and accommodating ‘Mother’, not only to us….your belly-born; you did similarly to all who came under your domain. The radiance of your beauty, the peace and quietude of your abode attracted many children from other ‘Mothers’ (Foreign Countries) unto you, including Africa’s iconic leader Nelson Madiba Mandela. Under your watch and care, they felt and enjoyed the same warmth and love you showered upon us. I remember those days and, they shall remain ingrain in my memory. I still recall how, at a certain point in time, you were even referred to as “Small America in Africa”, or “heaven on earth”.
Unfortunately, few of your very belly-born nearly destroyed you in the name of finding “freedom”. During the period of their “freedom” search, you stood by in total disbelief and watched them kill up each other. In a state of shock, you helplessly witnessed them practically damage everything you struggled to build over a century. The damage was so extensive and hurting. Saddest of all was the fact you could do nothing to make them see reason to stop their carnage against you and themselves. I can imagine the level of pain and sorrow it brought to your tender heart, especially seeing your own children in whom you strived to instill so much love, respect and discipline behave in such brutal and destructive fashion. But, that was just one aspect.
‘Mother Liberia’, the second aspect of their “freedom” search caused hundreds of thousands of your belly-born to abandon you. They, understandably, did so against their will. They had to flee to foreign ‘Mothers’ for safety. On their way, some of them even shed emotional tears as they left you behind to fend for yourself. I have heard countless stories about the unkind and sometimes very harsh treatments that were meted against your children by some of those foreign ‘Mothers’. At that time, and under the prevailing situation you were facing, they preferred and had to endure those unkind treatments, compared to staying with you only to see their own brothers and sisters rape and/or kill them in the name of “freedom”. However, it is fair to recognize and appreciate that most of them remembered and took advantage of the training you instilled into them. They were determined to turn their miseries into opportunities; and they did. Thankfully today, most of them are better prepared in terms of quality education and benefiting from access to other opportunities. Who knows? Had they stayed behind to look after you, most of them might not have survived or have the opportunity to improve and empower themselves. You see, there is ‘good’ in every ‘bad’. These category of your children are better prepared to help rescue you today. So, please understand and forgive them.
Finally ‘Mother Liberia’, your ‘dark days’ are over. You need to rise up. All your ‘compatriots’ around you and other parts of the world are moving far ahead; leaving you not just behind, but far behind in terms of growth and development. To tell you the truth! Whenever I imagine, feel and taste the greatness of some of these other ‘Motherlands’, I can be tempted to adopt one of them and renounce you, or make you my secondary ‘Motherland’. To be candid with you, most of them provide opportunities that you lack; and it takes real courage, love and strong will to resist. ‘Motherland’, the opportunities some of your ‘compatriots’ provide and can afford for their children are opportunities you have never provided for me and about 95% of my brothers and sisters since your existence. It is due to lack of these opportunities that some of my brother and sisters will (understandably) stop at nothing until they adopt a second ‘Motherland’ and practically renounce you. In fact, some of them have even done so already. Who can blame them, anyways? Who does not want to enjoy opportunities to a decent life? Why should innocent children ‘suffer’ at the hands of a ‘Mother’ who has the means to provide these opportunities, but lacks the will to do so? It is not that you cannot provide or afford them. You can. You have the resources and all it takes. You are far richer than most ‘Motherlands’ around the world. But your problem is because all your ‘older children’ in whom you placed trust and confidence to lead and manage your wealth did not only fail; they also neglected and selfishly refused to do those things that would ensure provision and affordability of such opportunities for me and your other underprivileged children. God will punish them for leading you down this path. When I look around and see you and my other brothers and sisters in this appalling state of hopelessness and destitution, I cannot help but to once more ask God’s wrath and punishment upon all your children who caused you and us this pain and backwardness.
‘Mother Liberia’, be assured that we, your well-meaning children still LOVE and BELIEVE in you so much. Like the Biblical Ruth said… “Wherever you live, we shall live; and wherever you die, we shall die. Whatever you eat, we shall eat”. We are very much unwilling to hurt, destroy or abandon you (again) for any reason. The thought of being your belly-born brings us joy and pride, even in your current state. I, along with a host of your other children, owe you so much. We owe you a nationalistic and conscious responsibility. We owe you loyalty and patriotism. We cannot allow the greed, heartlessness and don’t-care attitude of some of your children to cause us turn our backs to you. If you have ever needed your well-meaning children, it is NOW. We dare not fail you again, ‘Mama’. Where there is no hope in you, some us….your willing children shall strive to bring and keep hope alive. Although few of your children and some ‘strangers’ are losing faith in you, most of us shall continue to have abiding faith in you. Where there are no opportunities, some of us will do the right and proper things so as to ensure provision and affordability of needed opportunities for your underprivileged children. We shall not allow anything…. I mean anything….cause us to destroy and abandon you ever again.
With hope and abiding faith, I remain.
Your obedient Son,
Abraham Darius Dillon
