ABOVE ALL ELSE, PRINCE Y. JOHNSON

Prince Johnson. pic from: heritage.com.lr

Senator Prince Y. Johnson, during the July 26, 2010 Independence day celebration in Sanniquellie, Nimba County showed his incompetency to lead this country through national unity to greater heights, by boycotting the celebration.

The Independence Day is mostly celebrated by Liberians as one people in and out of Liberia. This is a day where Liberians are proud of their country and a day in which they show how patriotic they are. National Unity is exhibited on this day.

As a Sr. Legislator of the Liberian Senate, to be specific, the Sr. Senator of Nimba County, he displayed how much and the extent to wish he puts his personal interest ahead of National interest.  As he single handedly claims to be “A formidable force” comes the 2011 presidential election, Sen. Johnson didn’t see attending the Independence Celebration in his own county as an additional “formidable force” in increasing or maintaining his votes.

The Independence Day celebrations held in Sanniquellie, Nimba County by President Sirleaf was a strategic move as we gear towards the 2011 elections. Nimba County is the second largest county of Liberia in terms of population, Second to Montserrado County.  The President strategically planned the dedication of over a dozen of projects (to name a few: Tappita Hospital, Gayea Elementary School, Administrative Buildings, Prison Compound, ect..) within various districts and towns of Nimba County.

Prior to the Independence Day celebrations in Nimba, Sen. Johnson heard whisper of rumors that the citizens of Nimba were preparing to petition President Sirleaf to run for second term come 2011. Upon hearing these rumors, Sen. Johnson made a conscious and not so wise decision to boycott the national celebration, claiming that it will be a Political suicide if he did so. 

He also stressed that as a senior citizen of Nimba County and a Presidential aspirant, being present while citizens who voted him in 2005 as Sr. Senator (making him the Senator with the highest vote ever in the Senate) petition another presidential aspirant would mean that he endorsed the idea.

According to The New Dawn, “The Nimba County Senator noted: “If I should escort the Unity Party presidential candidate for 2011, then I will be drinking water through my nose because I am a presidential candidate. I told the whole nation that I am fit to go, come 2011 and I will win the elections in the first round, but not second round”

When asked by some reporters how he became knowledgeable of the petitioning information, he said “You know blood is thicker than water, and my people are on the ground   feeding me with what is happening”.  I wonder how thick is the blood he’s referring to, because “his people” were the ones who petitioned Madame Sirleaf.  Funny he said that.

Is Liberia ready for a leader like Sen. Prince Y. Johnson? I’m not sure it is. The Liberian people and the youth of this nation are at such a tender or fragile stage  need statesmen (a senior politician, especially a man, who is widely respected for integrity and impartial concern for the public good. -Encarta Dictionary). 

Liberia needs a leader who is nationalistic-(relating to or supporting nationalism, especially the kind that emphasizes fervent devotion to one nation and its interests above all others. -Encarta Dictionary)

What we need is leader who can see beyond his/her personal gains and put Liberia first. Sen. Johnson demonstrated that he will put his ego, his pride ahead of Liberia. In times of unity, he singled out himself. At such an auspicious event where you have the seating president, members of the diplomatic corps, cabinet ministers, his fellow law makers, traditional leaders, local and international media, students, youth, ect..,It would have been wise of him to play a major role, and show how willing he is to work with others despite personal  qualms to move this our hopeful nation Liberia forward.

I am certain that somewhere in his little corner, he now realizes that what he thought was a political suicide could have been a political victory. I have learned, In politics, one must learn to cease the occasion and make the most of any given opportunity. One must learn to turn the table to positively favorable directions.
 

As we the youth of today move towards "2011", we must think of preserving our future. Let us put national interest before our personal interest.  The decisions we make today, determines our future.

Above all else, the people!!!!!