The
Government of Liberia should Create a National Presidents Day as National
Holiday
Saturday, 15th March was the celebration
of former President Joseph Jekins Roberts birthday. His birthday, like that of
former President Tubman, is celebrated as a National Holiday. These two
presidents are the only two former presidents whose birthdays are celebrated as
National Holidays. But are they the only two whose birthdays must be observed
in Liberia as National Holidays? No. I
think there should be a reason to commemorate and celebrate all our former
presidents, the current ones, and all the future presidents. For instance,
Liberia was not only the first Republic on the African continent. The country
was also the only African Republic that signed the Declaration of the United
Nations.
The Republic of Liberia was the first
African state to elect a female as the President and Head of State of
Government in 2005. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was Africa’s first ever
democratically elected Head of State and Government? Should we not celebrate
her birth anniversary too? I think we
should. Besides President Sirleaf and right after her 12-year tenure during
which she was elected for a second 6-year term, former President George Manneh
Weah was elected as President also of the Republic of Liberia. President Weah is
well known for his achievements in the football arena besides being a former
President of the Republic. Former President Weah has been the only African
footballer who won the World Best Footballer of the Year in 1995. He was also Africa’s
Best Footballer and the European Best Footballer simultaneously. Should we not
observe his birthday as a National Holiday? I think we should.
Prior to the civil war in Liberia,
President William Richard Tolbert, Jr. was the President after President
William V.S. Tubman. Tolbert served 19 unbroken years to President Tubman and
became the President of the Republic after Tubman died in 1971. Tolbert later
became President on his own elected tenure later. On April 12, 1980, Mr. Samuel
Kanyon Doe of the Armed Forces of Liberia, and few other 16 non-commissioned
military officers, assassinated President Tolbert. That military overthrow
reversed the democratic gains and progress the Republic of Liberia was making
then. Some 13 former government officials were killed by the military regime.
Later, that military overthrow and the wanton killing of those former
government officials was avenged by some aggrieved Liberians. The disgruntled Liberians
supported Mr. Charles Gankay Taylor who brought a rebel group named and styled
the National Patriotic Front of Liberia in 1989. The war fought for 14 unbroken
years. The war ended in 2003 when the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement was
Signed. Should we not equally celebrate the birthday of former Presidents Doe
and Tolbert? I think we should.
To end the war, Liberia conducted a
Special Election in 1997. Mr. Charles, Taylor, of the NPFL won those elections
and became the President of the Republic. A renewed round of the war broke out
again leading to the forceful resignation of President Taylor in 2003. His Vice
President Moses Blah became the President of Liberia. Should we not commemorate
the birthday of former President Taylor too? I think we should. What happens to
the birthday of former President Blah who replaced Taylor? I think, we should also
celebrate his birthday. Now, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai is in the seat as
President of the Republic of Liberia. President JNB, as he is affectionately
called, will also leave power someday and he will be replaced by another
leader. Should we not celebrate his birthday also? I think, we should.
As I SEE IT, all Liberia
leaders have had their good and bad sides. We should celebrate all their
birthdays for their contributions to National Development. But should we do it
individually? No. The National Legislature of the Republic of Liberia needs to
formulate and pass a legislation creating a “National Presidents Day”. If
passed by the National Legislature, the President should sign it into law. The
creation of a Presidents Day will permit all Liberians and aliens in the country
to pay respect to all the birthdays of our former, present, and future
Presidents combined. The Government of Liberia should
therefore create a National Presidents Day as an annual holiday to be
celebrated by all in the Republic of Liberia.
About the Author: Prof. Tom Kaydor, Jr. is an Assistant
Professor at the IBB Graduate School of International Studies. He holds a PhD
from the Department of Government and European Studies, the New University,
Slovenia where he specialized in International Development and Diplomacy (with
Security Aspects). His dissertation topic was ‘Reconceptualizing Africa’s
Regional Integration for Peace and Sustainable Development.’ This dissertation
was supervised by Prof. Dr. Gorazd Justinek who was also then Dean of the
Faculty of Government and European Studies. Dr. Kaydor earned his second
master’s in public policy (MPP) specialized in Development Policy or
Development Economics with Distinction from the Crawford School of Economics
and Government (now the Crawford School of Public Policy), Australian National
University, Canberra, Australia. He obtained his first master’s degree as a
Master of Arts (MA) in International Relations (Highest Distinction), and
Bachelor of Arts (BA) Magna Cum Laude in Political Science with emphasis in
Comparative Government and Politics from the University of Liberia where his
Minor was History with Mass Communication his Elective. Tom holds a Diploma in
Leading Economic Growth from the Kennedy Graduate School, Harvard University,
USA; a Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy and Negotiations from the Islamabad
Foreign Service Academy in Pakistan and he holds other professional diplomas
and certificates from Italy, UK, China, and Israel. Prof. Kaydor is also an
Adjunct Professor of International Development Studies at the AME University
Graduate School. He is an evidence-based researcher, a blogger, a columnist,
and a published author. He is a Reviewer for 6 peer-reviewed International
Journals. Prof Kaydor has published 6 books in English; French; Portuguese; Spanish;
Italian; German; Italian; with several peer-reviewed articles indicated in his
CV @ https://tomkaydor.blogspot.com/2024/09/prof-dr-tom-kaydor-cv.html. Dr. Kaydor
served as Deputy Foreign Minister for International Cooperation and Economic
Integration in Liberia; Assistant Foreign Minister for Afro Asian Affairs in
Liberia; UN Coordination Advisor in Ethiopia; UN Coordination Analyst in Liberia; UNICEF-Liberia National
Consultant on the Formulation of the Roadmap for Children Living in Street
Situations; UNICEF-Liberia Volunteer Engagement Specialist; Chief of
Staff-Office of the Chairperson on Executive, House of Representatives; Field
Supervisor for LCIP/USAID/DAI Social and Economic Reintegration-Liberia;
Psychosocial Officer, World Vision International-Liberia Program. He can be
reached via
(Email: kaydorth@ul.edu.lr or
kaydorth@gmail.com).
