Togba-Nah Tipoteh: Misunderstood and Misinterpreted 

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Tewroh-Wehtoe Sungbeh

     Togba-Nah Tipoteh is a rare breed of a human being who you don’t see quite often in Liberia. He’s principled, disciplined, smart, humbled, uncorrupted and consistent in his politics, the way he live his life, and the seriousness he has shown since he arrived in Liberia in the early 70s, to contribute to the development of his homeland.

     Those traits are admirable in a country where politicians and the person at the lowest end of the totem pole always want to get over at the expense of the citizens and the nation, and are also admirable traits for anyone who aspires to work in public service. And if Liberia can get many more Tipotehs to lead, inspire, and show Liberians how to carry themselves gracefully in their politics and their daily lives the way he has done for decades, we all could be better humans, and Liberia, perhaps could be the developed and prosperous nation we all want it to be.

                     Educator & Political Party Leader Togba-Nah Tipoteh

     As usual, however, people like Tipoteh don’t always get the respect they deserve either, because they are misinterpreted, misunderstood, and seen as oddity; and for Tipoteh, that characterization has had an unfavorable impact on a man who has lived an exemplary life, and has given his entire life to the pursuit of justice, democracy, and the rule of law in Liberia.

    Like the late party leader, Gabriel Baccus Matthews who sacrificed it all advocating multi-party democracy in Liberia until his death in 2007, and was never appreciated for the Herculean role he played in Liberian politics, Togba-Nah Tipoteh, the visionary, also attached seriousness to his role as a pro-democracy activist, mentor to many current and former students who are successful today, community organizer, and a grass root politician who’s far short of being appreciated for his own gargantuan role in Liberian politics.

      Some blame the lack of respect, the lack of recognition and his diminished role in modern day Liberian politics as his own doing, some of which are valid points; while other, well, are not valid reasons to sideline a guy who has contributed immensely, and has given his entire life to advocating democracy and the rule of law in Liberia.

      After joining like-minded Liberians in the 70s to agitate a revolutionary change of government, the argument goes, the so-called members of the “PhD club,” including Tipoteh, who were once pro-democracy activists were later recruited to work in the new military government, making a complete 360 degree turn from the progressive politics they once advocated.

     What the Tipoteh-haters are not saying is that unlike his once like-minded (opportunistic) colleagues who continued to work for the military government until the military government did not need their services anymore, and has since flip-flopped and betrayed their own convictions for government jobs and greener pastures in the 90s and 2000s, Togba-Nah Tipoteh on the other hand has always been Tipoteh, the consistent and independent-minded guy who has always done things his way.

     Another thing the detractors are not saying is that Tipoteh, the brilliant and consistent advocate of freedom and democracy immediately left the military government of Samuel Kanyon Doe after he saw firsthand the undemocratic direction the-then People’s Redemption Council (PRC) government was heading, remained in Liberia ever since and never work for government in nearly three decades.

    A Liberian whom I debated not too long ago gave me these hollow reasons why he believes Tipoteh cannot be elected president: “The man is cheap,” he said abruptly. “How can a man who went to Liberia wearing African shirts and a pair of sandals (his signature clothing) made out of rubber of a tire be taken seriously?” The fellow was referring to the “Tipoteh sandals” made famous by Togba-Nah Tipoteh, the cultural icon. 

     “Do you think the Liberian people will ever forget such cheapness?” Do you think as president Tipoteh will be willing to spend a penny on the development of Liberia, or spend a dime for members of his cabinet to travel to foreign countries to represent Liberia?” he asked.

     I believe wholeheartedly that the Liberian people would have forgiven or forgotten this nonsense talk about Tipoteh had he and his handlers strongly preempted and communicated forcefully, earlier on and effectively during his first run for the presidency his enormous strengths – fiscally responsible, uncorrupt, level-headed, patriotic, consistent, independent, humble, and an incredible people and communications skills.

    What I did not hear from the mouths of this fellow and others about Togba-Nah Tipoteh, which could have swayed my support of him is if he was seen as “morally bankrupt, careless, ruthless, condescending, incompetent, corrupt and fiscally irresponsible.”

     The criticism of Togba-Nah Tipoteh that he is “guilty” because he once associated with the so-called “radical professors” of the 70s, and was also a member of the “do-nothing" or "no-good PhD club,” who “caused trouble” by influencing the minds of countless university youths, which later swelled and agitated a bloody revolution and radical change of government, is not a valid point that warrants burying the enormous contributions he made fighting for equality and social justice in Liberia. This should not be a reason to silence a man of Tipoteh’s caliber.

     However, Togba-Nah Tipoteh’s incessant run for the Liberian presidency is old and tiring, and a valid point that warrants criticism, and should be made whenever he recklessly throws himself into the mouths of his detractors by running for president every election season.

     It is true that Tipoteh feels the pains of the Liberian people, and is truly concerned about the direction in which Liberia is heading under the current administration of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. As a result, he is often tempted to run for president every election cycle.
     Because he has attempted such feat over and over with dismal results, Togba-Nah Tipoteh, in the interest of party strength and unity, and for the love of Liberia should gracefully bow out of the 2011 presidential race to give way to others in the party to have a chance to contest the presidential race; or he should allow LPP to join a progressive coalition that will put forth a unifying and competent candidate who can defeat the incumbent, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2011.

     With enormous stature, intellectual heft, passion for politics, and tremendous organizing skills, Togba- Nah Tipoteh could use those incredible assets to help groom future presidential candidates – young and vibrant candidates with ideas and vision who could carry the political baton that prepares the next generation of party leaders to win elections.

     This is not supposed to be about Togba-Nah Tipoteh. It is about Liberia, and Tipoteh should know that political parties don’t grow on the shoulders of a singular cult-like figure, but on the shoulders of a hosts of dedicated and committed members and foot soldiers, who are equally passionate about politics and Liberia, and are willing to go the extra mile to secure their party’s and citizen's interests. That singular person then could be the emotional leader or the rallying point that articulates the vision of the party, with the rest of the cast members playing supportive and respected roles.

     Togba-Nah Tipoteh ought to learn to empower others politically, and should also learn to get out of the business of being the overwhelming singular voice of the party, without whom the Liberian People’s Party (LPP) cannot survive. As it now appears, Tipoteh is seen as a  ‘spoiler’ in a dysfunctional Liberian People’s Party whose opportunistic and spineless members are all over the political spectrum behaving like drunken sailors, who are also broke and can barely stand on their feet to catch a fish in the vast ocean, yet failed miserably to put together a practical plan to catch that fish. The Liberian People's Party (LPP) lacks a vision and ideas that contrasts the failed policies of the Unity Party-led government of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

     During a visit to Liberia over a decade ago, I was fortunate to have a private one-on-one meeting with Togba-Nah Tipoteh, at his sprawling family compound in Monrovia. Knowing the condescending nature of the Liberian political elites, who are too big to meet with those they considered below them, I was privileged and surprised when he accepted my invitation (through his former aide, Joseph Jah), to meet with me for the first time.

     We discussed Liberia’s ever-present political problems, the civil war at the time and how to seek and secure lasting peace, unemployment, and the toll it has taken on the nation’s jobless population, economic and political empowerment and other issues of national significance.

      The verdict: I was impressed with Tipoteh’s humility, his listening and learning skills, and his desire to have a conversation with Liberians who wants to discuss burning national issues with him, and are willing to join him in finding practical solutions to those issues.            

     With Liberia spiraling downward each day a result of bad politics and policies, rampant corruption, mismanagement, nepotism, and the lack of transparency in an imperial Ellen Johnson Sirleaf government, a need for change in government should not be overlooked.

      However, for a population that needs a complete overhaul in their standard of living, and a country that needs serious transformation and infrastructure development, one would think Togba-Nah Tipoteh is the overwhelming ideal choice to lead a nation that needs serious attention.

     As it is now, and because he is often misunderstood and misinterpreted, Togba-Nah Tipoteh will never get a chance to be the president he always wanted to be.

     What a shame!