Calling for Another Religious Holiday? Why not "National Religion Day," and "President's Day?" Of Two Soccer Legends

Thursday, October 09, 2008    

           By Tewroh-Wehtoe Sungbeh

     One of the ways anybody can get Liberians to talk these days is when the topic is about religion, religious differences and which religion is considered dominant in a country where Christianity is not only a leading religion but is seen as state-sanctioned, since the Church and State don't seem to separate the way they work together.

    Politics will also get Liberians talking because Liberians are passionate about their politics, especially at social settings; at a party or nightclub where everything supposedly wrong with Liberia, a particular president and how that president should run the country are discussed and exaggerated the way the participants, in their inebriated minds strongly believes the country should be governed.

     Not surprising of course, is that many of these individuals have no interests in families left behind or political matters whatsoever in Liberia or in their communities, and will not dare attend their community monthly meetings but will not miss a party or the nightclub scenes where they supposedly are knowledgeable about political events in their country.

     The tragedy of the civil war brought God closer to some, and the idea of going to bed hungry, living in infested fields and refugee camps; one losing a body part, a loved one, cherished homes and neighborhoods made it quite possible to reach for religion as Liberians of every faith reached out understandably, to embrace God for salvation, comfort and peace of mind.

     However, my fellow countrymen and women who thinks their religion – the Christian faith is under attack are quick to remind the other side that “Liberia was founded on Christians principles,” as such, “Liberia is a Christian nation.”

     The belief that “Liberia was founded on Christian principles” seemed to hold true because of the way successive Liberian governments ran the country in the name of Christianity, and promoted Christianity from the narrow lenses of Article I of the 1847 Constitution, part of which acknowledges “with devout gratitude, the goodness of God, in granting to us the blessings of the Christian religion.”

     Part of that behavior could also be attributed to the fact that 40 percent of the population called themselves Christians, while Muslims, according to the 2008 CIA-World Factbook comprised 20 percent of the population, and indigenous beliefs 40 percent.

     Article 14 of the revised 1984 Liberian Constitution also states: “No religious denomination or sect shall have any exclusive privilege or preference over any other, but all shall be treated alike.” And further states: “Consistent with the principle of separation of religion and state, the Republic shall establish no State religion.”

     The revision in the 1984 Constitution make sense and is a sensible way to maintain the peace and cooperation that exists between the religions, which has gotten along over the years without being dragged into a religious war as we have seen in other countries, despite the fact that one religion is favored by the government and favored by majority of the Liberian people, over the Islamic faith.

      That has got those of the Islamic faith to feel out of place and feel their religion is not being respected and recognized in a country they called home, even though prominent members of that community hold esteemed government jobs and are also respected and recognized for their contributions to the nation. 

     With Christian holidays such as “Fast and Prayer Day celebrated on the 2^nd Friday in April; Good Friday, April 17; Thanksgiving Day, 1^st Thursday in November; Christmas, December 25,” obviously being recognized as national holidays while Christian prayers and Biblical studies are allowed and taught in public schools, gave rise to the frustration Liberian Muslims are feeling, and are rallying to have President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf sign Legislation, according to news report to make the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan a national holiday in Liberia.

     That certainly is a reasonable request in the name of fairness, especially when the government is seen promoting one religion over the other in a diverse country such as Liberia.

     However, while the argument about fairness is the right call, it is appalling to note that instead of Liberians fighting to bring drastic change to their country to get rid of those ubiquitous government-sanctioned national religious holidays, and change those religious holidays to private moments celebrated privately at homes or in religious houses, they are fighting to choke the national calendar with more national religious holidays that hold no true meaning to other Liberians, who do not fall into any of the religious groups.

     Another thing: With most Liberians still not ready to embrace Mandingoes, whom they continued to see as non-Liberians, could possibly inflame the hatred and animosity.

    And instead of showing leadership, the current president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and past Liberian presidents failed to heal the rift and genuinely bring the different groups together to love, trust and accept the other side; instead, they often exploit and manipulate the sentiments of these groups for political reasons by giving away bags of rice and transporting many to attend the annual religious pilgrimage to Mecca, which is the easiest way for a president to get out of a potentially explosive crisis left for the next president to perhaps deal with. 

       Just like the presidential birthdays celebrated annually as national holidays in honor of Liberia’s former dictatorial presidents whose names often evokes nightmare than inspiration, I wrote in a previous edition of The Liberian Dialogue years ago that Liberia does not need to celebrate those embarrassingly corrupt and dishonorable leader’s birthdays, instead should cancel the holidays in the name of the Liberian people some of whom perished violently at the hands of those brutal leaders.

     I also wrote that if those Liberian leaders insist on celebrating the birthdays of their counterparts as national holidays, it should be referred to as “President’s Day” in honor of all former Liberian presidents.

     Instead of Christians and their political supporters choke the national calendar with Christian holidays, and Muslims lobbying to make Ramadan a national holiday also, the Liberian government should step up to the plate and make room for one sensible national religious holiday to be known as “National Religion Day,” or a name that makes sense to all.

      That way, the national holidays on the national calendar would be reduced from the 17 it is today to a reasonable number of holidays the Liberian people can live with and happily celebrate together as a family.