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Liberian leaders selling their souls: The myth of Guinean voodoo...
Solomon Myers (February 2004)

Through the years, Liberian leaders have denied reality and have embraced the politics of propaganda via Guinean voodoo. The thought of Liberians leaders have been overpowered by forces of irrationality.

In Liberia, Guinea has the notoriety of having the most potent voodoo priests and voodoo concoctions in the immediate region.

This notoriety has given Guineans open access into the halls of power in Liberia. Liberian leaders have irrationally embraced these voodoo priests in order to portray an image of invincibility and “iron clad” power among Liberian citizenry.

William R. Tolbert expressed in public that he had a voodoo stick from Guinea which could make him disappear. He carried this stick wherever he went. Tolbert felt this stick made him invincible, hence he could act irrationally towards the Liberian people without consequence.

Ironically, Tolbert was assassinated by the military. After his assassination the Liberian public expressed awe that his magic stick had not protected him, and he in fact was not made invincible by his Guinean magic stick.

The subsequent president, Samuel Doe expressed that he was an “Iron Man” due to the voodoo he had obtained in Guinea, and that even a machine gun couldn’t kill him. Doe, like his predecessor, felt he was invisible, and he believed that his actions would come without consequence. However, Doe was assassinated.

Next was Charles Taylor, a descendant of the Maroons from the Caribbean Island who came to power through the aid of Guineans; he also expressed that he had a magic stick and was invisible. However, he was forced to leave Liberia in disgrace. His voodoo priests could not protect his disgraceful exile.

The self proclaimed invisible regional power, Guinea, through the myth of voodoo, has penetrated the halls of power in Liberia through the irrationality of Liberian presidents.

For Liberia to be stable Liberian leaders have to exchange irrationality for rationality. Liberians must desist from the politics of division.

From where I sit…

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Solomon Myers hails from Buchanan, Liberia. He is a Political Scientist/Historian, currently based in Ottawa, Canada.

Other articles by Solomon Myers

 

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