By Dr. Augustim Manneh Sumo;
How I Remember Monrovia.
A New Year Special …. HAPPY NEW YEAR, y’all!
After 133 years of the Congo Boys’ rule, no one burned the Capital Building, the Temple of Justice, or the Executive Mansion… fact, they built them…
But “In the Cause of the people, the struggle continues,” and after 44 years of the Country Boys’ rule, the entire country went into ruins, and yet we are burning our iconic seats of government…
Just a matter of time, it will be the Temple of Justice, followed by the Executive Mansion, and once again unto our homes…
But this is how I remember the country you have divided and burning down today!
..by that time, Liberia was under civilian rule.
The Yanna boys were going from mat to mattress, and the market women had U.S. dollars to spend.
Sophie had ice cream, and Relda Cinema had “Love Brewed in the African Pot,” Roxy Cinema had “James Bond 007”, Sheila Cinema had “Karate Shows,” Gabriel Cinema had the best in Agents Shows, Rivoli Cinema had Indian Shows. At the same time, Logan Town and Plaza Cinemas competed.
You could even get “poor boy” at Rooster, and cold water was in your ice box after coming from the Y.
Glass window shopping was in style, and men showed off with their Tubman-style haircuts and competed with exotic leather shoes, nice watches, and top-shelf colognes.
And when you got in their way, they would ask, “Do you know who I am?”
How neatly our girls pressed their hair or beautifully plaited corn row or American plait.
Our girls danced with their feet but not with their butts!
Boys bravely penned letters, and girls bluffed, but they replied to your letter.
Our girls then wrote Gramma, not English.
They knew the difference between “are” and “I,” ” you are and you is.”
They knew the difference between “know” and “no”….oh, our beautiful land of Liberty!
A letter written by a boy had to be a persuasive instrument representing the author, or you would get a non-negotiable “no” answer from a girl!
The “Country Boys” were very proud of themselves when they had a girlfriend in Congo Town, Paynesville, or Caldwell!
You must be Morgan to love a Congo girl, then! My name is ooooooo!
Most students kept stamps and those colorful red, white, and blue “RL” border envelopes in their bookbags because the mailing system worked very well!!!
The “real” in-town high schools competed at ACS gym, with the Spartans being the team to beat.
Catholic, Episcopal, and Methodist schools topped WAEC and T-High, with St. Patrick’s leading the pack.
T-High also led all parades with the “Come Let Us Graduate” schools positioned at the tail end.
They were proud of being the “pupu platoon” with great imagination of the sound of the parade band!
Children found ten cents and ten cents could make your day jolly.
Tom Tom and all got married at the E. J. Roye; boys and girls respectably danced at parties.
Even something called “slow dance” at weddings and parties created future marriages!
Hide and Seek play made babies…
Jamaica Road was bullfrog camp, Logan Town was mosquito camp, and New Kru Town was jigger camp.
Times are hard now, so no more jiggers, I guess…
Paynesville had one red light, a red light, and it was considered out of town.
There was little or no commercial transportation to Paynesville or Gardnersville, so if you had your friend there and were not driving; you were alone!
Auntie had fried chicken by the Bronx, and the Malians made bone soup on the lane.
Diana, Condoe, and Salvatore restaurants competed to attract elite first-class dates.
But the Country Boys went to Vai Cook Shops, and life was great.
Monrovia had Ducor, and it was only a dollar (U.S.) to swim at Ducor Hotel.
The relevant teams in the country were I.E., Barrolle, St. Joseph Warriors, Bame, Cedar United, and Fulani. Oooooh, the great Young Eagles of Firestone…
Children played nafoe, hopscotch, ziggy zaloma, kakalayka, kickball, and football.
If you had to play blay, you couldn’t be dumb, or your chicken thigh would suffer!
E.J. Roye High School talent shows had to have a band.
We celebrated with Valentine Browne, Eddie Mendscole, and John Sheriff.
My own self was there too….hmmmmm my name oooo!
Monte Carlo had pool tables, but most moviegoers preferred Rovoli and Roxy.
Afterward, it was Splendid, Garage, Lipps, Blacksugar, or Shanana. Barcadi became a late favorite.
Liberia then had nine counties, needed not a ‘thousand’ district representatives, and no one paraded and added “honorable” to his birth name.
No political party was a military organization shouting battle cries!
Today, we have replaced those good old days with hatred and a lack of respect for women and children.
Being an official of government is like chewing a pack of che-ke-lets!
Until we change the narrative and restore dignity…more to burn!
Happy New Year, Liberia…
I come in peace ooooooo.
