Within less than ten months from now, Liberians are expected to go to the pole to elect our leader, a man or woman that will lead the war ravaged nation with complete dethroned economy, thousands still internally displaced and thousands more to return from exile as well as hundreds of traumatized former fighters. I understood from the National Elections Commission Boss that about forty-three presidential aspirants have emerged to contest the election.

Thinking one night about the political ambitions by such a huge number in a small country, about 38,250 square miles with estimated population less than 4 million, I began to recall from a legend narrated by my grandfather some years ago when we were active in student politics. I wish to share the story with you perhaps to serve as a guideline in deciding our choice that will govern the country for the next six years. The detail of the legend is given below:

Once upon a time from the beginning, God created only males along with His pretty daughter called Meh, meaning human being. To replenish the newly created kingdom all male creators wanted Meh in marriage, and the thousands of them came in the palace and put in their respective request.

All the suitors being handsome, Meh was confused and has no choice but to look up to her father for the final decision. To this God admonished the suitors and told them to wait for the appropriate time when his daughter will be given to the best person in marriage. At the end of the long waited hour, He invited the suitors together in his big assemble hall entirely decorated with gold and diamonds. He asked them in the meeting to bring a game each to prepare feast for their farewell party after sharing the meal together.

Since no bride brice was requested all the suitors went to hunt; bringing anything to their own taste and by the fall of the day the entire palace was filled with different spices of dead animals. This was very exciting and God congratulated them and set the farewell party that would be followed by the marital vow the next day.

While everyone was waiting conscientiously, God begin to call on the suitors one at a time to exchange the marital vow around midnight. As he called on a suitor, he would then raise his dead game and converted it into a girl far beautiful than his daughter and give her to the man in marriage. Thereafter, he advised the newly wedded couple to immediately leave, because he didn’t want the rest of the suitors to quarrel or be aware of the selection. He did that until the thousands of them got married to their respective game.

Among the suitors was a tight little man called Sleh, meaning, “Wiser than all”. This tiny creator was almost overlooked by the entire kingdom, but was wiser than everyone on the face of the earth at the time. Sleh remained in hiding in his room and didn’t bring anything to offer for the planned feast.

Now it was his time to marry and God called him, ‘what have you brought for the feast’ He asked? Nothing my dear Lord, he replied. You are Alpha and Omega, and everything under the Heaven and Earth was made by you. I can survive and live by your word alone without the appetite for food and water. You can order any number of these spices and they would appear without delay. How much energy do I have to go after these wild games in the forest? My Lord Almighty, if you think I possessed the quality to marry your daughter, please perform the ceremony. God looked at him in a surprised mood and said, take my daughter as your wife.

Rejoicing jubilantly they all departed the scene with their wives and began to procreate until the whole earth was filled with the descendants generated from God Himself and those of the animals. The characters and behaviors of human beings thereafter began to follow the pattern of their respective descendants. The generations of wolf, tiger, lion or the senior carnivore animals will eat anything raw without mercy, mouse will steal; goat will be stupid, cat will be lazy and tricky, donkey will work tirelessly without pay, etc., while those from Sleh and Meh, the direct descendants of God himself, will be very compassionate, respectful, humble, full of knowledge and wisdom and care for mankind.

As we go to the pole in October 2005 or even prepare for the process, let’s be careful to examine the characters of our candidates. From the story you can deduce that the offspring of God are in a ratio of one to thousands and very difficult to distinguish them from those of the wild beast kingdoms just from the physical appearances. You might be dealing with leopard that will eat you raw with absolute impunity or threaten you with his horrible face and ferocious paws not to even come closer, mouse that will steal our inheritance, or wolf that will cause another havocs, etc.

Above all, be sober in making your choice because your vote counts. Even if all descended from God, which I believe we are because of our outlook, be watchful and don’t relent to examine some particular characteristics that will bring everlasting peace and restore our glory. Remember the Biblical story of Cain and Abel. Despite their relationship with God, Cain was more diligent and respectful than his brother.

Another word of advice is quoted from the Old Testament Book of Micah 7:2 – 6. There it is written: “The good man is perished out of the earth; and there is none upright among men; they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. The best of them is as a brier; the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge; the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity. In short, be vigilant and mindful and select the upright person according to this scripture, or else we will elect another monster to power that will ruin the country into the next decades.

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About the Author: Mr. Sonkarley Tiatun Beaie is a Professor of Demography and Statistics at the University of Liberia. He is on Sabbatical Leave. Presently, he serves as an UNV-Demographer in Georgetown, Guyana. Mr. Beaie can be contacted by e-mail at: sonbeaie@yahoo.com