Monrovia – The head of all traditional Zoes in Liberia, Madam Mama Siah Toomey has described Liberians as lazy people who do not want to help their own country but depend on government for everything.
Mama Toomey said only in Liberia people sit and look up to government for things to happen in their lives, saying, in other countries citizens who are in the position to carry on development take the initiate without government intervention.
“Only in Liberia we can sit and fold our hands for government to do everything for us, Liberians are lazy people, they depend on government to do everything for them, we have some money people in this country that able to put people on salary for many years but when it comes to little things in the community they depend on government to do it and they keep theirs for politics,” she said.
Speaking in an interview with FrontPageAfrica after she and her traditional women honored the two senior Ministers at the Inter Affairs Ministry, Mama Toomey stressed that it is about time that the wealthy people in Liberia join hands with government and develop the country.
The Zoes of Liberia gowned both Inter Affairs Minister Dr. Henrique Tokpah and his Deputy for Administration Varney Sirleaf for their valuable contributions since both Ministers took over the ministry. Mama Toomey called on all Liberians to take development in their hands by investing their personal cash in developing their country. She called on politicians and civil society groups to show some level of respect to their leaders.
She frowned on Liberians who insult the presidency to gain political relevance to desist from such act, saying if it doesn’t stop it will create the avenue for problem for leaders that will come after President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. She is blaming the wealthy in Liberia for the difficulties the young people are going through in the country.
“If the people who have can put hand together and work to help each other, the country will not be hard like it is now, if our money people will make good use of the youths and stop sponsoring them to cause trouble it will help our country, to get food to eat is hard, for the young people to go to school is hard but the whole day when you listen to radio you hear people criticizing the government and the President,” she said.
She however praised President Sirleaf for being tolerance with all of the insults against her. Making remarks after being gowned by the chief zoe of Liberia, Inter affairs Minister Dr. Henrique Tokpah welcomed the traditional women decision to gown him.
Minister Tokpah said he has done nothing yet at the Ministry to deserve such honor from the traditional women, saying he has only spend 28 working days at the Ministry, thus dedicating the honor to his deputy Varney Sirleaf. “I haven’t done anything to deserve this honor, the honor should be given to my deputy Varney Sirleaf who has worked for the Ministry for a good length of time, I have spent just 28 days at the ministry,” he said.
Dr. Tokpah praised Minister Sirleaf for being humble and submissive and hardworking, saying Minister Sirleaf has been working hard to make the ministry what it is today. Dr. Tokpah promised to promote the culture of Liberia as long as he is the Minister of Internal Affairs, promising to work with all traditional Chiefs, Zoes and all other traditionalists in Liberia. He noted that his family belongs to a tradition, and as such he as Minister will protect the tradition and culture of Liberia.
Reporting: Edwin G. Genoway, Jr (231886458910)-edwin.genoway@frontpageonline.com