Sekou Kenneh

UNITY! UNITY! UNITY!

With my deepest honor and respect, I will like to speak to you about our DOs and DON'Ts, meaning that what we should or shouldn't do as Mandingos.

Let me first start with what we should do. We should always be in a position to defend, protect and preserve our Values, Dignities and Respects.

Those are the most important legacies that we inherited from our forefathers, so we can't afford to lose any of them no matter where we go. Therefore it is imperative for us to know that the only weapon we need for our fight is UNITY!

Now what we shouldn't do is just simple. DO NOT DIVIDE YOURSELF!....

We shouldn't be divided in any shape or form, because division is the only impediment to our progress. My message to all of the Mandingo Organizations around the World is that, the foundation of our Organizations must be built on Unity.

We heard that the QUARDU GBONI MANDINGO ASSOCIATION had a day marking the commemoration of the 300 Mandingoes that lost their lives in the Quardu Gboni area in Lofa County, Liberia.

I believe that was a good thing, but insufficient because, should we have such a great day, I believe it must include all Mandingos and people of Mandingo descent plus our Muslim brothers and sisters that lost their lives as the results of the fourteen-year civil war throughout the country. I pray that may their souls rest in perfect peace. 

Limiting this to the 300 lives in the Quardu Gboni area will be unfair for the following reasons, I presumed:

It will be condescending and alienating to the Mandingo community in general; It will have the propensity to diminish our unity and also impede our prosperity within our community; It will be unfair to all of our heroes past and present; It will misrepresent our ideas and values; It will send the wrong message to our detractors.

Moreover, we must acknowledge the facts that, every Mandingo person were victimized one way or the other throughout the Country.

My fellow Mandingoes, let's be considerate and sincere with each other regardless of our place of Origins, Settlements or Counties. Remember that Unity is the only tool that we can use to persuade our objective.

With no offense to the QUARDU GBONI MANDINGO ASSOCIATION and its membership, I suggest that the nomenclature of the Quardu Gboni  Mandingo Association be changed to one of the followings:

Quardu Gboni Support Group, Quardu Gboni Reunion, Union for Quardu Gboni Development or  any other name you may find suitable rather than Quardu Gboni Mandingo Association. And I will also recommend to all of its members to be part of the various Mandingo organization in their respective States, if there's and recognized by the Federation of Liberian  Mandingo in the U.S.A (FELMAUSA).

My reason is that you can't distinguish Liberia Mandingo from the Quardu Gboni Mandingos. Mandingo is Mandingo. As a matter of facts, we do not want to encourage division or any divisive implication that will be impediments to our unity and progress. 

As clearly stated in the Holy Quran, Sura: 5.105 " O you who believe! Guard your own souls: If you follow (right) guidance, no pain (or sorrow) can come to you from those who have lost their way." The story continuous, that is to say, our Guidance in this case is Unity, please be your Brothers and Sisters keeper.

My deepest apology goes to anyone who feels offended but this article. This is just my honest opinion.

Sekou Kenneh

Opinion Leader MN