On Thursday last week I was shocked to have heard some people discussing that the President of the United States Barack Obama has “refused” to meet with Liberia's President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who is on a visit to that country because she  has not lived up to expectation. Some of them claimed that the meeting which was widely publicized in the Liberian media has been called off for all kinds of reasons they stated. Even one of my reporters who heard this also inquiringly asked me about this “failed meeting” Thursday morning. When I told him that the meeting was scheduled for the afternoon, he said those who have given the information claimed that the meeting has not taken place.

What actually caused my blood to boil in me is the way and manner some of those who spread this false information were behaving. They seemed to suggest that it was good that President Obama did not meet her because of the situation on the ground. For them, she has not done anything to warrant such a historic meeting. Frankly I wish not to go into the politics of such a statement because everyone is entitled to his or her view on national issues, but I intend to look at this from a nationalistic point of view. I take interest in this situation because some of those who had wished that such a meeting should not take place spoke of this rumor with pride and dignity. For them, it would have been good that such a meeting did not take place.

It is unfortunate that some individuals had wished for such a historic meeting not to take place for reasons best known to them. But the fact of the matter is that this would not have been an issue of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf as an individual, but the President of Liberia. Lest we forget that the President is the symbol and embodiment of our nationhood and whatever affects her, affects the entire country. And so in the situation that Obama did not meet her, this would not only have been a political minus to her as a person, but the presidency, to which the nation is inseparably intertwined.  

I cannot really imagine this kind of wishful thinking for the U.S. President not to meet President Sirleaf. What really would have been the benefit and in whose interest if such a planned meeting had not taken place? I ask this question because if such a meeting had not taken place, it could have deprived this country of some of its needed assistance. It is an open secret that the American Government over the years has been a major donor to the country's peace process and recovery initiatives. Intuitively, I can say that during that meeting President Sirleaf discussed progress thus far as well as challenges facing the country.  With this, one can undoubtedly envisage additional assistance. 

Many times people say that one of the problems facing this nation is the lack of nationalism. Sometimes some of us behave as though we are on a different planet. That is, sometimes we underestimate our potentials and feel inferior to others. I vividly recall few years ago a Liberian lady who acted with movie Star Steve Segar in the movie, “UNDER SEIGE” came to Liberia to visit her mother on Carey Street within the proximity of the National Fire Service. At the time a security expert Francois Junius, now an employee at the General Auditing Commission (GAC) was involved in promoting this lady as he did with other stars. Some of those who met the lady and heard about this doubted that she was a Liberian.  In all fairness, had this lady been a Nigerian or Ghanaian, there would not have been any misgiving of her being of either nation.

Back to the issue of nationalism; this is a kind of situation that imbues in people a sense of loyalty and love for one's country and its people. This is why one book defines it as “loyalty and devotion to a nation especially as expressed by praises of one's nation above all others and concern with promotion of its culture and interest.” On the issue at bar, with nationalism, we all would have prayed that President Sirleaf meet Obama so that at the end of the day, all of us as a nationals and people will reap the benefit. With nationalism, even if there were foreseen obstacles, we all would have prayed for its success. 

We should always remember that although one person will always be President, the office is more than that person, but the entire nation. This is why it is generally said that that office should be treated with high degree of reverence. Even with one disagreeing with an act or action of that office; it must be treated in such respectful manner. Again, it was unfortunate that some individuals wanted a failed meeting for reasons best known to them. But we must always remember that the President is the symbol and embodiment of the nation, as such, whatever she involves in, reflects on the entire nation. This is why such a wishful thinking for a failed meeting was suicidal. Liberians, we must be nationalistic, because it moves from a person's interest to national interest, thereby moving the country from backwaters to prosperity. We should always bear in mind that any president's success is our success and that any person's failure is our failure.