I grew up in five different countries: Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Ghana, and the U.S. The five years I spent in Ghana, I regularly watched Ghanaian and Nigerian movies. I fell in love with these cultures. In fact, I wanted to grow up and be exactly like my movie idol, Genevieve Nnaji.
When I arrived in America, I would audition for Nigerian movies. At that time, many African filmmakers were using movie roles to have a sexual relationship with women. I told myself, if that was the only way to become an actress, I would stop going for auditions.
That same year, I was browsing the internet, I came across Takun J’s “8 Na Right.” I was blown away! I instantly had a crush on Takun J. That was the birth of my Liberian pride.
I’ve been promoting Liberian content since 2005. When I started, I had no knowledge of journalism or writing, nor did I have a mentor to help me through the process. You can imagine all the struggles and let-downs I’ve come across. Getting our people to support their own celebrities has not been an easy task to take on but I am motivated by a need to help improve the image of Liberia.
Conspicuously, as a new generation of Liberian entertainers struggles to rise, Liberia National Television aggressively continues to showcase Nigerian and Ghanaian content. They continue to push foreign content down our throat. Showing one hundred percent Liberian content on our national TV station has to be our top priority. Many of us have complained and our LNTV workers who have the opportunity to change things have yet to listen to our cries.
Well, at least one of them took upon himself to tell us his reason why he doesn’t show Liberian content.
“Artists and producers in Liberia just sit thinking to run a TV station is magic. You have to move your content to the TV station the same way you take a new song to the DJ to play,” said Gardea Mayon, a producer with LNTV.
But Mayon’s excuse certainly doesn’t hold. After all, do Nigerian and Ghanaian artists submit their work before LNTV promotes it? I’m sure, the people who control the national TV networks in Nigeria and Ghana do not wake up, wash up, and have it in their minds that they must show Liberian content. This type of mentality probably will never cross a Ghanaian or a Nigerian man’s mind. So, why should we continue to let these thoughts cross our minds?
Our children are being raised in prioritizing other people’s cultures over their own. They are constantly watching foreign content on TV and listening to foreign music on radio stations.
Countless times, I have seen Liberian couples dressed in Nigerian or Ghanaian traditional wedding attire on their wedding day when we have our own country cloth. They probably did not know that because they grew up watching and listening to foreign content.
It’s not only a problem with LNTV; the problem is much more pervasive. I have received many complaints from Liberians about club owners who continue to promote foreign music and refuse to play local music. Whatever their reasons, it has been and still is detrimental to Liberian culture. A generation of youth is growing without valuing Liberian culture.
Our actors, filmmakers, fashion designers and musicians have all improved tremendously. In order for us to move forward, we’ve got to encourage and show support by promoting our own.
Featured photo by The Bush Chicken
