Before Akon Come Liberia

I still in prison waiting for trial, but let me think back some the important event what happen before I reach the place I at today. For instance 2006; the day I hear say Akon coming Liberia: come see me happy like hell running all up and down looking for another more job to buy ticket. But the thing that happen to me the time I was looking for job for Akon ticket business, eh yah! To find job in Liberia that small thing?

They say Liberian people lazy? That lie! This time Liberian people not lazy o! Soon morning people all on the road trying to catch car. Sometimes 5 o'clock self. To catch car in Monrovia today, that thing self that work. And if you bless you get car; that so-so traffic you coming sit down inside. Then everywhere you look, those pekin them selling. Those yamma yamma boys pack up to Red Light, to ELWA Junction, and all in town. To Broad Street o, Randell Street, Caray Street, Education, Waterside, Across the Bridge, Duala. You go interior self, just stop Ganta – so-so of them rushing to sell you any kind of thing. The thing that fall in their hand, that it they selling. Whole day they passing-passing. They not know which way to go to sell the thing what they carrying.

Market women the same thing. Pack up, pack up. And this time, people not for market. All those market places them that Nancy Doe built, they spoil in the war; the Old Ma rebuild it, but the people not want sit down there. Everybody want sell on the main road for customer business – but I not want talk that one today. Olden days, so-so Mandingo and Fula people selling. This time everybody want sell. You Loma o, you Mano, you Kpelle, you Kru self you selling. Congo people and all want sell, you must know. So I say, let me leave from behind this selling business. Let me look for correct job.

Thank God for Old Ma. At least this time, government job can pay you. No plenty waiting business. But the money can be too small. That time, 2006, one bag of butter rice that 28 dollar US in town, and the pusawar rice what the big-money people them can eat that 60 dollars US – but that one not for me. Then rentage. House money that small thing? Then on top of that they say the good Akon ticket that 100 dollar US. Then I want buy one good-good dokafleh to bluff. Then again, ever since, my ma in Nimba County say I must send her small something from in town. I put the money together I know government job can't make it. I thinking say let me look for one good NGO job.

I pass around, pass around, I see one fine NGO office to UN Drive. I say, let me go inside. I go inside – the place looking too clean. Just like in the American show. Soon I inside I see one black woman, but she talking clear Seree; I not know she from Zaire or what, so I go to her, I say I want job.

She say, "the posted job?"

I answer, "Any job." She looking at me.

She say, "Are you qualified?"

I say "yes."

She say, "How are you qualified?"

I say, "I looking for money."

She say, "No. I meant how many years of education have you had?"

I say, "12."

She say, "Oh! Do you have a high school diploma?"

I say, "No. That six years I spend in first grade, before that, I spend three years in A B C class the time I was in the interior, because they not get no good teacher. So everybody just learning A B C, A B C whole day. Then I now come in town now I getting small money, I able to dash the teacher, I get two double promotion! I finish to the sixth grade.

She looking at me some kind of way, so I thinking let me talk something quick yah. It looking like she too serious over the high school diploma business.

I say, "it leave small I almost finish high school with diploma, only thing I not woman, I man.

She say, "what do you mean?"

I say, "I smart. I know plenty book. I able plenty work. But you know how things are in Liberia. The condition not correct. I was coming be woman, I now finish high school long time self with diploma."

She say, "are you referring to what I think you are referring?"

I say, "I must explain the thing to you? You not see so-so of the woman them in college and university? Not to say all, but plenty of them, how they get there so?"

She say, "I'm thinking outside the box here. Maybe you are the right person for the job – to get through to the people. You understand the mind concept. God knows we need something. I'll have to discuss it with human resources, but first you have to fill out a job application and come for an interview."

I say, "what the job?" and she answer, "the job is as an instructor teaching safety awareness and sex education to indigenous people."

I hold my face straight, I not want laugh. I thinking say the job already for me, but these people real stupid for true. Thank God for that! The thing what every African person know and can do it, that it they want I must teach. How they think we manage to be plenty so? Yeah! Teaching job that good thing. Plenty chopping inside.

So she show me the way, I go look for human resource office. I passing looking, the place looking complete correct. Yeah, the people office fine o. I find the place. I go there I see one white woman. I tell her say, "I come for my job."

She say, "what job?"

I say, "the sex education job – I the instructor. The other black woman that can talk seree sent me, she say the job for me. I must just fill out application and come to interview, but what time I must come collect my money, she not talk that one."

The way this other woman looking at me I know she not want give me the job. She coming block me.

Her face looking too serious she say, "that you shall receive the position is not a foregone conclusion. There is a vetting process and many qualified persons have applied. In fact, we especially recommend qualified persons of the female gender to apply and several have already. However, if you feel that you are qualified, you're welcome to apply as well."

Here I was thinking say the job already for me I know this other woman coming block me. So I say to myself, let me beg her.

I coming talk to her, I say, "you woman I hold foot, I need this job bad way for Akon ticket business. And my ma self, she not get enough food. I not send her mattress. Long time I not send her soap money. She way to Nimba County. Small thing self I not send it. She vex with me like hell. This job that the correct job for me. And I know sex good-good. Ask plenty women in town and all in the bush. Small-small girl them, big-big woman o, all I now pass there."

The woman tie her face and dress back, so I grab her foot to beg her. The woman yell, "Leave my leg that's sexual harassment."

I say, "I just want beg you. That our African way."

The woman hollering, "Security!"

Myself get scare and run away. This time, rape business that not small thing in Monrovia. Soon the Old Ma hear that thing, it true o, it not true o – that the main thing can make her vex. I say let me move from these people before for job business they come put me in jail. Thank God self I not fill out job application, before the people come know what-place to come look for me they send policeman. Let me go find job different place.