op-ed Archives - Page 3 of 17 - Sleepless in Monrovia

0

Liberian Government’s Irresponsibility = Recent Death Spike

Posted on June 28, 2021 by sleeplessinmonrovia

We have a full-blown health crisis at a moment when leadership is sorely lacking. The Ministry has yet to issue additional directives. The Legislators have yet to ask the Ministry of Health why they failed to give test results to people entering Liberia. The President keeps sending pre-recorded messages. He is about to go to France with an unnecessarily large team for a Gender Equality Forum while there is no money to fight the virus. Continue Reading →

1

The Media’s Perspective

Posted on May 31, 2021 by sleeplessinmonrovia

I personally think that this era of media lends itself to controlling people much more completely and that our whole sense of existence is tied up with the ability of people to think differently than what the mass culture tells them. How can we fix this? The answer to this question is what I am yet to find. Continue Reading →

5

Gaza Today

Posted on May 23, 2021 by sleeplessinmonrovia

Global Majority (Hisses teeth and rolls eyes): Not a good idea. We stand with Israel. Most of the victims in Palestine seem to be Muslims — we hate Muslims. Screw humanity, we’re talking about Muslim lives which does not matter. Please, leave us so we can discuss something more relevant. Continue Reading →

0

Loving in Liberia

Posted on May 17, 2021 by sleeplessinmonrovia

As I have lived through my traumas and in this quest of love with a village of other people, some of us have lived dodging all roads that lead to that dreadful past but hope for a brighter future; some of us are still struggling to get over whatever trauma we have lived; Continue Reading →

0

Takoring Belleh La Na Sin!

Posted on May 3, 2021 by sleeplessinmonrovia

Unsafe abortions lead to the death of so many of our young women. The medical procedures and access aside, just the stigma associated with abortions in Liberia needs to be addressed. Our young women will rather take the risk of a backdoor procedure using rusty syringes and herbs than to make it public or seek medical help. Continue Reading →

0

The Problem with Women’s Access to Abortion in Liberia II

Posted on April 23, 2021 by sleeplessinmonrovia

Statistics would show that 1 out of every 3 persons you know has had an abortion or has a close/best friend who has had an abortion. Yet, we demonize abortion as if it is some farfetched concept completely out of the scope of our understanding. Maybe even 2 out of every 4 lawmakers or religious figures you know have, at one point or the other, had or paid for an abortion for their wife, girlfriend, daugther or niece. Continue Reading →

0

The Problem with Women’s Access to Abortion in Liberia- Part 1

Posted on April 18, 2021 by sleeplessinmonrovia

Man, it’s crazy how many women lose their lives on a daily basis from unsafe abortions done by untrained and unskilled people using unsterile instruments. In Liberia, it is “illegal” to perform an abortion without “justifiable” reasons such as, rape, incest or a medical reason that could pose harm to the mother’s life. “Justifiable” we say, but what does it really mean? Does it mean that the very few conditions listed above are the only “justifiable” reasons for abortion? Do you think so? Continue Reading →

0

ONE OF MY LOVING EXPERIENCES IN LIBERIA

Posted on March 28, 2021 by sleeplessinmonrovia

Some time later, I started seeing her again. Despite the fact that she had her boyfriend now, we did our same normal things we used to do (you should know the normal things.) I let her know that I couldn’t tell her I loved her even though I did, because of reasons known to myself. She started to weep out of confusion of who to choose now, her boyfriend or me. I did not tell her to choose anybody. Even though I knew she’d choose me, I’m not selfish enough to let her do that now. Continue Reading →

0

Doing Something while We Still Can

Posted on February 28, 2021 by sleeplessinmonrovia

A few days ago, we woke up to some troubling news from our neighbouring counterpart Guinea about a second outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus. At the time of the writing of this piece, there are seven cases and at least three deaths. The largest Ebola outbreak to date started in Guinea in 2014 and continued up to 2016, spreading in Liberia and Sierra Leone. More than 28,000 people were infected and more than 11,000 lives were lost. Continue Reading →

1

Letters to African Leaders

Posted on January 26, 2021 by sleeplessinmonrovia

However, when I think about it, this insane culture of rape and violence is really reinforced by y’all. Your despicable, appalling, vile, misogynistic, entitled selves are even the main ones who show that it is okay to feel entitled to a woman’s body (or a man’s body) and that it is okay to act, even violently, out of your entitlement. Continue Reading →

Follow us