When Loyalty is paid back with Disloyalty – The Harsh Reality of Neglect

Greet comrade James Gray for us, another firebrand young soldier who was axed by death as a result of utter neglect. As we share our sentiments of regret over your passing, say hi to Brother Gray and all conscious fighters who have been down this tragic lane. Like James cried out for help, you too did the same during your last hours on earth.

Neither could our poor health system save you nor those you stood up for. Your hope to remain alive was let down even by those you became so loyal to and served with utmost diligence. It is all over now. Like James Gray, your loyalty was paid back with disloyalty. This is the harsh reality of neglect. It bleeds one’s soul with anguish and grief. Weep no more and sleep on, young Adu. Your pains are all over.

Even our country’s largest referral hospital failed you. The faith you had in JFK and SOS was let down. I know you could recover if timely intervention was made to fly you out. But neglect became your closest companion in your final days. Bidding you goodbye could have been avoided. Yes, I know it could!

But blame not your enemies, but those you considered your ‘allies’. For they too were invisible and insensitive to give you hope and reason(s) to stay alive. Even while you wrestled with death, your cry for foreign medical aid seemed immaterial to them. Probably your loyalty didn’t worth it in the opinion of your ‘allies’.

The story would had been different if you were flown without any further delay to Ghana, South Africa, India, Kenya or USA for advanced medical care. They knew that your medical problem could not be resolved in Liberia. They knew that JFK and SOS had no answer or solution. Yet, you were taken there for treatment.

When they were sick, they used tax-dollars to seek foreign medical care. But they were unable to do the same for you. This is the hypocrisy of those political elites you defended with every fiber of your being. It is all about them and their families. It is all about their wellbeing, and not yours. It is not about the peasants and proletarians.

You once sought their interest, but they could not seek yours even when you needed them the most. You risked your life, image, and integrity for them but they could not risk their cash to fly you out even when you were on your dying bed in dire need.

That’s just who they are – The hypocrites and betrayals of this dispensation and generation! They only become your true allies when you are dead and gone. They only become your allies when they need you to protect their parochial interest. But what good is it for them to post RIP on Facebook when they had every opportunity in their reach to avoid posting RIP. We give no credence to such hypocrisy and midday deception.

Weep no more Adu. For your pains are over. When no one could come to your rescue, I know you felt betrayed like James Gray and Julius Caesar who was betrayed by Cassius and Brutus– you felt isolated, dejected and grieved. You didn’t deserve to be abandoned – not even by an establishment you fearlessly fought to create.

Maybe your loyalty didn’t worth foreign medical care in your allies’ opinion. But it is all over now. Your loyalty has been paid back with disloyalty. Like James Gray, you too were abandoned on the lonely and harsh shores of NEGLECT. Until your demise, I learn that you kept on calling for help but no one could come to your aid.

We cannot hide from these facts and realities. We cannot continue to march in the shadows of pretense. Because even when all of us are gone, history will still remember these harsh realities. Like James, Adu built trust in his ‘allies’ but his trust was paid back with distrust – his allegiance was paid back with abandonment – his devotion was paid back with dejection. These are the harsh realities of NEGLECT, not politics.

Yes, Adu’s allies erred in my opinion! They had everything in their reach, including resources, to save his life. They have become unsettled by their collective guilt. But who am I to judge the living. But who am I to question the power or authority of the Deity. In his loving arms, we seek solace and comfort. Let his grace and mercy overflow.

Young Adu has finally laid down his baton. As a fallen young soldier in arm, his voice won’t be heard anymore. The energy he had to defend his belief, ideology and allies is no more. No number of ‘RIP’, even from his ‘allies’, can bring him back.

Weep no more because your pains are over. Sleep on comrade Adu. The time you shared with us on Carey Street specifically at CEIO will remain memorable. Often, we didn’t agree on issues but tolerance was our guiding principle upon which we cross-pollinated our thoughts and ideas.

We’ve learned 3 basic lessons from your demise:

1. Liberia’s ruining health sector is undependable and offers no real hope

2. Loyalty is paid back with disloyalty not necessarily by our enemies, but by those we usually consider our allies and friends

3. Neglect becomes our final end when we are more loyal to people who are more disloyal to our welfare.

Heather Brewer was scrupulously concise when she said “The worst pain in the world goes beyond physical. Even further beyond any other emotional pain one can feel. It is in the betrayal of our friends and the disloyalty of our allies.”

As we bid you farewell, seek vengeance not against your adversaries. With lamentation, we mourn with your family, friends and love ones. Our condolences to them for this loss!

May I now console all of us with these words “Death is our final end. Whenever it comes, we bow down powerless, choiceless, and voiceless. It ends our dream and leaves behind sad memories. Sometimes, we tend to find answer(s) for our NEGLECT even by our closest allies while traveling down this tragic lane.”

So it is with comrade Adu Dorley – So it was with comrade James Gray. It is finally over – Your pains are now over. Sleep on in peace, young Adu. When loyalty is paid back with disloyalty, then the harsh reality of neglect sets in.

In Swahili, I am sympathetically bidding you goodbye “Mpaka tukutane tena, usingie kwenye Adu mdogo” meaning in English “Until we meet again, sleep on young Adu.”

About The Author: Martin is a Liberian youth and student activist studying Economics at the University of Liberia. He is a columnist and an emerging Economist. He currently serves as Secretary General of the Student Unification Party.

By Martin K. N. Kollie, Youth Activist
martinkerkula1989@yahoo.com