10/20/2025
Liberian Journalist and CEO of DN-News Liberia Mr. Trokon G. Flahnma cries from Cairo, Egypt..Read..
From the Nile to the Mesurado: A Wake-Up Call for Liberia’s Forgotten Heritage.
As I sat cruising along the Nile River in downtown Cairo, Egypt, on a large cruise boat, I snapped a few photos and sat still. Tears began to roll down my eyes. Sorrow clung tightly to my mind, and a deep Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) took hold of me.
The river was filled with many cruise boats, packed with tourists, including Egyptians. People were singing, eating, dancing, sharing jokes, and staring at the high-rise buildings, snapping pictures with joy. But I kept shedding tears, even as we were ushered into the buffet hall. I didn’t go. Food and drinks had no meaning to me in that moment. I was trapped in what felt like a doom-filled fantasy.
My tears were not for Egypt. They were for home Liberia.
Back home, we have the Mesurado River. Besides its natural beauty, it holds deep historical and cultural significance right in the heart of our capital city. For over 200 years since 1822 our founding fathers landed on Providence Island, right along that river. It should be a sacred site. A place where our history lives and speaks.
But instead, it lies in ruins. Polluted, neglected, unsanitary. Left behind.
While other nations invest in their history and physical landmarks earning millions, building pride we allow ours to fall apart. We are asleep, even though we are Africa’s oldest independent nation.
It’s time to wake up, Liberia.
