By Nvasekie Konneh

"Peace in Liberia" is one of many chart topping songs of the reggae legend, Alpha Blondy. While he has performed this song on stages across the world, promoting peace, there is only one place he is yet to perform that song and that is Liberia which is the subject of this beautiful melody. Before traveling to the US in the 1970s, Alpha lived in Monrovia. He came from Ivory Coast to Liberia to study English. Those days Liberia was the gateway to America for many Africans. After some  years in Liberia, he traveled to the US to pursue education. After years of living in the US, he could not achieve his "American dreams." In the song with that title, he said, "My American dream turned out to be a nightmare." While in the US, he suffered depression and mental breakdown which is the subject of another of his earliest hits, "Sweet Fanta Diallo." The dream he did not achieve in the US, he was able to achieve that dream of musical stardom when he returned home to Ivory Coast. Since his first album, "Jah Glory" in the early 80s, he has produced hundreds of chart topping hits internationally, which include "Peace in Liberia." It is ironic that while Alpha has performed in our neighboring countries such as Guinea, Sierra Leone and many places around the world, he is yet to set foot in Liberia, the country he lived in as a student before his burst on the international stage as an acclaimed international reggae artist. No international artist has sung about Liberia as did Alpha Blondy. The question is, has Alpha Blondy ignored Liberia since he became an international star or has Liberia not taken any notice of him even after singing a song that promotes peace in Liberia? Should this international reggae icon be invited to Liberia and honored for his song that put Liberia on the map in a very positive way?

Seydou Kone (Konneh in Liberia), better known as Alpha Blondy was born in Dimbokro, Ivory Coast on January 1, 1953. He is a Dioula (Mandingo in Liberia) by ethnicity. He is over 70 years old now and he's still producing new songs and performing. When it comes to singing, Alpha Blondy is multi-lingua. He sings interchangeably in Mandingo, French and English. In his song, "Jerusalem," from his album released in 1986, he appealed for peace among the Jews, Christians, and Muslims. In that song, he used phrases from French, Arabic, English and Hebrew. The song promotes peace among the various religious and cultural groups in the Middle East.

HIs song, Peace in Liberia, was released in 1992 during the heat of the Liberian civil war. It was a direct appeal for an end to war and promotion of peace in the land he once lived in during his struggling days as a student with the ambition to travel to the US. He said in the song that no matter who won or lost, "Liberia is crying." He called for the Higher Power's intervention in Liberia with specific references to Allah, Jesus Christ, Adonaï to save the nation  and its people from the calamity of war. He blamed Babylon for the war in Liberia. Babylon in reggae parlance which is a reference to western exploitation. In the song, he said, "Babylon shall not rise again": By that he meant Liberians should not allow Babylon to succeed in causing division, violence and destruction among them. 

With the fact that he once lived in Liberia, and has recorded a song about Liberia which is one of his signature tones performed on stages around the world, one may ask the question, why has he not been to Liberia to perform this very song? Is he avoiding singing that song on the stage in Liberia or has Liberia shown no interest in the man who has put her on the global musical map? Between the Liberia National Tourism Authority and the offices of Liberia's Cultural Ambassador, we may find the answer. When I first shared this information on social media a year ago, the Cultural Ambassador, Hon. Kekura Kamara initiated some conversation within the government circle but it seems to be that the conversation did not go anywhere. It's still not late. We hope Mr. Kamara can join the Liberia National Tourism Authority to continue the conversation about bringing the reggae legend who once called Liberia a home. The great Alpha Blondy deserves a homecoming in Liberia with national honor for paying such a tribute to Liberia.