Africa-Press – Liberia. Celestin G. Sepoe commonly known as Republic of Liberia (RL) has said she does not like the manner in which the Liberian flag is being disrespected by everybody, including Liberians and foreigners.
Dressed in her usual locally made red, white and blue dress, with a matching red hat, illustrating the national colors sat on her poach, also painted with the Liberian flag, said she is very disappointed.
“Those days when the flag was put up, everybody stopped and saluted the flag, including cars until it went up. And when 6 p.m. arrived and the flag was coming down on Capitol Hill, everyone and cars stopped and waited until the flag was brought down. But these days, the government does not care to honor and respect the flag. This is why Liberia is not shiny because of plenty ‘don’t care’ people who don’t respect the flag,” she says.
RL is known by almost every Liberian for her dressing in the national colors Red, White and Blue. She also wears a red or white hat and a pair of white gloves, while holding a white umbrella. She attends big programs like inaugurations, Flag Day programs, symposiums and many other national programs.
RL further explained that in the old days when Flag Day was approaching she remembers, everybody used to paint his or her house and fly the flag, but any house that does not have a flag infront of it, the house would be locked and the owner would pay US $25.00 fine into the government’s revenue and if any car does not have the flag, the car was parked and the owner would pay 10.00 fine also into the government’s revenue.
“Now a day we do not respect the flag, even the very government does not respect the flag, or it follows the same footstep and put flag every morning for people to stop and respect and do the same when the flag is coming down every 6 p.m. Because I don’t remember when I have heard a whistle blow for us to stop and salute while the flag is going up, this is the reason Liberia can’t shine. Therefore, I’m calling on the Weah government to enforce the same old law, that on Flag Day, if any house and car does not have a flag, should be charged and money go into the government revenue,” she says.
RL said the flag is important because if a ship flies the Liberian flag, people will identify and know the ship is a Liberian ship. And that some people will even go the extent of painting the flag upside on their houses and it pains her because Liberians join the foreigners to disrespect the flag, which means they are abusing the flag and the country. And this is why she has made herself a living flag by wearing the flag. But Liberian people do not care for their flag, so this why Liberia is looking the way it is.
“So so don’t care people who do not have respect for anybody or the County we have around here. The young people who say we are the old school people because these days are the third world era.
“This is why they are turning into zogos day and night, because they do not have respect for anybody. If they only knew how the flag was made, they won’t be disrespectful. But I do not blame the children because they are not teaching them about the flag, they do not even know how to salute a flag. Every day I am in tears for my sweet country Liberia, because there is no respect for my country’s symbol,” she added.
