US President Donald Trump reportedly praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai for his English. But the praise and its context have caused confusion and anger among Liberians. The reason is that since English is the official language of Liberia, it is considered insulting to praise their English skills alone.
Trump told Boakai, “Such good English,” “Amazing English,” in surprise. This raised the idea that Liberia is still not well understood by the United States. Because Liberia has had English as its official language since the 1800s.
Trump continued by asking Joseph Boakai, “Where did you learn to speak so well?” To which Boakai replied slowly, “Where did you study? Where? In Liberia?” Trump asked further. It seemed as if he did not even know that he was an English-speaking leader.
The conversation took place at the White House. At that time, the leaders of five West African countries met with Trump. The meeting was a key conversation about the shift in US foreign policy from aid to trade.
In this context, Trump’s surprising and understated praise was a deeply insulting and misunderstood gesture to Liberians. It was not just a rhetorical gesture, but a reminder of the old Western tendency to underestimate the civilization and intelligence of African nations.
Ancient ties with the US
Liberia has had close ties with the US for centuries. The country was founded in the 1800s with the aim of re-settling freed black people in the US. Its political system, flag, and language are all modeled after the US. As a result, Liberia considers the US a “brotherly country.”
Liberians were shocked to hear US President Donald Trump praise Liberian President Joseph Joseph Boakai for his ability to speak English. This gave the impression that Western countries still looked down on Africa.
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Opposition leader Bode Masakoye said that while this may have been one of Trump’s regular interactions with foreign leaders, his speech on this occasion was very condescending and disrespectful to the African leader.
Bogai’s office spokesperson, Kula Fofana, said that the media should focus on the real purpose of the meeting and the discussions at the summit. He stressed that the entire meeting should be seen as a whole, not just Trump’s words.
Devaluation of the relationship
Trump’s surprise praise for Liberian President Joseph Boakai English-language speech added to the already growing sense of disappointment among Liberians. This is not an isolated incident, but rather a continuation of the recent US decisions that have led to a loss of confidence.
The US has changed its foreign aid policy and announced that it will no longer rely on a grant-based foreign aid system. The decision also cut off USAID (United States Agency for International Development). The decision had a major impact on Liberia, as the country receives 2.6% of its foreign aid — the highest in the world.
Liberians believed that the cuts would not affect them because of the historical background between Liberia and the United States. Liberia’s political system, laws, and flag are all modeled after the United States. Liberians also refer to the United States as a “brotherly country.”
In this context, President Trump’s surprise at the Liberian president speaking English showed a complete lack of understanding of the close relationship. Moses Dennis, a 37-year-old businessman from Monrovia, said, “Liberia is an old and close friend of the United States.
So Trump should have understood that our official language is English, and our culture and history. Bogai went there not for an English speech contest, but for a political meeting.”
Destructive and ridiculous
Donald Trump’s comments about Liberian President Joseph Boakai were described by the White House as a sincere compliment. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly, in a statement, said Trump’s comments were a moving tribute and a historic moment in US-Africa relations.
But not everyone agreed with this view. Governance expert and close friend of former Liberian President George Weah, Seokkin Civicus Barsi-Kiah, saw the comment in a completely different light. He explained that Liberia is an English-speaking country and was founded by freed slaves and their owners in the United States.
He therefore pointed out that it was normal for the Liberian president to speak English and that there was no need to be surprised by it. He added that the truth is that Joseph Boakai was not praised, but rather ridiculed by the leader of the world’s largest and most powerful country. This seemed like a condescending attitude not only to Liberia but to all African countries.
Some have a different view
While most have condemned Donald Trump’s comment on Liberian President Joseph Boakai’s English speaking, some have taken it as a compliment rather than a mockery. According to them, it is important to understand Trump’s personal style and expressions.
Abraham Julian Wenna, Director of Research at the African Methodist Episcopal University, said that there have been many instances where Western countries have found it surprising when African leaders speak intelligently and have come across as somewhat condescending.
He further explained that since colonialism, “language” has been used as a yardstick to measure one’s knowledge, competence and value. In particular, English proficiency is often seen as a measure of one’s civilization.
But given Trump’s style, Venna said what he said could have been a compliment to Bogai’s knowledge, sophistication, and his readiness to face the international arena. That is, not all views look down on it, and some see it as sincere recognition.
