By By Alphanso G. Kalama;
Photo: Charline Brumskine Speaking at the Liberty Party Recent Retreat in Oldest Congo Town, Monrovia
Former Alternative National Congress (ANC) vice presidential candidate Charline Brumskine has ignited fresh debate over American perceptions of Africa, particularly Liberia, during a recent podcast streamed live on Facebook. Brumskine criticized the longstanding narrative that Africans are inherently corrupt and undemocratic, asserting that the key difference between Africa and America lies in the presence of strong systems, not in the people themselves.
“There is an American rapper called Kendrick Lamar that just performed at the Super Bowl. He has a song called They Not Like Us. I’m sure y’all know this song, but I came to tell y’all they are very much like us,” Brumskine stated. She emphasized that the global perception of Africans as inept or lacking proper governance is misleading, arguing that Americans are subject to the same human frailties but are shielded by structured systems that enforce accountability.
According to Brumskine, systemic protection is the only real distinction between the two continents. “Human beings automatically are indisciplined. We’re wicked. We’re selfish. But when you have systems in place, it protects others from the innate selfishness of humans,” she explained. However, she warned that America itself is witnessing the dismantling of its own safeguards, highlighting reports that five inspector generals from the State Department were fired for investigating alleged waste, fraud, and abuse involving Elon Musk’s companies.
“This is America. That’s retaliation,” Brumskine remarked. “Now, I don’t know how true this is. This is what we’re learning, what the media is reporting. But Liberians, this is our opportunity to reinvest in ourselves.”
Her words resonated as she called on Liberia to take governance seriously, emphasizing the importance of systems in fostering national stability and progress. “We see an intentional dismantling of America’s system. And I’m coming to Liberia. When y’all see we talk about issues of rule of law and what’s happening at the legislature, and how the executive must make sure to cut back and go hard against corruption, it’s because systems are important.”
Brumskine’s speech has sparked a wide-ranging discussion on social media, with supporters hailing her call to action for Africa to strengthen its institutions and skeptics questioning her comparisons between the two continents. Her assertion that Africa must prepare for a “changing of the guard” in a shifting global landscape has led to broader conversations about the continent’s place in a new world order.
Brumskine voice is challenging conventional wisdom and urging Liberia to focus on systemic reforms that will define its future.
