Apatupɛlɛ Shikpɔŋ Lɛ Nu “Lala Hee” Lɛ

KƐ ESHƐ maŋkɛ pɛ lɛ, anuɔ shitɔ loofɔlɔ loo apatupɛlɛ lalai ni ŋɔɔ lɛ he yɛ Liberia fɛɛ. Ebolɔmɔ lɛ tsiɛɔ akrowai amli bii ahiɛ kɛhaa gbi kroko mli nitsumɔ yɛ hulu ni tsoɔ waa lɛ shishi yɛ yinɔi babaoo mli. Nɛkɛ loofɔlɔ ni laa nɛɛ eha Liberia ena sabala ni ji “shitɔ loofɔlɔ (apatupɛlɛ) shikpɔŋ” lɛ.

Shi gbɛi Liberia lɛ kɛ sane kroko baa jwɛŋmɔ mli. Afi 1822 mli ni nyɔji ni akpɔ amɛ lɛ ku amɛsɛɛ kɛjɛ Amerika amɛba amɛ blematsɛmɛi ashikpɔŋ lɛ nɔ ekoŋŋ yɛ Mesurado Faa lɛ naabu ni amɛbato maŋ bibioo ko ni batsɔ Monrovia lɛ. Akrowai bibii kwɛ yɛ Buchanan, Greenville, kɛ Harper, ni mɛi ni bahi jɛmɛ lɛ kɛ gbɔmɛi ni yɔɔ shikpɔŋ lɛ nɔ lɛ amaŋtsɛmɛi kpaŋ. Mra be mli mɛi ni ku amɛsɛɛ amɛba nɛɛ kɛ Negro spirituals​—ni ji lalai ni akɛ Afrika lalai laa Biblia mli wiemɔi ni efutu ni tsɔɔ bɔ ni amɛshwɛɔ heyeli lɛ ba. Yɛ bɔ ni amɛshwɛɔ amɛsɛɛkuu nɛɛ hewɔ lɛ, abatsɛ amɛmaŋ bibioo ni amɛto nɛɛ Liberia yɛ 1824 mli. Yɛ 1847 lɛ, ebatsɔ klɛŋklɛŋ Afrika loo mɛidiji diɛŋtsɛ akwasafo maŋ.

Shi yɛ nyɛsɛɛ afii nɛɛ amli lɛ, anu lala hee ko he yɛ nɛkɛ shikpɔŋ nɛɛ nɔ. Enɛ ji lala ko ni jeee shitɔ loofɔlɔ loo apatupɛlɛ aloo nyɔji ni amɛku amɛsɛɛ amɛba laa, shi gbɔmɛi anɔheremɔ ko ni miihere Biblia mli lalatsɛ lɛ hewalɛwoo nɛɛ nɔ: “Nyɛlaa lala hee nyɛhaa Yehowa, shikpɔŋ lɛ fɛɛ, nyɛlaa nyɛhaa Yehowa! Nyɛkɛa yɛ jeŋmajiaŋ lɛ ateŋ akɛ: Yehowa miiye maŋtsɛ!” (Lala 96: 1, 10) Hɛɛ, enɛ ji Nyɔŋmɔ Maŋtsɛyeli ni ato ama shi, ni Yesu Kristo ji e-Maŋtsɛ lɛ lala. Mɛi ni laa enɛ ji mɛi ni kpaa gbɛ akɛ amɛbaatsɔmɔ Yehowa ŋwɛi nɔyeli lɛ mli niyelɔi lɛ. Amɛ kɛ amɛhefatalɔi lɛ kɛ miishɛɛ miijaje “sanekpakpa” ni kɔɔ nakai Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ he lɛ yɛ jeŋmaji fɛɛ mli​—ni Liberia fata he​—yɛ “nibii agbɛjianɔtoo nɛɛ naagbee” ni wɔyɔɔ mli bianɛ lɛ mli. (Mateo 24:​3, 14) Mɛɛ be ni te fee tɛŋŋ ni abanu nɛkɛ lala nɛɛ he klɛŋklɛŋ yɛ shitɔ loofɔlɔ loo apatupɛlɛ shikpɔŋ nɛɛ nɔ? Ni te lala lɛ ŋɔɔmɔ ni pɛiɔ tsuii amli lɛ esa mɛi ni boɔ toi kɛ hiɛsɔɔ lɛ he eha tɛŋŋ? Nyɛhaa wɔboa toi.

“Lala Hee” lɛ Shɛ Liberia

Afi 1946 mli ni Harry C. Behannan, mɔdiŋ ko ni le saŋku tswaa waa ni etswa saŋku yɛ Europa fɛɛ ŋmɛɛ eshihilɛ mli nitsumɔ nɛɛ he bɔni afee ni ebasɔmɔ akɛ maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpashiɛlɔ Ekome esɔmɔ nyɔji ekpaa akɛ gbɛgbalɔ ni ji Yehowa Odasefonyo, ni etee shia-kɛ-shia ni ekɛgbɛ Maŋtsɛyeli anɔkwale lɛ eshwa. Ekɛ woji fe 500 ha ni ena nanemɛi pii. Kɛkɛ ni trukaa, oshara ba, Nyɛminuu Behannan gbo yɛ atridii hela ko hewɔ. Shi “lala hee” lɛ gbooo, ejaakɛ maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpashiɛlɔi komɛi nyiɛ esɛɛ.

Yɛ afi 1947 mli lɛ, George Watkins (ni tsutsu lɛ eji boxer loo atswɛrɛnɔlɔ) kɛ eŋa Willa Mae ba ni amɛbasɔmɔ yɛ Monrovia, Liberia maŋtiase lɛ mli. Amɛkɛ tsuishitoo kɛ hiɛmiamɔ tsɔɔ Liberiabii heshibalɔi lɛ anii “koni amɛyɛ nii fɛɛ ni [Yesu] efa lɛ nɔ.” (Mateo 28:​19, 20) Beni shɛɔ September 1948 mli lɛ, kuu ko ni shɛɔ 15 ebafata amɛhe kɛmiina Maŋtsɛyeli sɔɔmɔ lɛ mli gbɛfaŋnɔ. No hewɔ lɛ, ato klɛŋklɛŋ Yehowa Odasefoi asafo shishi yɛ Liberia.

Shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ gbɛ eshwa oyayaayai kɛtee ŋshɔnaa kɛtee Harper lɛjiadaamɔ he lɛ, yɛ Kakata kɛ akrowai ni ebɔle lɛ lɛ kɛ mɛi ni tsuɔ ama he nii ni wieɔ Kisi wiemɔ yɛ Firestone ŋmɔ lɛ mli lɛ ateŋ. Abato Buu Mɔɔ Asafo lɛ nitsumɔ he nine yɛ Liberia yɛ 1952 mli. Yɛ afi ni nyiɛ sɛɛ lɛ mli lɛ, ama klɛŋklɛŋ Maŋtsɛyeli Asa kɛ maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpashiɛlɔi ashia yɛ Mcdonald Street yɛ Monrovia. Miishɛɛ be ji nɛkɛ be nɛɛ.Ŋmɛnɛ, Yehowa yijielɔi 1,724 yɔɔ nɛkɛ maŋ nɛɛ nɔ, ni amɛmiiye omanye waa yɛ gbɔmɛi ni sumɔɔ naanyobɔɔ, ni sumɔɔ gbɔi ni baa amɛhe shi lɛ ateŋ.

Bɔ ni Ahere “Lala Hee” lɛ nɔ Aha Ŋmɛnɛ

Yehowa Odasefoi ni jɛ wiemɔi loo wekui titrii 16 ni yɔɔ Liberia lɛ amli lɛ kɛ maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpashiɛlɔi kɛ aŋkroaŋkroi ni eba ni miisɔmɔ yɛ he ni sɔɔmɔ lɛ he hiaa waa yɛ lɛ fɛɛ kɛ amɛgbee efee ekome kɛmiijaje Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ he sane lɛ. Yɛ nyɛsɛɛ nɛɛ, amɛkɛ hehiamɔ ko efata tsɛmɔ ni amɛkɛhaa mɛi ni taoɔ anɔkwale lɛ he. Kɛ aja mli lɛ, Odasefonyo fɛɛ Odasefonyo kɛ ŋmɛlɛtswai 27 tsuɔ nii daa nyɔŋ nɔ yɛ shiɛmɔ mli, ni mɛi ni yɔɔ be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ lɛ mli lɛ ayifalɛ ebɔ he toi etɛ yɛ nyɛsɛɛ afii enumɔ ni eho nɛɛ amli. Mɔdɛŋbɔi nɛɛ kɛ jɔɔmɔi eba amɛ kɛ mɛi krokomɛi anɔ. Nyɛhaa wɔboa amɛteŋ mɛi komɛi atoi.

Emmanuel tsake eshihilɛ mli bɔni afee ni enyɛ ekwɛ eweku ni da lɛ ni enyɛ ni ekɛ ehe awo be fɛɛ gbɛgbamɔ sɔɔmɔ lɛ mli yɛ Gardnersville. Ekɛ Varney kɛ Lucinda kpe ni ekɛ amɛ je Biblia lɛ kasemɔ shishi. Shi, amɛheɔ amɛyeɔ akɛ eji esha akɛ mɔ ko aaatsake ejamɔ. Emmanuel tsɔɔ amɛ nɔ ni wolo Reasoning From the Scriptures lɛ kɛɔ yɛ sane lɛ he. Amɛma wolo lɛ, amɛkane emli sane lɛ, ni amɛje shishi akɛ amɛaaba Kristofoi akpeei. Yɛ no sɛɛ etsɛɛɛ lɛ, amɛkɛ amɛhe wo Kristofoi asɔɔmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ mli. Beni bei shwieɔ mli lɛ, amɛ shiatsɛ lɛ​—osɔfo ko​—yoo tsakemɔ ni eba amɛjeŋba mli lɛ ni efɔ nine etsɛ amɛ ni amɛkɛ asa ni eyɔɔ lɛ afee amɛ Biblia kasemɔ he. Beni shiatsɛ lɛ efata amɛhe kɛtee kpokpaa wulu nɔ kpee lɛ, ehe eye akɛ ena anɔkwale lɛ, ni ebi ni akɛ lɛ akase Biblia lɛ.

“Lala hee” lɛ nɔ ni ehere lɛ kpɔ Tamba ni tsutsu lɛ eji mumɔi atsɛlɔ ni jɛ Lofa County lɛ. Akɛni ebinuu lɛ hela lɛ gba enaa hewɔ lɛ, ebi mumɔi lɛ anii. Amɛma nɔ mi amɛha lɛ akɛ ebinuu lɛ yi baana wala shi eŋa ji mɔ ni taoɔ ni ebinuu lɛ agbo lɛ. Ekɛ nikeenii kɛ afɔleshai yaha, ni Tamba bi ni mumɔi lɛ agbe eŋa lɛ bɔni afee ni no atsi lɛ gbɛ ni ekagbe ebinuu lɛ. Mɛni jɛ mli ba? Ebinuu lɛ gbo, shi nɔ ko baaa eŋa lɛ nɔ. Akɛni emli fu ni enijiaŋ je wui hewɔ lɛ, Tamba shɛrɛ mumɔi atsɛmɔ nibii lɛ fɛɛ eshwie. Awerɛho ni tamɔ nɛkɛ mli eyɔɔ beni akɛ gbohiiashitee he hiɛnɔkamɔ kɛ paradeiso shikpɔŋ nɔ baa lɛ he sane lɛ yaha lɛ ni enɛ na enɔ hewalɛ waa lɛ. Ekpɛlɛ Biblia mli nikasemɔ nɔ, ejaje eshihilɛ, ni ejɔɔ ehe nɔ eha Yehowa. Kɛjɛ nɛkɛ be nɛɛ nɔ kɛbaa nɛɛ eye ebua eweku lɛ kɛ mɛi krokomɛi nɛɛhu ni yɔɔ akutsoŋ he ni eyɔɔ lɛ ni amɛjɔɔ amɛhe nɔ.

“Lala hee” lɛ na hewalɛ yɛ mɛi ni yɔɔ tsuijurɔ lɛ ateŋ mɛi pii anɔ. Herbert na scholarship loo yijiemɔ wolo ko ni baaha eyakase nii yɛ Monrovia univɛsiti lɛ kɛ nɔyeli lɛ nitsumɔ yɛ enyɛmɔ akɛ bɔɔlotswalɔ lɛ hewɔ. Beni ekase nɔ ni Biblia lɛ kɛɔ yɛ akaŋshii mumɔ he lɛ, enɛ tsirɛ lɛ ni eŋmɛɛ ekaŋshii nitsumɔ lɛ he. (Galatabii 5:26) Amrɔ nɛɛ eyɛ miishɛɛ waa akɛ ekɛ be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ lɛ efee eshihilɛ mli nitsumɔ.

James bi Odasefonyo ni kɛ lɛ kaseɔ nii lɛ bɔ ni eeefee eye wii ni eshɛreɔ lɛ nɔ. Ewo lɛ hewalɛ ni esɔle yɛ sane lɛ he, ni James bi Yehowa ni eye ebua lɛ koni ekpa. Otsii komɛi asɛɛ lɛ, enyɛɛɛ eye etsinebaa nii nɛɛ nɔ ni eyashɛrɛ ekoŋŋ. Beni enyiɛ gbɛ kɛyaa shia lɛ, ekɛ ehiɛ yatsu dade ko nɔ ni egba lɛ kɛ la babaoo yɛ ehiŋmɛi naa. Akɛni ekai esɔlemɔ lɛ hewɔ lɛ, eyaaa nɛkɛ su nɛɛ he dɔŋŋ. Ŋmɛnɛ, eesɔmɔ akɛ daa gbɛgbalɔ kɛ asafoŋ sɔɔlɔ yɛ asafo lɛ mli.

Bɔ ni “lala hee” lɛ ŋɔɔ mɛi krokomɛi anaa hu ha lɛ eha eyashɛ nuu onukpa ko ŋɔɔ, Samuel, ni jɛ Krahn weku lɛ mli, mɔ ni tsutsu lɛ eji Montserrado County lɛ onukpa lɛ. Mɛni tsirɛ lɛ ni eŋmɛɛ nitsumɔ ni haa enaa shika babaoo lɛ he koni eyatiu be fɛɛ sɔɔmɔ lɛ sɛɛ lɛ? Samuel kɛɛ: “Nɔ ni ha minaa kpɛ mihe ji anɔkwale ni eji akɛ minaa nɔ ni Yehowa Odasefoi kɛɔ lɛ ni amɛtsɔɔ ni amɛfeɔ lɛ yɛ mi-Biblia lɛ mli.” Ekɛfata he akɛ Yehowa Odasefoi ateŋ pɛ ena suɔmɔ ni Yesu tsɔɔ mli yɛ Yohane 13: 34, 35 lɛ yɛ. Samuel kɛɛ akɛ nɔ ni tamɔɔɔ nakai lɛ, etsutsu sɔlemɔ lɛ mli bii lɛ “miibe ni amɛmiinɔ yɛ shika saji ahe be fɛɛ be yɛ sɔlemɔ tsu lɛ mli.” Samuel miisɔmɔ bianɛ akɛ daa gbɛgbalɔ.

“Lala Hee” lɛ Shɛ he ni Enaa Bawa

Kɛ eba yijiemɔ lalai ni aaala aha Nyɔŋmɔ lɛ he lɛ, be ko be ko bɛ ni feɔ miishɛɛ be kɛhaa Yehowa webii tamɔ amɛ daa afi kpokpaa wuji anɔ kpeei lɛ. Shi yɛ nyɛsɛɛ afii nɛɛ amli lɛ, nɔ ni ebatsɔ sane ni wa yɛ Liberia biɛ ji ni ana hei ni dara bɔ ni Odasefoi lɛ fɛɛ kɛ mɛi ni yɔɔ wiemɔ lɛ he miishɛɛ lɛ fɛɛ baaya jɛmɛ. Yɛ afi 1986 mli lɛ, afee kpeei sɔrɔtoi enyɔ yɛ kpee he kome pɛ ni yɔɔ ni sa lɛ mli, shi mɛi ni ba ni fe 4,000 lɛ fa tsɔ kɛha kpee he lɛ. Mɛni abaafee yɛ 1987? Ojogbaŋŋ, agbe Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex lɛ naa mra kɛ yelikɛbuamɔ ni jɛ Chinese nɔyeli lɛ ŋɔɔ. Shi ani wɔbaanyɛ ni wɔbi ni akɛ shwɛmɔ he nɛɛ aha wɔ?

Bɔ ni wɔ wiemɔi agbɛjianɔtoo lɛ ji tsɔsemɔ nɔ ha sɔŋŋ hewɔ lɛ, mɛi ni kwɛɔ nɔ lɛ kpɛlɛ nɔ akɛ amɛbaaŋmɛ wɔ gbɛ ni wɔkɛ shwɛmɔ he lɛ atsu nii ni amɛtse ejara lɛ nɔ amɛha wa. Shi beni eshwɛ otsii fioo ni kpee lɛ baaje shishi lɛ, enɔkwɛlɔi lɛ miisumɔ ni amɛha shika lɛ aya hiɛ. Mɛni hewɔ? Ejaakɛ TV nɔ sanekpakpashiɛlɔ ko ni jɛ U.S. Amerika ebashiɛ yɛ shwɛmɔ he nɛɛ mli ni gbɔmɛi ni ba jɛmɛ lɛ efite shwɛmɔ he lɛ mli kwraa kɛ jwɛi ni jwere he fɛɛ he. Ama nɔ mi aha nitsumɔ he ni kwɛɔ nɔ lɛ akɛ Yehowa Odasefoi yɛ sɔrɔto. Gbi ni je baatsɛre ni abaafee kpee lɛ, nyɛmimɛi hii kɛ yei fe 500 ba shwɛmɔ he lɛ ni amɛbabɛɛ jɛmɛ fɛɛ fɛfɛo. Yɛ kpee lɛ sɛɛ lɛ, anu ni Chinesebii ni kwɛɔ shwɛmɔ he lɛ nɔ lɛ ateŋ mɔ ko miikɛɛ akɛ mɔdɛŋ ni wɔbɔ ni wɔkɛ ha shwɛmɔ he lɛ mli fɛɛ fee falefale lɛ fa kwraa fe shika ni wɔwo yɛ jɛmɛ ni wɔba lɛ he lɛ.

Kpee lɛ diɛŋtsɛ ye omanye. Yifalɛ ni fe fɛɛ ni ji 5,852 babo maŋshiɛmɔ ni ji “Namɔ Obaanyɛ ni Okɛ Ohe Afɔ Enɔ yɛ Bei ni Gbeyeishemɔ Yɔɔ Mli Nɛɛ Mli?” lɛ toi. Mɛɛ miishɛɛ enɛ ji akɛ aaana ni mɛi heei 101 kɛ numiimɔ miifee amɛhe nɔ ni amɛjɔɔ amɛha Nyɔŋmɔ lɛ he okadi! Baptisimɔ lɛ tee nɔ yɛ kpaakpoi bibii enyɔ mli yɛ kpeei lɛ shishi diɛŋtsɛ​—klɛŋklɛŋ nɔ ni afee yɛ Liberia!

Akɛni mɛi pii miihere “lala hee” lɛ nɔ hewɔ lɛ, tsutsu nitsumɔ he nine ni yɔɔ Mcdonald Street yɛ Monrovia lɛ bafee he ni edaaa kwraa. Tsu ni fata he ni yɔɔ Sinkor lɛ hu edaaa bɔ ni no aaaha anyɛ akɛ Biblia he woji ni he hiaa koni akɛkwɛ Liberiabii amumɔŋ hiamɔ nii anɔ lɛ ato jɛmɛ. No hewɔ lɛ, ahe shihilɛ he tsu agbo ko ni bɛŋkɛ Paynesville Maŋtsɛyeli Asa lɛ, ni asaa mli ni ajɔɔ nitsumɔ he nine tsu hee nɛɛ nɔ yɛ March 28, 1987. Yehowa tsuji ni yɔɔ Liberia lɛ baanyɛ atsɔ nɛkɛ tsu ni da ni yɔɔ he ni hi jogbaŋŋ nɛɛ nɔ akwɛ miishɛɛ babaoo ni anaa lɛ nɔ.

Nitsumɔi enyiɛ eshwɛ ni esa akɛ atsu yɛ Liberia? Mɛi ni ba 1988 Kaimɔ lɛ shishi ni ji 8,600​—ni feɔ Maŋtsɛyeli shiɛlɔi ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ toi enumɔ​—lɛ tsɔɔ akɛ hegbɛ babaoo yɛ ni aaanyɛ afee mɛi pii kaselɔi. Ni Liberia Odasefoi ni tsuɔ nii waa lɛ miikpee nakai kaa lɛ naa. Amɛmiifee shia Biblia mli nikasemɔi fe 3,000 daa nyɔŋ nɔ. Wɔsɔlemɔ ji akɛ mɛi pii baaba abafata “asafo babaoo” ni miijie Yehowa yi kɛmiihere “lala hee” lɛ nɔ lɛ aha​—Kpojiemɔ 7: 9, 10.

[Akrabatsa ni yɔɔ baafa 28]

Kɛjɛ Shia Kɛmiiya Shia yɛ Liberia

Yɛ be mli ni wɔbɛŋkɛɔ shia ko ni akɛ su kɛ tsei ema lɛ he lɛ, ni wɔɔshi shinaa lɛ, wɔtswaa jɛmɛ ni wɔba Iɛ he adafi akɛ: “Kpaw, kpaw, kpaw!”

Akɛni wɔnuuu mɔ ko he hewɔ lɛ, wɔnyiɛ kɛtee tsu lɛ sɛɛ ni wɔna ni weku ko tara shi yɛ “kpata” ni ji agba bibioo ko shishi yɛ tsu Iɛ sɛɛ. Mu tsuru ko ni yɔɔ kukwɛi mli ni edɔ klakla ma Ia ni akɛ lai etsɛ́ nɔ. Nyɛ lɛ, ni miiti omɔ lɛ tsu ebii lɛ kɛ foi ni amɛyatao sɛi amɛbaha wɔ.

Kɛkɛ ni weku Iɛ mli bii lɛ batara shi. Amɛtara sɛi kakadaŋŋ ko nɔ, ni amɛbo wɔ toi jogbaŋŋ beni wɔshiɛɔ Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ he sane lɛ. Amɛkɛ miishɛɛ he wolo bibioo Na Wala Mli Ŋɔɔmɔ yɛ Shikpɔŋ nɔ Kɛya Naanɔ! lɛ ekome ni wɔto gbɛjianɔ akɛ wɔbaaku wɔsɛɛ wɔba jɛmɛ. Beni wɔteɔ shi akɛ wɔmiishi amɛ lɛ, amɛkɛɛ wɔ akɛ: “Nyɛhaa wɔyea nii!”

[Shikpɔŋ he mfonirii/Mfonirii ni yɔɔ baafa 26]

(Kɛ́ ootao ona bɔ ni saji nɛɛ ji diɛŋtsɛ lɛ, no lɛ kwɛmɔ wolo lɛ mli)

SIERRA LEONE

LIBERIA

LOFA COUNTY

MONTSERRADO COUNTY

Monrovia

Kakata

Buchanan

Greenville

Harper

GUINEA

IVORY COAST

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Km 0 100 200  300

mi 0 100  200

[Shikpɔŋ he mfoniri]

AFRICA