“Fighters were listening to their own voices.”
The war was still in full swing when Eddie joined Talking Drums Studio’s team. He was then one of the main actors in their new radio series, Today is not Tomorrow. Through drama and fiction, the program tackled burning issues like disarmament, reintegration, resettlement, coexistence. "Liberia loves radio dramas. If you would conduct a survey, you would find that 9 out of 10 citizens listened to the program," he says.
In Today is not Tomorrow, Eddie played the role of "Bad Shoes”, a combatant who decided to leave the battlefield to reintegrate into society. “My mother feared that I would put myself in danger by playing this role; I had never been a fighter before. However, I had to do it. It was a national call to action and an honor to join this wave of courage that was unfolding in Liberia," he says.
Over the years, the show made its way into the majority of households. The stories covered a wide spectrum of issues in Liberia, giving many people an opportunity to identify themselves with the characters. "I was popular among the fighters because they were listening to their own voices, seeing themselves through me. One day, an 11-year-old child soldier came to my house. He had heard me on the radio during an episode about disarmament, and he wanted to know what would happen to him if he decided to give up his weapons. Today, he is in college studying computer science. That’s how powerful drama is."
In the pivotal post-war era, the drama has helped both perpetrators and victims of violence make informed decisions and heal their wounds so that, together, they could look to the future. "TDS has helped our people change radically. It is emotions that bring about change. You have to cry yourself, make others cry, and make them feel. In the play, “Bad Shoes” suffers consequences. The messages show what will happen if he continues in this direction. It allows people to weigh the different variables and dig out the truth.”
From the studio to the stage, Eddie embodies his characters in live plays as well. During participatory theatre, he invites spectators to become actors and find a solution to their problems. "I don't tell them what's wrong, what's right, or what they should do. People make the decisions themselves. This methodology gives people a sense of pride and belonging. Today, in our performance, we focus mainly on the importance of education, and the impact is already visible; many children are returning to school," he explains.
Childhood is a theme particularly close to Eddie’s heart. He is a father of two, and his children are avid radio listeners. He believes that making shows for children like them means shaping Liberia's future. "In the past, TDS had a drama hosted by children, called Child Business. I'd love to bring it back. Today's children are tomorrow's parents; they are the ones most able to talk to children their age so that the change we want can begin to happen now. If we don't work with the next generation, all our efforts will not be sustainable," he says.
According to Eddie, these efforts must continue. Today, TDS is an integral part of Liberian society and still plays a major role in shaping attitudes and behaviors. “It can serve as a bridge to real peace. We need it even more than before. The war has never really ended, people are still hurt. We should not wait for the conflict to return to talk about peace.”
