Ebola, yeah, frustration

A few months ago I wrote about the Ebola in Town song being played to raise awareness.  In the weeks before I left, however, the song Ebola by Black Diamond was getting a lot more play on Radio Gbarngese.  It’s a lot less upbeat and a lot more depressing, suggesting conspiracies and encouraging mistrust.

Even so, I remember dancing to it with my Liberian friends and laughing.  Ebola was a joke and nothing had changed in our lives since the first cases in April… and now the country is shutting down and I’m not sure when I’ll get to go back.

I had lunch with my brother yesterday and out of nowhere the green-haired bartender started chit-chatting about Ebola.  “Really, why can’t these patients stay there where doctors and hospitals know how to deal with it?”

I took a deep breath and tried to be polite.  “Actually, that isn’t true,” I said, “I live there.”  She looked at me in shock.  “The hospitals were poorly equipped and understaffed before this,” I continued, “and now the health workers are so scared the hospitals are completely closed down.  Even women in labor can’t get care.  If they knew how to deal with this there would be no problem.”

“Oh… well the media has really misinformed us,” she replied sheepishly.

Ebola.  Yeah.  Frustration.

Ebola – Black Diamond

Ebola yeah, frustration
Condition in Africa
Ebola yeah, frustration
Condition in Africa
Ebola yeah, frustration
Condition in Africa
Ebola yeah, frustration
Condition in Africa
Eh, yeah

No Ebola in America
No Ebola in Asia
No Ebola in Europe
Always Ebola in Africa
Why?
Oh Lord, angels, protect your children I say
Oh why why why in Africa?
I say why?

(refrain)

Everyday in the news
Ebola killed my sister in Guinea
Everyday on TV
Ebola killed my brothers in Sierra Leone
Everyday in the news
Ebola killed my mother in Liberia
Everyday in America, Asia, and Europe
Ebola is silent

(refrain)

Dem sayin’ it came from Africa
Dem sayin’ Ebola lives from Africa
But pillage and control is what I’m thinking
Cause every bad thing come from Africa
It’s said they won’t leave my people alone
They start civil war
Undermine African governments
Then charge our leaders for war crimes
Why doesn’t it leave innocent children to sleep in peace?
Biological warfare needs a new population control

(refrain)