Liberia is such an interesting country with many amazing people. What amazes me most is our people's penchant for the unreal. Many of our kinsmen, not women, seem to float in an imaginary world forever dreaming of a paradise that they will never reach.

And so it was with the Charles Taylor story. Since the date for a verdict was announced, I could not imagine the kind of theories floated by wishful thinkers. "The Papay will be freed and we will celebrate his homecoming right here in Monrovia"

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"It was an international conspiracy led by America to punish our President." "President Sirleaf went to America to discuss with Obama the verdict on President Taylor." "There is no evidence adduced during the entire trial so the Papay will be freed"

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"It was a political circus rather than a trial of a man who committed crimes against humanity." A friend of mine even released what he called a song celebrating the release and return of President Taylor.

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Such were some of the blind loyal comments and action that bombarded my ears even after the verdict was delivered in the crowded courtroom at The Hague to the full view of the world yesterday. How would rational people make such ridiculous statements? With all the publicity given the trial, beaming it via television to so many Liberian homes; the consistent mass coverage by New Democrat, Daily Observer, our own In Profile Daily, radio stations and many other news outlets; is it that people did not really follow the trial, its many witnesses and all that was deposed by the prosecution for nearly four years? Was it a delibrate act to ignore reality? Could it be that many people did not understand the language of the Special Court which was, of cause English?

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Now I realize that it was a smart move to transfer the trial from Freetown to The Hague due to security concerns because someone would have strapped themselves with bombs and walk straight to Sierra Leone and set the whole court facility at New England Ville on fire to terrorise the country once again because he did not support the prosecution of their Dakpannah.

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Imagine the assertion that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf went to America recently specifically to discuss the final verdict of the court. How could a President of Liberia influence the judgment of the Special Court which is based in faraway Netherlands, thousands of miles away from Texas where she went on her endless crusade to lift Liberia and Liberians.

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Well, this is how some Liberians reason. They do not have a voice of reasoning. They believe in what they want to believe, and want all to share their view. I believe, however, that in many cases, people knew the truth but prefer to spread propaganda just to paint someone bad and give the impression that Charles Taylor was a saint.

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Listening to the judgment that lasted for hours as the judge went through the eleven counts, it was easy for any sane person to conclude that Mr. Taylor would be adjudged guilty. Frustrated by rantings and ravings of some irate and noisy tv watchers somewhere in central Monrovia, I attempted to sensitise someone on what was being said but quickly shut-up when I realized that it was a pro-Taylor joint. These guys did not want any dissenting view other than Charles Taylor's not guilty propaganda. After a short while, I left the hostile territory and quickly dashed away in my car.

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Why are people so one-track minded? This is true blind loyalty in its highest form. Then I recalled the slogan: "You killed my Ma, you killed my Pa, I will vote for you." What kind of madness is this? I asked myself. This is Liberia, anyway.

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I believed it when someone said, if Charles Taylor were to come to contest the Presidency against George Weah in Liberia today, he will win without a second round.

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What more evidence do we need to prove that Taylor actually supported the RUF? Was it not Taylor who promised Sierra Leone that it will taste the bitterness of war? What evidence do we need to prove that Sam Bockari worked for Taylor and was murdered in the Ivory Coast by Benjamin Yeaten and his agents to destroy evidence?

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Well, the judgment has been handed down and those dreamers and wishful thinkers have no choice than to accept it and face the reality that Taylor will spend some time, at least 20 years in a British jailhouse if he gets the minimum of two years on each count.

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I am not writing this piece because I hate Mr. Taylor. He was my President and I still respect him because he was clever, a good man who was misled. He trusted so many people who betrayed his confidence. They always painted the wrong picture and he believed them. His confidants wanted him to always feel good so they hid the truth from him. And his supporters still exhibit this hypocritical defficiency to call white black. When will they learn?

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I feel sorry for Mr. Taylor because he diagnosed so many mistakes of his predecessor, Samuel K. Doe; unfortunately he repeated all the mistakes of Doe. I write because I want Taylor's supporters to face the reality and accept that he had the opportunity to have been one of the best rulers Liberia ever had but he blew it. Their deceptive way of life pushed him to his downfall. They too have not learned their lesson.