Liberia: Godsend or Curse?

The establishment of Liberia, initially created to be a safehaven for former slaves, has recently been a topic of debate for historians.  Was the creation of this "safehaven" a godsend for African slaves?  Many argue yes, since it provided a former slaves with a protected nation in their former home continent.  Others argue no, since literally thousands arrived in Liberia to find that there was no food, hosing, money, etc.  Not to mention the fact that these former slaves all came from different parts of Africa and had little in common with one another.