Title about sums it up. Were these two countries completely free of Western influence? Or were there elements of quasi-colonialism or imperialism at play, but never full on colonization?
More can always be said on the topic of Ethiopia, but the "Ethiopia" section of the FAQ may be of interest. It presently links to 3 discussions on retaining independence.
For Liberia, I can't find a really thorough previous discussion, but /u/khosikulu wrote here about it.
This is not to discourage discussion. More questions, data, and debate are welcome.