Monrovia, Liberia – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, on Monday, led an array of presidency officers to signal the Guide of Condolence in honor of former President William Richard Tolbert Jr., greater than 45 years after his tragic dying within the 1980 army coup led by then-Grasp Sergeant Samuel Kanyon Doe, who later turned President.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972) – [email protected]
President Tolbert, Liberia’s twentieth President, was overthrown and killed on April 12, 1980. 13 senior officers from his authorities had been publicly executed ten days later, on April 22, marking one of many darkest chapters in Liberia’s historical past.
Monday’s solemn occasion, held on the Centennial Memorial Pavilion, introduced collectively a cross-section of presidency dignitaries, kinfolk, pals, and members of the April twenty second Memorial Group—a coalition dedicated to preserving the legacy of the late president and the reminiscence of these executed within the aftermath of the coup.
Previous to the ceremony, President Boakai paid a go to to Mrs. Williemae Tolbert-King, daughter of the late President, at her residence in Paynesville. A press release from the Govt Mansion mentioned the President’s go to was supposed to console the household and promote therapeutic, forgiveness, and nationwide reconciliation.
The April twenty second Memorial Group used the event to announce a particular occasion scheduled for Tuesday, July 1, 2025, on the Centennial Pavilion. The ceremony will have fun the legacies of these misplaced and formally unveil the April twenty second Memorial Group Remembrance Park.
In accordance with the group, the Remembrance Park—to be situated on the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary in Paynesville Metropolis—was symbolically chosen to mirror the nationwide, non secular, and historic significance of this second. The park will function a sacred public area for reflection, therapeutic, training, and honoring the victims of the 1980 coup.
“The flagrant disregard for our fathers’ human rights—denied authorized illustration, denied the correct to attraction, and summarily executed—is one thing Liberians should always remember,” the group said. “Nor ought to such injustice ever be repeated.”
The group emphasised their long-standing efforts to make sure this painful historical past is remembered.
“We’re a collective of descendants, family members, and advocates dedicated to truth-telling, legacy preservation, and nationwide therapeutic. This memorial park represents the end result of that dedication.”
As Liberia continues its journey towards nationwide reconciliation, Monday’s occasion and the forthcoming dedication of the Remembrance Park stand as poignant reminders of the previous—and daring steps towards constructing a extra simply and inclusive future.
