Monrovia-Former President Samuel Kanyon Doe died in a dishonorable method by the hands of rebels that sought the overthrow of his authorities – virtually one 12 months after launching an armed rebel from neighboring Ivory Coast by means of the city of Butuo, Nimba County.
Nevertheless, three many years after his loss of life, the previous President is about to get an honorably befitting burial, to shut the painful chapter that marred his departure.
Processes resulting in the befitting and honorable reburial of late President Samuel Kanyon Doe have begun in earnest because the Liberian authorities has taken the primary large step consistent with set protocols.
On Tuesday, E book of Condolence in honor of the fallen head of state was formally opened and signed by present and former presidents of the Republic – a second that attracts cloud of reflection and honoring of the lifetime of the slain President.
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai kicked the ball rolling when he, accompanied by array of presidency officers, signed the E book of Condolence – a nationwide ritual that accounts for and memorizes nationwide leaders, their providers to the motherland.
Former President George Weah additionally signed the E book of Condolence instantly after his predecessor did so.
The President and former President have had good relationship with the previous President. President Boakai served in his administration as Agriculture Minister whereas he performed pivotal position in shaping the previous President’s soccer carear.
Held on the historic Centennial Pavilion on Ashmud Avenue, the event drew each abnormal residents and members of the family of the fallen President, and most importantly reignited bewailing emotions that related to the lack of beloved one.
How we acquired right here?
Reburying the previous President stemmed from President Boakai announcement of January whereas delivering his annual message that the federal government would give befitting reburial to late Presidents William R. Tolbert and Samuel Ok. Doe.
Late President Samuel Doe rose to the nationwide political theatre in the course of the April 12, 1980 bloody coup staged by seventeen enlisted males of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) in opposition to the authorities of then President Willian R. Tolbert, who got here to energy following the loss of life of the loss of life of President William V.S. Tubman in 1971 in London following a quick illness.
As the one high-ranking officer among the many coup plotters, Doe was named to go the Individuals’s Redemption Council as head of state, thus ending many years of elitism and hegemony of the True Whig Social gathering (TWP) – the occasion that clearly led Liberia few years after independence.
Although Liberia witnessed elevating ranges of infrastructural remodeling together with the development of nationwide buildings and roads, Doe’s management was additionally marred by stress.
With the structure suspended, Doe’s PRC authorities dominated by decrees and exhibited dictatorial tendencies, arresting, jailing and executing opponents in addition to cracking down on dissent.
In an effort to root his grip on energy, Doe went after many of the coup plotters – members of the PRC together with Thomas Weh-Sen, J. Nicholas Podier and plenty of others.
His foremost good friend, Basic Thomas Quiwonkpa and him felt aside, accusing him of betraying and diverting the essence of revolution rather than his want to carry unto energy.
Rigged 1985 elections
In a bit to legitimize his management, the late President Doe shaped a political occasion forward of the 1985 elections – Nationwide Democratic Social gathering of Liberia (NDPL)- and declared his intention to run for workplace. He was challenged by Jackson Fiah Doe – a local of Nimba County- who ran on the ticket of the Liberia Motion Social gathering (LAP).
Owing to Doe’s iron-fist management, Liberians opted for a change and put their weight behind the LAP candidate, however Doe was declared winner of the elections in a transfer that shocked the nation.
Liberians resisted the late president’s bold-faced rigging of the elections, however couldn’t overturn the outcomes as the military got here to his defence.
Angered by the late President’s rigging of the elections and his brutal management, a few of his pals rose as much as dethrone him. In November 1985, Quiwonkpa with the assistance of some exiled politicians staged a coup.
Nevertheless, resulting from alleged poor planning and coordination, the coup failed and Doe got here on prime few hours later. Quiwonkpa was subsequently captured and killed.
These troubling developments culminated into the group of the riot launched in December 1989 to take away him from energy by means of arms rebel.
Throughout the rebel that raged from 1989 to 2003, Doe was captured in September 1990 by rebels loyal to the Impartial Nationwide Patriotic Entrance of Liberia (INPFL) and subsequently died a day later because of macabre torturing he suffered.
The late President didn’t get any honorable burial contemplating how was captured and killed, along with the actual fact Liberia was mired in a turbulent interval of conflict that left 2,500 residents lifeless and thousand of properties destroyed.
Honorable reburial declaration
In his Annual Message delivered on January 27, 2025, President Boakai declared the federal government’s dedication to accord dignified burials to President Tolbert and his Cupboard Members who had been killed in April 1980, in addition to President Doe, who was slain in the course of the Liberian civil conflict.
He mentioned the historic initiative was a part of the federal government’s broader efforts to foster nationwide unity, reconciliation, and therapeutic by bringing closure to a painful chapter in Liberia’s historical past.
People appointed to serve on the Reburial Committee are Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, Minister of Training (Chairperson); the Proper Reverend James B. Sellee, Bishop of the Episcopal Church of Liberia; Bishop Samuel J. Quire, Bishop of the United Methodist Church; Senator Zoe Pennue, Grand Gedeh County; Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, Montserrado County; Clavendar Parker, Senior Citizen; Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Courtroom of Liberia; Brigadier Basic Davidson Fayiah Forleh, Chief of Workers, Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL); Ambassador Ethel Davis, Member, Coverage Advisory Council (PAC), Ministry of International Affairs; Consultant of the Ministry of Inner Affairs; Alfreda Tamba, April twenty second Memorial Group; Benoni Urey, Former Director Basic, Liberia Maritime Authority; John T. Richardson; and Rev. Emmett Dun.
“This initiative represents a big step towards nationwide therapeutic and reconciliation, acknowledging Liberia’s advanced historical past whereas striving for a united and peaceable future,” he mentioned.
In a associated improvement, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has expanded the Phrases of Reference of the ECOMOG Memorial Committee to incorporate recognition of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) for its pivotal position in restoring peace and stability to the nation.
The President initially constituted the ECOMOG Memorial Committee on January 29, 2025, underneath the Chairmanship of Main Basic (Rtd) Daniel Ziankahn. The committee was tasked with honoring the contributions of the Financial Group of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in Liberia’s peace course of.
With this enlargement, the committee will even undertake the rehabilitation of the Peace Monument on Du-port Highway and reinitiate efforts to establish areas of mass graves throughout the nation.
Following ECOMOG’s intervention in 1990, UNMIL launched its largest peacekeeping mission on the time in Liberia in 2003.
Over the course of its mandate, UNMIL performed a vital position in stabilizing the nation, overseeing the disarmament course of, facilitating democratic elections in 2005, and laying the inspiration for nation-building and governance reforms.
The United Nations additionally established a peacebuilding framework that continues to help Liberia’s progress each domestically and internationally.
“At this time, Liberia celebrates over 22 years of uninterrupted peace. In recognition of the sacrifices and contributions of each ECOMOG and UNMIL, the Authorities of Liberia is dedicated to making sure they obtain the very best honor and appreciation from a grateful nation,” the press launch famous.
Stress from cows, money donations
Former President George Manneh Weah and his successor, President Joseph
Nyuma Boakai have been made spectacles of division, ridicule and acrimony inside the Doe household and amongst the most important Liberian citizenry over their respective gestures in the direction of the bereaved family- all of which had been performed in good religion.
A donnybrook has since erupted over the donations of money and cows by the sitting and former Presidents with the Doe household, by means of Veronica Mamie Doe, rejecting that of the previous and accepting the present in manners likened to politics and tit-for-tat.
With few weeks to the burial of the previous first Girl and the reburial of her late husband, former President Samuel Kanyon Doe in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County, the scenario stays bleak and sticky as to how the household will jell and discover a soothing leverage.
Moderately than focusing and making certain that their mother and father and kin are given befitting burials freed from politics and tensions, some family members seemed to be involved about creating smog within the public area, portray one donor black and celebrating one other.
In the entire cows and money overtures and brouhaha, evidently President Boakai is laughing one of the best snigger whereas his predecessor is being made a public ridicule.
The way it began
The brawl which beclouds the loss of life, reminiscence and legacy of the previous stateswoman, stemmed from former President George Weahreaching out to the bereaved Doe household.
The previous head of state’s nightmare started with a press release of condolence to the Doe household a day after the loss of life of former First Girl Nancy Bohn Doe. Within the assertion, he acknowledged her position and contributions to the nation and folks, saying “her passing is a blow to the nation and the household.” He additionally mirrored on the deceased First Girl husband affect on his life when he was President, serving to to form his skilled soccer life.
No earlier than later, the Doe household, by means of Veronica Mamie Doe, issued a cack and scathing response to the previous President assertion, highlighting betrayal and making an attempt to attain political positive factors. She accused him of failing to assist the previous First Girl when she cried for her advantages for herself and late husband.
Madam Doe rebuttal created each political and ideological fireballs, spurring large public debate with shroud of partisan political pursuits.
Apparently not moved by the response from Madam Doe and owing to his personal peaceable nature, the previous President furthered his outreach with a go to to the house of the bereaved household, utilizing the time to current a money quantity of $5000USD and two cows to help with the funeral and reburial of Mrs. Doe and Mr. Doe.
Nevertheless, to the obvious bewilderment of the previous President, abnormal residents and a few members of the Doe household, Madam Doe used the privilege of being the face of the bereavement and reburial processes, slapped the previous President Weah within the face, by rejecting his gesture of money and cows donations.
Her choice to reject the presents from former President Weah has triggered severe chasm within the Doe household with one group of distancing itself from her motion, accusing her of searching for self-aggrandizement and political relevance.
President Boakai Function
The cows donation drama took one other twist when President Boakai reached out to the household, donating 5 cows and money, following his predecessor’s footsteps.
The President’s donation has been acquired with open fingers and a humble coronary heart by the Doe household represented by Miss Doe.
She thanked the Liberian chief for standing with the household of their time of bereavement and guaranteed him of the household help.
The Doe household paid the President a courtesy go to at his Rehab Residence, throughout which he introduced that he could be in Zwedrufor the funeral and reburial of Mrs Doe and former President Doe.
The ugly developments might matter no extra as the federal government acquired underneath approach protocols for the reburial of the previous President Doe in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County.
