Monrovia – Young and enterprising Adu Dorley, 29, could not live long enough to fully reap the reward of his vigorous campaign that contributed to the coming in of this government.
Report by Lennart Dodoo, [email protected]
His death news came shocking to many – all sides of the political divide – when it was broken on local radio stations and on social media.
He died at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Monrovia after a brief illness.
Prior to joining the Coalition for Democratic Change, Adu was a staunch member of the former ruling Unity Party and enthusiastically served the youth wing.
His political differences with the party began as the 2017 election came closer.
He then officially joined the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and was wholeheartedly welcomed into the youth league.
As a new member with much exuberance, Adu never got tired of propagating the campaign messages of Senator George Weah at the time who would soon become President of the Republic.
His demise which occurred Tuesday, 26 June 2018 was greeted with several messages of condolence from friends and political affiliates.
Abraham Darius Dillon posted to Facebook “After some sober reflections and a few phone conversations with some folks this morning, I feel so guilty. I allowed anger to suppress my good conscience. I refused to pay a visit to my son during his last days on sick bed. Adu Dorley was like a son to me until he allowed politics to take him far from me. In his death, I will not bother to talk about or remember the negative untruths he posted or said about me in the name of politics. I will only wish and pray that our good God be merciful to him and receive his young soul. I ask God to forgive me for allowing anger override my fatherly feelings for him, especially during his trying and difficult times. I can imagine the pain and suffering he underwent before his demise. I feel so guilty!
Rest in Peace, my son. I failed you when you needed some of us most. #RIP”
Godwin Wiah Jr.: “Comrade Adu Dorley, your contribution towards our contemporary democracy will be remembered. But until we meet again, I pray 🙏that God have mercy upon your soul!! Have my revolutionary salute my brother and friend.”
Martin K. N. Kollie: “The demise of comrade Adu Dorley reaffirms a poor health sector and his neglect by those political elites he stood up for. RIP Adu”
Bob K Queminee: “RIP Adu Dorley It’s painful that we lost you! Despite being a member of CDC Sleep tight.”
Benjamin Gussin: “With teary eyes, I bid you farewell Comrade Adu Dorley!
I’m reminded of William Shakespeare’s witticism in his book Macbeth, “life is like a brief candle! “May your soul seek repose in perfect peace until we meet again.”
CDC Played Lackadaisical?
While pouring in eulogies to the fallen ‘comrade’, some of his compatriots have accused the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) of doing little to rescue the young political activist.
Papay Olukupay, a social media freak insinuated that Adu would have received preferential treatment were he to be a high-ranking member of the CDC or the government.
He commented, “Like Rep. Munah Youngblood, Adu Dorley could have been flown to India to seek treatment. I don’t know what his diagnosis was but if he had been flown out for proper care like what President Weah or Speaker Chambers would do if either of them were sick, I guess he would have survived. This is the hard truth! Come cuss me!”
Clara Mallah questioned the role of the First Lady and why she ‘failed’ to assist the lad to save him from his dying bed. Clara wondered, “What role did the Clar Foundation played when Adu Dorley was sick? I’m grieving with concerns, and a key question!!”
Top of Form
Cooper Paasewe also critiqued “Why didn’t CDCians send Adu Dorley out of the country for medical attention? Rest in Peace Comrade Adu! The ungrateful people are too many in this World, all they want is power! You fought a good fight Brother!”
Moses Uneh Yahmia, an old friend of Adu in a eulogy recalled the many instances on which he sought medical attention in and out of the country. Yahmia further cataloged the contributions of political mentors to the health of Adu both here in Liberia and when he sought advanced treatment in Accra, Ghana in 2016.
Yahmia: “When you suffered a severe medical complication in 2016, Varney Jarsey (President of LINSU) lobbied with Dr. H. Boima Fahnbulleh, Jr to foot your bills at the 37th Military Hospital in Accra, Ghana. And, of course, HB did not hesitate to grant the request of Brother Jarsey. As a revolutionary, he believes in the wellbeing of militants regardless of where they stand on national questions in the homeland.
In 2016, you were in Kasoa, Accra while undergoing treatment at the 37th Military Hospital at the expense of HB and other benevolent patriots. But there came a time that you got financially stranded and messaged me via Facebook messenger to inform Big Brothers Boakai Jaleiba and Jacob Jallah that you needed some cash for transportation and food. We made sure to do so as you requested. The big brothers got in contact with few others like Patrick M’bayo and Eugene Nagbe, raised some money and sent to you. The first treatment in Accra was successful as you were united with brothers with good health and shape, in September of 2016.”
Yahmia noted that despite joining the CDC and vigorously campaigning the party to victory and preaching messages of the pro-poor agenda, not much was done by the party to attend to his health and ensure that he got better medical attention.
Yahmia: “Sometime in late May, brothers informed us that you had once again relapsed into poor health. Initially, you were not taken to any medical facilities to be treated. Even at personal risk, injuring old relationships just to satisfy elements in your new party, you were one of the loudest voices on social media defending the trashy CDC and its inept political leader. To our amazement, when you relapsed into illness and confined to your home, you were left abandoned as if they thought to teach a lesson for your previous disagreement with the CDC and its political leader. Such political revenge on you seemed callous and barbaric. On last Sunday, you declining health condition prompted Brothers Joseph Vallai, Alfred Kiadii, Sis Florence Afua Akins, et al and I in the PUNCH FM Chatroom to arrange for you to be taken to the JFK to seek medical attention. Thanks to Sis Florence who committed herself to footing the hospital bill.”
He lamented that despite all efforts pulled together to get Adu admitted into the JFK Hospital, the facility wasn’t sophisticated enough to treat him back to normal health as there was the strong need to fly him out of the country.
“Where does the ruling party that Brother Adu Dorley fought for stand on this? Why can’t Eugene Nagbe, Jefferson Koijee, Mulbah Morlu, Nathanniel McGill or the president arrange for the brother to be flown out of Liberia for speedy medical attention?” he asked rhetorically.
Adu served as assistant press director at the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) prior to his death. According to reports, upon his recent ailment, he repeatedly called by phone Major Jefferson Koijee who heads the MCC but to no avail. Koijee headed the CDC Youth League at the time Adu joined.
Speaking on behalf of Mayor Koijee who is said to be in Ethiopia, Pekeleh Pekeleh Paye Gbuapaye, media relations officer at the MCC, told FrontPageAfrica there was no way Mayor Koijee could have received calls from Adu because has been out of the country since Sunday.
Guapaye added that the Mayor Koijee, however, upon receiving news of his ailment, instructed that he be given salary advance to facilitate the cost of his treatment.