Monrovia – “She was an experienced multi-talented cultural artiste with skills in dancing, singing, dramatizing and training”.
These were some of the words used by the Executive Director of the Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP) Ambassador Juli Endee on June 4, 2016 as she describe a fallen Liberian artiste, the late Christina P. Weah.
Speaking at the Sports Commission in Monrovia during a memorial service organized by the LCP to recognize the crucial role played by the deceased in accentuating the Liberian cultural and contributing to the viability of the LCP for 17 unbroken years, Amb. Endee disclosed that the late artiste career took her to several foreign countries to promote the Liberian culture.
“Some of these arts and festivals include the Cultural Festival and Exchange held in Athens Greece, the Libyan Independent Day Cultural Festival held in 2000, the West African Tour in 2001 and the African Union Musical Concert that took place in Senegal few years ago,” Madam Endee expounded.
She named some of the major national events the deceased performed in as Liberia’s Independence Day Cultural Festivals held 2010 in Nimba and 2015 in Sinoe counties respectively, as well as the Annual Golden Image Award (GIA) organized by the LCP and executed by the GIA secretariat.
Amidst melodious eulogy, songs of hope/fortitude interspersed with danceable modern circular music unleashed by the LCP band at the day-long event, Amb. Endee intoned that at the LCP the late Christina affectionately known as ‘Paygar’ was one of the lead female cultural performer who played diverse role including providing on-the-stage coaching and direction to colleagues as well as taking part in producing jingles, songs and dramas.
Amb. Endee: “She also participated in several outreach and awareness activities as communicator in communities.”
Meanwhile, in an apparent respond to request by family members of the deceased for assistance to cater to the wellbeing of the four children left behind by the late Christiana, Liberia’s Traditional Queen Amb. Juli Endee who presented LD$100,000 to the mother of the deceased has employed the late Christiana Oldest son, Simah Weah in his middle 20s as direct replacement of his mother at the LCP.
She has also taken the responsibility to sponsor the deceased youngest son, Emmanuel Wleh a teen-ager through high school and up to his first year at a local university.
Earlier in her homily of exhortation on the theme ‘Work While It Is Day’ taking from the text John 9:4, the pastor of the Faith in Jesus Ministries Rev. Mot. Veronica Smith urged Christians to renew their devotion to the Almighty God.
She contended that too many people in this land have abandoned God and quit attending church services something the prelate notes is detrimental to their moral standing with God.
“Nobody knows the time or minute you will die like in the case of the late Christiana, so as the scripture commands, it is time for us to work for our salvation while we are alive so that when the bell of death sounds, we will be in right standing with the Almighty God.” She asserted.
More than 15 organizations including local cultural groups she earlier affiliated with, the Traditional Council, the Tribal Governor Council and former Information Minister, Rev. Emmanuel Bowier paid tribute to the fallen Liberian artiste who died at 46 years on May 18, 2016 following a brief period of illness. She was buried late May 2016 in Monrovia.