Monrovia – Liberia’s former Vice President Bishop Bennie D. Warner says his former boss, President William R. Tolbert along with 13 other officials executed (killed) on the order of former President Samuel K. Doe should have a national holiday in their honor
Report by Webster J. H.
Until former President Tolbert death in 1980, Bishop Warner was his Vice President.
It has been 39 years since the late Doe along with others of the Armed Forces of Liberia staged a coup d’état that led to the killing former President Tolbert.
In the aftermath the coup d’état, 13 top officials of the Tolbert’s regime were tied to poles on the beach side of the Barclay Training Center (BTC) and executed for what the coupe planners termed as “for corruption”. They were buried in a mass grave.
Through the effort of the Richard Tolbert, nephew of the slain President Tolbert and other relatives of the 13 former officials, the mass grave was later preserved at the Palm Grove Cemetery.
Bishop Warner, while at the Palm Groves Cemetery Wednesday, March 13, 2019, stressed that the former President Tolbert should have a statue in his honor for what he achieved for Liberia and the African continent.
“This man needs a statute like Abraham Lincoln of the United States of America,” Liberia’s former VP said.
“There should be a memorial day for the remembrance of these national heroes. This was a national tragedy.”
outlining the many achievements of the Tolbert’s regime, he said Liberia was deprived of its enormous growth by the killing of people he terms as national heroes.
“So, as a former Vice President of the Republic of Liberia there should be national Memorial Day (national holiday) for all former President Tolbert and the 13 people,” the former VP said.