Monrovia – Former First Lady of Liberia, Nancy B. Doe, wife of slain Liberia President Samuel Kayon Doe, has requested a state reburial of her husband, who was murdered during the Liberian civil war.

Report by Edwin G. Genoway, Jr., edwin.genoway@frontpageafricaonline.com

Madam Doe said it is regrettable that her husband does not have a grave to decorate during the decoration of gravesites every year in the country. 

“My husband loved me, and I want to give him a state burial. By right, it is the government that supposed to do it but the attention is not there if the state cannot do it, let them give me my benefit — we the family can use it to rebury him,” she said during an interview with OK FM in Monrovia on Tuesday, August 8.

It has been 30 years since the former Liberian President was killed by forces loyal to Prince Johnson, as Johnson sat and watched while drinking beer. Johnson, who is now senator of Nimba County in the Liberian Legislature, has said that the body was later exhumed and burned.

Madam Doe still bemoans the tragic killing of her husband, and now wants the current government to give her benefits so that she can exhume the remains of her husband and give a state reburial.

“The money I am talking about here I am not begging for it, I am entitled to it, it is my own sweat and I get it I can rebury my husband because I can just be inside and be crying on decoration day nowhere to go and decorate, I want to rebury my husband so I want my benefit,” she alarmed.

She noted that during the regime of former President Charles Taylor it was when she got to know about her benefit as former first lady, disclosing that since that time, she hasn’t gotten her benefit as former official of government.

“My husband loved me, and I want to give him a state burial. By right, it is a government that supposed to do it but the attention is not there if the state cannot do it, let them give me my benefit — we the family can use it to rebury him.”

– Nancy B. Doe, Wife of Slain President Samuel K. Doe

She, however, frowned on the Justice system for not giving her justice since she won her cases at the level of the ECOWAS Court situated in Nigeria.

Recently, the Ex First Lady won her case against the Liberian Government at the regional court; the ECOWAS Court of Justice has ordered the Government of Liberia to pay the sum of US$18,130,778.09 comprising monies deposited in various banks by former President Samuel Doe plus accrued interests, to Mrs. Nancy Bohn-Doe, widow and administrator of his estates.

The Court, however, rejected Mrs. Bohn-Doe’s request for US$342,615.57 as legal/lawyer’s fees and US$9 million as compensation for general damages.

Mrs Bohn­Doe had alleged violation of her right, particularly the right to property with the government’s refusal, through its agents, to allow her access to the accounts and information.

Citing some Articles in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights among others, the former First Lady urged the Court to declare that the denial by the defendant of access to her late husband’s accounts and information to assist in the discovery of other accounts held by the husband, was a violation of her rights.

“I don’t have no justice from all my cases I won one cent have not gotten in my hands, I’ve been running behind those judges to see how I can get my money but no way,” she said.

Further commenting on reconciliation, the former First Lady called on all Liberians to unite and forge for a one Liberia, saying, “When the country is divided it is not good.”

She, however, noted that she supports the decision of most Liberians who are calling for the establishment of war and economic crimes court in the country.

Monrovia – The family of the late slain former President William R. Tolbert announced Sunday, April 12, the day he was gruesomely murdered 40 years ago, that they have forgiven all those who assassinated him on that fateful night.

By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972)-websterclayeh@frontpafricaonline.com

The slain President’s relatives braved the storm despite the ravaging deadly global Coronavirus pandemic to come out and commemorate the 40th death anniversary of their loved one.

The late President served as the 19th President of Liberia. He was assassinated at the Executive Mansion on April 12, 1980, by 17 non-commissioned Armed Forces of Liberia soldiers, who it is reported, were led by Master Sergeant Samuel K. Doe, who became President following the coup.

It has been 40 years since the demised of Pres. Tolbert; his relatives, including Dr. Richard Tolbert, daughter-in-law Mrs. Henrietta Tolbert, former Deputy Minister of Agriculture Rev. Dr. Charles McClain and former Commissioner of the then Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, Mr. John H. Smythe, came out, on the third day of President George Manneh Weah’s State of Emergency, to lay wreath on the grave that former President Tolbert’s remains are buried. Along with Pres. Tolbert are 17 senior government officials, who were murdered, too, during the period of the coup.

The 40th anniversary could have been celebrated in a more better way than what it was, but because of the global Covid-19 pandemic. However, the four family members, who gathered to commemorate the passing of their relatives, being fully aware of the present health crisis, were dressed in COVID-19 preventive gears on Sunday, April 12, at the Palm Grove Cemetery on Center Street in Monrovia. They sang quietly and gave praises to God for “the triumphs and achievements of former President Tolbert’s magnificent life.”

“But on this day, which this year happens to coincide with our Savior’s glorious resurrection, we must not merely mourn and reminisce but must also remember and rejoice for a life well lived as surely as we rejoice for our Savior’s ultimate sacrifice for the salvation of mankind,” Dr. Richard Tolbert, nephew of the former President, said.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Dr. Tolbert said the coup was followed by sectionalism, economic stagnation, national disintegration, tribalism, cultural breakdown, educational backwardness and so many societal ills that are hampering the forward march of Liberia. According to him, his uncle had worked assiduously to raid the nation of all those vices.

He added: “The disastrous consequences of that bloody night are not hidden. They are still living with us today.

“We know who the executioners of that dastardly act were but the real hidden hands behind that dark night is still to some extent a mystery.

“On this occasion on behalf of the Tolbert family, I say that we have forgiven all those who wronged or harmed us in any way. We pray nothing but peace, unity and prosperity for all the people of this our beloved homeland,” Dr. Tolbert said.

According to Dr. Tolbert, the society over which former President Tolbert presided before the coup was an ideal one.

Some Achievements of Pres. Tolbert

In his nine years as President of Liberia, Pres. Tolbert created AGRIMECO, the Liberian government’s first agricultural company. It spearheaded land clearance for agricultural cooperatives.

Former President Tolbert also established the National Housing Bank, the Agricultural Bank, and the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI).

He constructed major infrastructure like the Hotel Africa, Roberts International Airport Terminal and many more.

He became President following the death of President William V. S. Tubman in the early 1970s.