The sons of former President Samuel Kanyon Doe have lashed out at what they described as a “deceptive and disrespectful” public memorial planned in honor of their father, and accusing Grand Gedeh County Senator Zoe Emmanuel Pennue of manipulating the event for personal gain.
“We, Samuel Kanyon Doe Jr. and ‘Fallah’ Varney Ezekiel Doe, biological sons of the late Commander-in-Chief and President Samuel Kanyon Doe and Mrs. Nancy B. Doe, issue this public statement in response to the recent events surrounding the attempted memorialization of our father,” the children said.
They further extend deepest appreciation to the Veterans and Military of Liberia for their sincere desire to honor their father’s legacy.
The children lauded the Veterans and Military of Liberia for their unwavering respect for their father’s service and sacrifice is something we hold in the highest regard. “Unfortunately, we were only informed of their original, well-meaning intentions on Friday, April 4, 2025, having been completely excluded from the planning and execution of the recent memorial event.
It is deeply regrettable that the former First Lady and her children—the immediate family of the late President—were never contacted or consulted,” the children added.
“Even more concerning is how this sincere initiative was hijacked by individuals with inflated egos and personal agendas—people who have no rightful standing or authority to speak or act on behalf of the Doe family. This manipulation, cloaked in false sentiment, has happened before.
But we could never have anticipated the level of deception now on display—from false representations of the family to the disgraceful use of a makeshift casket at a so-called public memorial, all designed to mislead the public and diminish the dignity of our father’s name,” they expressed.
According to them, at the center of this deliberate distortion stands Senator Zoe Emmanuel Pennue, whose role on the Government’s official Reburial Committee has been used not to foster reconciliation, but to pursue control, confusion, and personal gain.
The children said Senator Zoe only planned this false memorial after learning that the Government was in direct, private discussions with our family about a formal State reburial.
The children observed that for years, he [Pennue] has aggressively worked to undermine our mother’s position as the widow of the late President, while simultaneously attempting to install artificial heirs — photocopy representatives he believes will allow him back door access to what he has not yet managed to take.
“Let it be known Zoe has made previous covert attempts to obtain Letters of Administration over our father’s estate, which were rightly denied by the courts. His ambition now is to manufacture symbolic successors to grant himself influence over assets and a legacy that do not belong to him,” the children warned.
They added that the Government of Liberia is fully aware of the legal protocols, traditional customs, and rightful family representation required in matters of national significance—especially those involving a former Head of State. The children indicated that President Joseph Boakai’s Government has never and will never, bypass the former First Lady and her biological children in any official matter regarding the late President. “This honor is nearly 35 years overdue, and it must be done right. Zoe Pennue, in his desperation, continues to forget that he is operating under a legitimate Government—one that respects due process and will not sanction unlawful theatre or political invention,” the children added. “We applaud the Government of Liberia for undertaking this historic act—a bold step toward healing the nation and reconciliation. We, the Doe family, will continue working hand-in-hand with the Government to ensure our father receives the reburial befitting his legacy, service, and sacrifice.
In contrast, our sister Veronica Mamie Doe has been engaged for several months in dignified, confidential conversations with the Government of His Excellency President Joseph Boakai to ensure that a proper State reburial of our father is carried out with the honor, reverence, and planning it rightly deserves.”
“We affirm that 2025 marks the beginning of Remembrance, Reconciliation, and Justice for all. Finally, we welcome and embrace the Veterans and Military of Liberia to join us in the official memorial and reburial process. We recognize and deeply appreciate their original intent, rooted in patriotism and loyalty, and we remain committed to walking this path forward — together and truthfully,” the son concluded.
