By Emmanuel Wise Jipoh
Monrovia, Liberia, July 8, 2025 – Musu A. Gertee, now 28, and a single mother, was amputated from a shrapnel of a rocket at the age of 6 during the 3rd Liberian Civil War in 2003.
At the time, still a teen, little Musu lost her right arm and life, and a different page was turned, leaving her handicapped for the rest of her Life.
Still going through the trauma and difficulties, Musu now tells a story of neglect and abandonment by the Liberian government, dating back to the Administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Just at the occasion of peace and reconciliation recently initiated by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to reunite the nation, while apologizing for atrocities committed during the civil conflict, Musu decried neglect and abandonment from the government despite efforts and support given to her from international charities.
“It breaks my heart that I have been put back on the streets, neglected and abandoned by the government. Life has become miserable for me, and I’m made to suffer, despite appearing on the Popular Oprah Winfrey Show and showing my life conditions to the World, with huge support and donations given through our government, but ever since, I’m yet to get it, and I’m suffering; and I need help”, she continues.
Now 28, she was amputated at age six, when a rocket fell on thousands of Monrovia residents, who had sought refuge at Greystone, near the United States Embassy here, killing hundreds of citizens, including women and children, during which Musu faced an unimaginable horror in her life.
She recounted how life has become unbearable for her, characterized by neglect, nearly 22 years after that horrible moment.
“it hurts to be this way, even though I was fortunate to go to the US, at some point in 2006, appearing on the “Oprah Winfrey Talk Show, that was widely televised and being hopeful; though I was little, but my appearance spoke volumes in what could have been a turning page and transformation in life, but has now turned into sorrows.”
She accused the Government of Liberia of total abandonment despite series of efforts made over the years that she said yielded initial interventions.
“When I lost my arm, at Greystone, and going to Chicago, United States and appearing on the Oprah Winfrey talkshow, in what should have been from glory to glorious, has become really miserable and life is hard on me. I need help; I need education, and I need to help my sick father and siblings; thru a proper education, I can be able to help other handicapped with similar stories, like me.”
“I’m not trying to tarnish the reputation of the government, or former President Sirleaf, because she was there at the time, when her driver was dropping rice, oil, tomatoes every weekend, but that was just a short while, so I’m doing this not to criticize the government, or attack anybody, but, I want them to be reminded that I’m still here; things are very bad for me. I didn’t beg to be like this, but it is the war, and war is not good, we didn’t beg for war, we didn’t see it coming, but it happened, and they need to remember me”, she stressed.
Musu was only 3 years old when the shrapnel from a rocket cut off her right hand. In 2006, she was accompanied by former President Sirleaf to America, in Chicago, Illinois, and sat on the Oprah Winfrey show as a means of soliciting funds and getting a Prosthetic arm, but ever since she returned home, her condition has become devastating and sad. Editing by Jonathan Browne
