Monrovia – As Liberia prepares for Decoration Day, a solemn tradition where families gather to honor their deceased loved ones, Palm Grove Cemetery in the heart of Monrovia lies in a state of disrepair.
By Webster Clayeh, [email protected]
Once a historic and revered site, it is now overtaken by drug addicts who have transformed the cemetery’s graves into makeshift shelters, raising serious concerns about the safety and dignity of visitors paying their respects.
Every second Wednesday in March, the solemn occasion of Decoration Day sees the streets near cemeteries across the country filled with grieving relatives, honoring their loved ones by decorating graves. However, this will not be the case at Palm Grove Cemetery, Liberia’s oldest and most historic burial site, dating back to 1820.
For decades, Palm Grove Cemetery was a place of remembrance and reverence, particularly on Decoration Day when relatives would gather to decorate the graves of their deceased family members.
But today, it has become a symbol of neglect and decay, as the once-sacred ground is now a haven for drug addicts, criminals, and vandals.
The drug menace at Palm Grove Cemetery
Gabriel Thompson, a resident of Monrovia, is one of the many individuals who have had to endure the unsettling reality of Palm Grove Cemetery’s deterioration. He shared his disturbing experience with FrontPage Africa, describing the grave damage to his late parents’ tombstone, caused by drug addicts who have taken over the cemetery.
“Every year we come to decorate our parents’ grave, we have to fix the graves like we are building a new house. Either the top of the grave or the side of it is damaged. Drug addicts have taken over this cemetery. Last year, when we came to decorate, we could not see the steel rod, and even the tiles that were on the grave are all gone,” Thompson said.
He continued: “This year is even worse. I will see how best to transfer my parents’ graves because I can no longer see myself going to the Palm Grove Cemetery.”
Other relatives, such as Mary Kolubah, echoed Thompson’s sentiments. “I will transfer my mother’s grave to Voinjama City, Lofa County, where we buried our grandmother 10 years ago,” she said, frustrated by the state of the cemetery.
Gov’t response to the growing crisis
Despite the growing concerns, Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) has attempted to reassure the public that the cemetery will be prepared for Decoration Day. Varney Diggs, Director of Communications for the MCC, acknowledged the presence of drug addicts within the cemetery but assured the public that the Monrovia City Police would clear the area before the event.
“On Sunday, we had a mass clean-up exercise. The only thing that is still being worked on there is the ghetto. The place has been cleaned. Before Wednesday, that entire place will be prepared,” Diggs said.
He added, “The Monrovia City Police is already putting in some safety measures regarding the Decoration Day at the Palm Grove Cemetery.”
In 2016, the Liberian government spent hundreds of thousands of dollars constructing a fence around Palm Grove Cemetery in an attempt to preserve it.
However, the fence was later broken down, and the cemetery’s condition continued to worsen. Today, the cemetery is more akin to a forest and has become a hotspot for illegal drug use.
A historic site in shambles
Palm Grove Cemetery holds significant historical value. It is the final resting place of Liberia’s first President, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, along with his family members, including his mother, wife, and children.
Every year we come to decorate our parents’ grave; we have to fix the graves like we are building a new house. Either the top of the grave or the side of it is damaged. Drug addicts have taken over this cemetery. Last year, when we came to decorate, we could not see the steel rod, and even the tiles that were on the grave are all gone.
Gabriel Thompson, resident of Monrovia
These graves should be a national landmark, drawing tourists from around the world, similar to how other countries honor their founding leaders.
In contrast, the site remains neglected, and there are no efforts to preserve it as a tourist destination. In Ghana, the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Mausoleum attracts millions of dollars from tourists annually. Yet, Liberia’s own historic gravesite is left to deteriorate, despite its cultural significance.
For years, efforts by past governments to protect and preserve the site have faltered. In 2016, under the leadership of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the government proposed relocating the cemetery, but this decision was halted by then-Senator of Bong County and former Vice President, Jewel Howard-Taylor.
In her letter to the Senate at the time, Howard-Taylor argued that the cemetery was a permanent resting place for distinguished citizens and should be preserved out of national respect.
Yet, the decay continues
Marthalyn Kollie, who has family buried at Palm Grove Cemetery, believes the government should build a memorial or monument to honor those buried there.
“I think the government needs to shut this place down and build something like a throne to represent the people that are buried here,” Kollie said, adding that previous government attempts to maintain the cemetery have proven ineffective.
On Sunday, we had a mass clean up exercise. The only thing that is still being work on there is the ghetto. The place has been cleaned. Before Wednesday that entire place will be prepared. The Monrovia City Police is already putting in some safety measures regarding the Decoration Day at the Palm Grove Cemetery.
Varney Diggs, Director of Communications, Monrovia City Corporation
As Decoration Day approaches, many Liberians are grappling with the disheartening reality of a historic site turned into a symbol of neglect. With the graveyard overrun by drug addicts and criminals, families like Thompson’s are considering moving their loved ones’ remains elsewhere.
The once-sacred ground is now in dire need of attention, not just for the sake of the living who wish to honor their dead but for the sake of preserving Liberia’s history and dignity.
The government’s ongoing promises to address the situation have fallen short, leaving Palm Grove Cemetery to remain a forgotten relic of Liberia’s past, waiting for a resolution that may never come.
