…Over Sale of Church’s Property
By Perry B. Zordyu
Liberia-The Christian cycle recently became an area of interest as many believers in the country have termed as a Christian genocide among Liberia’s founding churches as both members of the Baptist and Methodist have begun desperate moves to uphold the image and integrity of the Christian faith.
Over the weekend, the Liberia Baptist Women’s Missionary Union was seen at the national headquarters of the Liberia Baptist Mission & Educational Convention protesting over the church’s property that has been allegedly sold to a foreign national.
Addressing reporters during the protest, the President of the Liberia Baptist Women Missionary Union, Madam Marion Grace Wesseh, said it has gotten to the attention of the church, especially the women, that the lone property has been sold to a foreign national for 20 years.
Madam Marion Grace Wesseh noted that they had been reliably informed that a portion of the national headquarters of the church in Congo Town was given for 20 years to a foreigner for US $26,250, which, according to her, undermines the integrity of the church and the nature of the headquarters.
She stressed that before their protestation, they had written the Executive Committee and the President of the Baptist Church but did not materialize to the letter, some of which are in the possession of New Republic Newspaper.
The women group head furthered that it is not the first time for property belonging to the church to be sold but warned of the only property left for the church, adding that the youths and children within the church will need said property to continue the good legacy of the church.
“We have come to let the people of Liberia know and members belonging to the Baptist that our property has been sold. If you enter the compound, you will see construction ongoing and that the foreigner has become bringing in materials, some of which are 4 pieces of 44ft container already situated in the compound,” she lamented.
The women dressed up all in their yellow t-shirts and black trousers with placards of different inscriptions, unanimously voiced their disappointment in the President of the church, Rev. Samuel Reeves, and the Executive Secretary, Rev. Morris Siah for acknowledging the illegal intrusion of foreigners into the premises of the church and erecting structures.
They argued that since the refusal of both the Executive Board and the President, the four axillaries of the church comprising the men, women, youth and the Sunday school have resolved to adequately render necessary solutions that will help safeguard the church property.
Marion Grace Wesseh emphasized that the church is heading for a convention in February of 2025, thus prompting them to hurriedly begin protesting for the church’s property. She noted that the Elder Council headed by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai failed to help resolve the issues.
She maintained, “We gave Rev. Samuel Reeves and his associates two weeks but failed to meet up with our proposal. All efforts to mitigate and stop foreign nationals from doing business and erecting structures, and we are going to a convention in February. We do not want to hear during the convention that our property has been given out. Since October 29, 2024, Rev. Reeves has not called us or text us about our request that prompted our action today.”
At the same time, the Baptist Women Missionary Union is calling on the President of the church, Rev. Samuel Reeves, to immediately convene an emergency board of managers meeting before the February convention.
When contacted, the Executive Secretary, Rev. Morris Siah, termed the allegation as false and misleading and only intended to tarnish the image of the church. Rev. Siah explained that at no time did the leadership of the church sell land or lease land to any foreigner or anyone, but the women only wanted to disrupt the planned convention schedule for February 2025.
This paper established that the alleged property situated opposite former President Charles Taylor’s house in Congo Town is undergoing some construction and that a fence has been built and containers already into the alleged property. However, we remain committed to following the story as it unfolds.
