Monrovia-Former President Samuel Kanyon Doe died in a dishonorable manner at the hands of rebels that sought the overthrow of his government – almost one year after launching an armed insurrection from neighboring Ivory Coast through the town of Butuo, Nimba County.
However, three decades after his death, the former President is about to get an honorably befitting burial, to close the painful chapter that marred his departure.
Processes leading to the befitting and honorable reburial of late President Samuel Kanyon Doe have begun in earnest as the Liberian government has taken the first giant step in keeping with set protocols.
On Tuesday, Book of Condolence in honor of the fallen head of state was officially opened and signed by current and former presidents of the Republic – a moment that draws cloud of reflection and honoring of the life of the slain President.
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai kicked the ball rolling when he, accompanied by array of government officials, signed the Book of Condolence – a national ritual that accounts for and memorizes national leaders, their services to the motherland.
Former President George Weah also signed the Book of Condolence immediately after his predecessor did so.
The President and former President have had good relationship with the former President. President Boakai served in his administration as Agriculture Minister while he played pivotal role in shaping the former President’s football carear.
Held at the historic Centennial Pavilion on Ashmud Street, the occasion drew both ordinary citizens and family members of the fallen President, and most significantly reignited bewailing feelings that associated with the loss of loved one.
How we got here?
Reburying the former President stemmed from President Boakai announcement of January while delivering his annual message that the government would give befitting reburial to late Presidents William R. Tolbert and Samuel K. Doe.
Late President Samuel Doe rose to the national political theatre during the April 12, 1980 bloody coup staged by seventeen enlisted men of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) against the government of then President Willian R. Tolbert, who came to power following the death of the death of President William V.S. Tubman in 1971 in London following a brief sickness.
As the only high-ranking officer among the coup plotters, Doe was named to head the People’s Redemption Council as head of state, thus ending decades of elitism and hegemony of the True Whig Party (TWP) – the party that obviously led Liberia few years after independence.
Though Liberia witnessed elevating levels of infrastructural transforming including the construction of national buildings and roads, Doe’s leadership was also marred by tension.
With the constitution suspended, Doe’s PRC government ruled by decrees and exhibited dictatorial tendencies, arresting, jailing and executing opponents as well as cracking down on dissent.
In an effort to root his grip on power, Doe went after most of the coup plotters – members of the PRC including Thomas Weh-Sen, J. Nicholas Podier and many others.
His foremost friend, General Thomas Quiwonkpa and him felt apart, accusing him of betraying and diverting the essence of revolution in place of his desire to hold unto power.
Rigged 1985 elections
In a bit to legitimize his leadership, the late President Doe formed a political party ahead of the 1985 elections – National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL)- and declared his intention to run for office. He was challenged by Jackson Fiah Doe – a native of Nimba County- who ran on the ticket of the Liberia Action Party (LAP).
Owing to Doe’s iron-fist leadership, Liberians opted for a change and put their weight behind the LAP candidate, but Doe was declared winner of the elections in a move that shocked the nation.
Liberians resisted the late president’s bold-faced rigging of the elections, but could not overturn the results as the army came to his defence.
Angered by the late President’s rigging of the elections and his brutal leadership, some of his friends rose up to dethrone him. In November 1985, Quiwonkpa with the help of some exiled politicians staged a coup.
However, due to alleged poor planning and coordination, the coup failed and Doe came on top few hours later. Quiwonkpa was subsequently captured and killed.
These troubling developments culminated into the organization of the rebellion launched in December 1989 to remove him from power through arms insurrection.
During the insurrection that raged from 1989 to 2003, Doe was captured in September 1990 by rebels loyal to the Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL) and subsequently died a day later as a result of macabre torturing he suffered.
The late President did not get any honorable burial considering how was captured and killed, in addition to the fact Liberia was mired in a turbulent period of war that left 2,500 citizens dead and thousand of properties destroyed.
Honorable reburial declaration
In his Annual Message delivered on January 27, 2025, President Boakai declared the government’s commitment to accord dignified burials to President Tolbert and his Cabinet Members who were killed in April 1980, as well as President Doe, who was slain during the Liberian civil war.
He said the historic initiative was part of the government’s broader efforts to foster national unity, reconciliation, and healing by bringing closure to a painful chapter in Liberia’s history.
Individuals appointed to serve on the Reburial Committee are Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, Minister of Education (Chairperson); the Right Reverend James B. Sellee, Bishop of the Episcopal Church of Liberia; Bishop Samuel J. Quire, Bishop of the United Methodist Church; Senator Zoe Pennue, Grand Gedeh County; Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, Montserrado County; Clavendar Parker, Senior Citizen; Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia; Brigadier General Davidson Fayiah Forleh, Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL); Ambassador Ethel Davis, Member, Policy Advisory Council (PAC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; Alfreda Tamba, April 22nd Memorial Group; Benoni Urey, Former Director General, Liberia Maritime Authority; John T. Richardson; and Rev. Emmett Dun.
“This initiative represents a significant step toward national healing and reconciliation, acknowledging Liberia’s complex history while striving for a united and peaceful future,” he said.
In a related development, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has expanded the Terms of Reference of the ECOMOG Memorial Committee to include recognition of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) for its pivotal role in restoring peace and stability to the nation.
The President initially constituted the ECOMOG Memorial Committee on January 29, 2025, under the Chairmanship of Major General (Rtd) Daniel Ziankahn. The committee was tasked with honoring the contributions of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in Liberia’s peace process.
With this expansion, the committee will also undertake the rehabilitation of the Peace Monument on Du-port Road and reinitiate efforts to identify locations of mass graves across the country.
Following ECOMOG’s intervention in 1990, UNMIL launched its largest peacekeeping mission at the time in Liberia in 2003.
Over the course of its mandate, UNMIL played a critical role in stabilizing the country, overseeing the disarmament process, facilitating democratic elections in 2005, and laying the foundation for nation-building and governance reforms.
The United Nations also established a peacebuilding framework that continues to support Liberia’s progress both domestically and internationally.
“Today, Liberia celebrates over 22 years of uninterrupted peace. In recognition of the sacrifices and contributions of both ECOMOG and UNMIL, the Government of Liberia is committed to ensuring they receive the highest honor and appreciation from a grateful nation,” the press release noted.
Tension from cows, cash donations
Former President George Manneh Weah and his successor, President Joseph
Nyuma Boakai have been made spectacles of division, ridicule and acrimony within the Doe family and amongst the largest Liberian citizenry over their respective gestures towards the bereaved family- all of which were done in good faith.
A donnybrook has since erupted over the donations of cash and cows by the sitting and former Presidents with the Doe family, through Veronica Mamie Doe, rejecting that of the former and accepting the current in manners likened to politics and tit-for-tat.
With few weeks to the burial of the former first Lady and the reburial of her late husband, former President Samuel Kanyon Doe in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County, the situation remains bleak and sticky as to how the family will jell and find a soothing leverage.
Rather than focusing and ensuring that their parents and relatives are given befitting burials free of politics and tensions, some members of the family appeared to be concerned about creating smog in the public domain, painting one donor black and celebrating another.
In all of the cows and cash overtures and brouhaha, it seems that President Boakai is laughing the best laugh while his predecessor is being made a public ridicule.
How it started
The brawl which beclouds the death, memory and legacy of the former stateswoman, stemmed from former President George Weahreaching out to the bereaved Doe family.
The former head of state’s nightmare began with a statement of condolence to the Doe family a day after the death of former First Lady Nancy Bohn Doe. In the statement, he acknowledged her role and contributions to the country and people, saying “her passing is a blow to the nation and the family.” He also reflected on the deceased First Lady husband impact on his life when he was President, helping to shape his professional soccer life.
No sooner than later, the Doe family, through Veronica Mamie Doe, issued a cack and scathing response to the former President statement, highlighting betrayal and trying to score political gains. She accused him of failing to help the former First Lady when she cried for her benefits for herself and late husband.
Madam Doe rebuttal created both political and ideological fireballs, spurring huge public debate with shroud of partisan political interests.
Apparently not moved by the response from Madam Doe and owing to his own peaceful nature, the former President furthered his outreach with a visit to the home of the bereaved family, using the time to present a cash amount of $5000USD and two cows to aid with the funeral and reburial of Mrs. Doe and Mr. Doe.
However, to the apparent bewilderment of the former President, ordinary citizens and some members of the Doe family, Madam Doe used the privilege of being the face of the bereavement and reburial processes, slapped the former President Weah in the face, by rejecting his gesture of cash and cows donations.
Her decision to reject the gifts from former President Weah has caused serious chasm in the Doe family with one group of distancing itself from her action, accusing her of seeking self-aggrandizement and political relevance.
President Boakai Role
The cows donation drama took another twist when President Boakai reached out to the family, donating five cows and cash, following his predecessor’s footsteps.
The President’s donation has been received with open hands and a humble heart by the Doe family represented by Miss Doe.
She thanked the Liberian leader for standing with the family in their time of bereavement and assured him of the family support.
The Doe family paid the President a courtesy visit at his Rehab Residence, during which he announced that he would be in Zwedrufor the funeral and reburial of Mrs Doe and former President Doe.
The ugly developments may matter no more as the government got under way protocols for the reburial of the former President Doe in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County.
