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The Death of Prominent Gio and Mano Citizens
Sep 8, 2007
Varfley A. Dolleh

Lessons learned and Doers? An Analysis

It was with mixed apprehension and relief when news circulated that renowned war Lord and controversial “Senator Prince Y. Johnson” was embarking on a peace diplomacy in the USA, geared toward resolving the in house feud with in the “United Nimba Congress of the USA”, especially, being one of the proponents of the Civil Crisis contributed immensely in the killing of famous Nimbains, especially, the Gios and Manos. Who are some of those prominent Nimbians killed and the legacy left behind? Who are the main culprits in this heinous and despicable crime? Why did Prince Y. Johnson fail to come? These are the unanswered questions in this scholarly work.


Unearthing History:

We are told by history that Liberia was founded as a beacon of hope for the emancipated slaves that were lingering in the Americas in plantations in the worst form of human degradation in the 1800s. The proponents of the idea felt the need to protect the human race and dignify the human existence as morally required. Millions of African brothers and sisters were forcibly taken against their will to the great land of the white man, where primitiveness was prevalent. There was the demand for strong men to perform task that are mainly done today as a result of the “Industrial Revolution.” It was the dark ages were physical strength was needed in ensuring productivity.

With the demise of slavery no one thought that the bitter experience of the Diaspora as slaves would have been experimented on the indigenous upon resettlement to the motherland. The settlers were welcomed and embraced by their native’s brothers and sisters hoping that together they would have been able to steer a nation wherein, every one would have become prosperous. But, this wasn’t the case with the immediate initiation of discrimination, humiliation, annihilation, corruption, and other nepotistic tendencies at the highest level. Having done every thing to effect change peacefully, seventeen gallant men of the People Redemption Council (PRC), launched a coup against the democratically elected government of the Tolbert ending the oligarchy of the Americo-Liberians.

The rank and file of the new military regime was filled with natives and uneducated young men that were lucky to have been in the right place at the right time leading to the change of government sanctioned by the CIA. As usual, little did we know that elements of the two most powerful counties, mainly Nimba and Grand Gedeah would have started a bitter power struggle. In short, the Chairman of the Council, Master Sergeant Samuel Kayon Doe, and Commanding General, Thomas G. Quiowonpia, once best of friends would have been used against each others by some elements of the ousted Americo-Liberian oligarchy with the hope of regaining state power. Not to open old wound, we will not go in detail, but they succeeded in breeding seed of discord that led to the escape of Quiowonpia. In exile in the USA, the like of Dr. H. Boima Fambullah, Harry Grevies, and Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Dr. Amos Sawyer forced him against his will to embark on a military adventure that led to his death and others from the both end of the divide. What a tragedy that we must killed each other for the minority Americo-Liberian and their surrogates to take power? It was a terrible mistake setting the pace for the present destruction and the deep- seated division we find our selves in today. It was a feast for the children of the ousted officials that we killed our selves, while they laugh. What a mistake and what lesson did we learn?

Critical Phase of the Mission:

Upon failing to achieve the desire goal, and with no means of curtailing the growth of a government headed by a native, it was agreed to embark on a second and more despicable and diabolical phase through the rebel activities. Among the first group of recruits in this process prominent among them was “lieutenant Prince Y. Johnson a native and admirable AFL soldier and a Gio by tribe and now senior Senator of Nimba County. Knowing his military ingenuity, the Americo-Liberians wasted no time in igniting the candle of disunity and misinformation so that the two tribes could go against each other in order for the young and fragile military dictatorship to collapse. And this was the case with the immediate recruitment of mainly the Gio element that dominated the force of the “National Patriotic Front of Liberia” (NPFL). He was one of the first groups that met President of Mummer Khadaffi and underwent training at the Thajura Base in Libya. Following the completion of the training, the first mission was to viciously kill Thomas Sankara in order to have Burkina Faso used as staging point for the rebellion. One of the reasons for that was to avenge the death of the late Tolbert son that was married to Houphet’s daughter through the ousting of Samuel Doe. Realizing the revolutionary nature of Captain Thomas Sankara and his opposition to the idea, it was agreed that he should be killed allowing his Vice President and present President of Burkina Faso, another in-law to the late Ivorian President to take over the Presidency. The late Sankara had rejected the idea of killing Doe and it repercussion on the West African sub-region. This was the beginning of the elimination process of any one considered as a hindrance to the struggle executed with the prominent Gios and Manos of Nimba County being of no exception and we innumerate below:

Prominent Nambians Killed:

Jackson Doe, from the Gio Tribe:

Amidst cries and hoping that God will shower his boundless Grace upon his soul, I am compelled to ask who killed this political icon of the soil? This issue will have to be resurrected so that some of us that greatly admired this political guru will understand the intricacies involve helping us to positively gauge the future. Why was he killed? It must be made known that the late Jackson Doe was a political messiah and mentor to thousands of Liberians. He is regarded as the person that won the 1985 General Election in Liberia. It is not strange that he decided to go to Nimba County during the heat of Civil War. Capitalizing on his popularity with his constituency, he felt the need to seek protection in Nimba County. Unfortunately, on his way the “White Collar Rebels” in the NPFL being afraid of this man popularity decided that he be arrested. Upon his arrest in Kakata enroute to Nimba, he was taken to Buchana where the “White Collar Rebels” with in the NPFL, mainly the so- called aristocrats or Americo-Liberians met in Abidjan and decided that he should be killed in cold blood. But the irony is why would the Gios and Mano fighters killed their own leader, instead of having him protected? It was a sad history when this renowned politician was brutally murdered in broad daylight amidst cries for mercy, but to no avail. From credible sources with in the inner circle of the NPFL, they were afraid of his power and tremendous influence, which led to his killing. The perpetrators of this heinous crime must be brought to justice. All options are opened. If it didn’t hurt the Nimba intelligentsia, I am bamboozled.

Moses Dupuoe:

He was an astute politician with an enviable public record. He once served under the late Samuel Doe as Labor Minister. He weeded considerable influence in Nimba County. He was a major opinion leader that could shift policy in the County. He was the first Secretary General of the NPFL. Apart, he and Taylor married to two sisters. He granted an interview in Nigeria during the early days of the revolution regarding the shortcomings of the leadership. He wanted sanity to prevail in the movement as per his interview, which annoyed the leadership. He was killed in similar circumstances like the Jackson Doe. Upon his returned to Nimba County, again, it alleged that Prince Johnson and other were given order to kill him, which was effected immediately. It was a sad chapter with in the movement.

Samuel Dokie:

He was a founding member of the NPFL, a native of the County that commended the respect and admiration of the young Nimbians. He fell from grace with the Leadership of the NPFL, for deviating from the original plan of the movement. He was former Internal Affairs Minister of the NPRAG. He left the NPFL along with Supuwood and Garweah Makintouch and formed their wing of the NPFL that was considered as a betrayal by Charles Taylor. On his way to the wedding of his sister, he was surreptitiously arrested in Gbanga, where he was tortured and murdered. Again, it was sons of the County that executed this heinous directive, especially Benjeman Yetan and others.

Vice President Enouh Doglea:

The late Doglea, was a member of the Special Forces Commando that underwent training at the Thajura Military Camp, in Tripoli, Libya. He won the support of many Nimbians for being mute and a neutralist. He was accused of being part of a plot to kill Taylor. He was beaten on the farm of Mr. Taylor leading to kidney failure and other damages to his internal organs. He was rushed to Abidjan, were he was killed amidst controversy. Again, it was his own kinsmen that carried out the directive to kill their own son of the soil.

David G. Doyan:

A reputable statesman that works assiduously in bridging the gap between the various tribes in Nimba County. He was made Superintendent of the Nimba, during the Tolbert era, and Minister Commerce under the late Samuel Doe. He was killed for fear that he would shift policies with in the control of the NPFL. Was viciously killed by Prince Johnson in Nimbi County. May his soul rest in peace. Again, we need an answer why were you fooled to kill your own brother?

John Yomie:

Mr. Yomie, Former Police Director under the first interim arrangement under Dr. Amos Sawyer, and former Deputy Director, Ministry of National Security. The late Yomie, is famous for the slashing of the ear of the late Doe. He was also killed in broad daylight following the unsealing of the indictment that would have arrested Taylor, while in Accra, Ghana. He was slaughtered by Bejeman Yetan with acquiesce of some senior Gio and Mano Officials in the Taylor Government.

Edwin Viee:

Like Mr. Yomie, Mr. Viee was arrested for being part of a plot to have killed the NPFL leader. He was arrested along with former Vice President, Moses Bleh. Although, Mr. Bleh pardoned by Taylor, while Mr. Viee was slaughtered on Sugar Beach out side Monrovia. He served as Deputy Public Work Minister under the Charles Taylor. Again, it was his own Nimbains that butchered him.

Other Gios and Manos Death:

It would be a disservice and sheer lack of respect to the thousands of ordinary Gios and Manos that were killed by Senator Prince Y. Johnson amidst his military conquest to have the Samuel Doe Government ousted. I am aware of the sadness of the thousands of brothers and sisters killed in the process. It is pity that enough blood is on the Senator hand that he can’t just washed out. I am mindful of the cries of those innocent souls yearning for justice. I am aware of their cries for decent burial befitting them as Nimbains. This is the message they are grieving to unveil. May their soul and the souls of all of the thousands killed unjustifiably rest in perfect peace.

Senator Johnson Failure to Come to the USA:

I read the article of Ms. Mapeah Gono regarding the failure of the controversial Senator to have made the trip amidst the euphoria. I understand the school of thought of the young political actor in venting out her frustration as a staunch member of UNICCO. However, we must pity the condition of Senator Prince Y. Johnson. He is afraid to face the wrath of the thousands of Nimbians killed by him at the time when they couldn’t do any thing. Who knows what some may have done to him overtly or covertly? Apart, he is mindful of the brutal killing of the late Samuel K. Doe and the danger associated in visiting one of the strong bases of the Krahn in the USA. In short, I was told that he would have visited the Philadelphia area. Although not being a security, I confided to a friend that if I were in the Senator shoes, I wouldn’t have come in the territory of the hard-core Krahn in the Pennsylvania area for fear of a reprisal. Any thing is possible. Compounding the issue, it must be noted that others were planning to have filed lawsuit against the Senator for crimes committed against their relatives. I am told reliably that people had already filed lawsuit in the Common Wealth of Pennsylvania, the NY District Court and Rhode Island, where the Convention was held. I think it was a strategic move on the part of the Senator.

Lessons Learned:

To the Nimbians, Why did you kill your own people? Why did you kill Jackson Doe? Why did you kill Samuel Dokie? Why did you kill David Doyan? Why did you kill Moses Dupuo? Why did you kill John Yomie? Why you couldn’t stop the elimination of your intellectuals? Why you couldn’t understand that you were being used as instrument of destruction? Don’t you read the writing on the wall that you were being used as an instrument of destruction? What did you achieve in the killing of your prominent politicians? Why did people keep passive for fear of reprisal from Mr. Taylor? What did “UNICO” do at the time to abort the situation? We need an answer!!! I am hurt amidst tears for the brain drain created as a result of your unimaginable crimes.

Hypothetically granted, if you had told a “Dennis, Walker, Stewart, Bestman, Greives, Banks, Cooper, Johnson or Tolbert, to kill any of their brothers, such request would have been rejected. This is the reality of the situation. No group of citizens would have done what you did to your own sons. It was madness at the highest level. I can recall during the heat of the “Mandingo and Krahn War” when former member of the Council of State Hon. Thomas Zeah pledged allegiance to Alhaji Kromah. However, during the “April 6, 1996 War” in Monrovia, sensing his vulnerability, he sought sanctuary at the “BTC Military Barrack” where he was arrested for betrayal of his people. But the Krahn people didn’t kill him, although court martial, punished and later released. Probably, if he had been a Nimbian in such a situation he would have been slaughtered. It is a shame. Why did you allow the Americo-Liberians to use you as the billy goat to decimate your intelligentsia? Why you couldn’t comprehend that the children of the white-collar rebels were in schools in America, Europe and other areas, while you eliminate your own people? What lesson did you learn? Are you not aware that they are all back today in governance in Monrovia, while you are still fighting among your self? You need to graduate and redeem you self from the stigma of the dark past. There is the need of a spiritual healing and renewness in the new dispensation in Liberia.

Unity of Purpose:

Unifying the indigenous can no longer be over emphasized in the wake of the unfolding development, which should serve as a wake up call. Why should we fight as indigenous? The Mandingoes, Gios and Manos must all learn to reconcile their differences. It is to the pleasure of our enemies that we should be fighting and scrambling for land. Why don’t we sit on a round table conference and have all of the feuding issues on land resolved? This is my clarion call to UNICCO and other farsighted Nimbians to initiate the process. This is our dream in the new Liberia. We should never allow our selves to be used any more by that so-called Americo-Liberian at our own detriment. I am aware of the negative feed backs, the moment one mentions the issue of disparity between the natives and those who referred to themselves as the aristocratic Americo Liberians. In recent times, I have been bombarded for writing on the “Reemergence of the Americo-Liberian Hegemony”. Many have considered my thoughts as being divisive and confrontational. On the other hand others have threatened to harm me if I went to Liberia. Nevertheless, hundreds have commended me and inspired for the consciousness being built leading to self-actualizations. But one thing is certain; we will never capitulate amidst the daily threats and humiliations. In fact, we intend to come out with an addendum on the “Reemergence of the Americo-Liberian Hegemony in one of our publications soon. Never again should the indigenous allow them to be used to the pleasure of those Americo-Liberians. You need to heed to my admonition and embark upon the peace diplomacy as you digest the feed back of your just ended Convention in Rhode Island.

Varfley1@yahoo.com or (215)-666-2506, PA, USA we want to hears your critical thoughts