On a fateful evening of Wednesday, January 19, 2022, over 31 persons were victimized including 11 children among hundreds who had converged on the D. Twe Memorial High School Football field in the Borough of New Kru Town, an outskirt of Monrovia at a church crusade hosted by the General Overseer of the Word of Life Outreach Mission International, Abraham Kromah.
The victims, some of whom were confirmed dead on the spot while others reportedly died at various hospitals due to the gravity of wounds sustained in a stampede after the crusade ended.
A stampede survivor described the incident saying: “I was lying down on the ground and the people were walking on me last night. I began to wake up and say your help me, your help me. I was pushing myself outside but someone was hauling my foot for me to stay there. We were under attack…”
The stampede was reportedly carried out by the very worshippers who were leaving the overheating venue but got terrified when they encountered some disadvantaged youths known as “Zogos” who had apparently robbed the first group of worshippers made their way out of the field earlier or immediately after the crusade ended.
Unfortunately, to-date, the families of the deceased have never gotten redress neither was anyone held culpable for the incident as some of the dead were interred by their own relatives while others were buried in a mass grave but that incident remains a terror for many running after signs and wonders.
Another memorable scene which was considered a tragic event occurred on July 26 when pro-government supporters clashed with innocent student protesters right before the US Embassy near Monrovia.
The ghastly attack by the justified pro-government group mainly identified as the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)-Council of Patriots against the protesting students of the University of Liberia on that Tuesday, Liberia’s Independence Day daunted the ability of the ruling party to uphold the protection and its support for basic human rights as many Liberians still condemn the act.
Videotaped and evidences are still glaring, yet the Weah-led government has remained mute with six months gone with absolutely nothing said further about the victims or perpetrators of such bloody violence in the country.
That day was one of the usual days when students would gather in protest to hold their government accountable for doing wrong or something unusual and the government would also plant bad apples in their midst to create a scary scene.
The University of Liberia’s campus-based Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) that was believed to be nursing wounds from some brutal attacks before the United States Embassy in Central Monrovia had returned to present a statement to the United States Government on the worsening economic, security and governance issues in Liberia, characterized by systemic corruption and abuses.
SUP members were mal-handled in the presence of the state police as student Christopher “Walter Sisulu” Sivili reported to be badly wounded was taken out of Liberia to an unknown destination for further medical treatment and since then, his case has become one of the worst case-scenarios under the CDC-led government as the year ends with nothing heard of his condition as the last ever heard about him was that his condition was worsening.
A video recording that went viral about Sivili on social media during the heartless ordeal reminded Liberians of the inhumane treatment and painful murder of the then sitting President, Samuel Kanyon Doe, by rebel fighters under the command of the then Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL) leader, Prince Yormie Johnson.
During Liberia’s 175th Independence Day celebration, Sivili was allegedly attacked mercilessly by the CDC Council of Patriots (CDC – COP) thereby portraying him naked while several others of SUP were badly injured.
SUP’s Secretary General, Jusu Kamara alleged on Fabric FM that people were still after the wounded student’s life just as in the case of Jestina Taylor at the hands of the ruling CDC party for freedom of expression.
Finally, this institution’s most memorable event will not be chronicled without mentioning the death of its second Managing Editor, Philip N. Wesseh whose pen always concluded with ‘I REST MY CASE.”
The ‘Gina’, as this veteran media icon was known by many, died on September 28 at the John F. Kennedy Hospital after battling diabetes that was accompanied by pressure in its late days; for which he was aided by President Weah out of Liberia for advanced medical treatment.
Upon his return, PNW was unable to return to active media and though died at age 64 and upon his demise, throngs of Liberians in and out of the country as well as foreign residents paid homage to his ever-green memory while the management team has kept his legacy, The Inquirer, alive.
As this paper concludes 2022, it is with a heavy heart that this legacy continues to make strides without this innovative and people-centered mentor, teacher and boss but his attributes continue to be the guide of the staff as well as the entire board…to his living memory, the institution as a family say Rest in Peace the great Gina and all those who lost their lives in 2022.
