The First Meeting - Numoweh & Kudemoweh Chiefdoms, Harper City, Maryland County (Liberia)

First Mass Meeting - Numoweh & Kudemoweh Chiefdoms, Harper City, Maryland County




Sunday, February 6, 2011 marked one of the greatest events and conventions of our time. It took place in the city of Harper and the county of Maryland, Republic of Liberia.



Paramount, clan & town chiefs, presidents of Kudemoweh & Numoweh development associations, market women, young girls & boys, heads of FEMUS (Federation of Maryland University Student Associations of Monrovia & Harper) including heads of Churches, youths, potential political candidates (WaKla Neufville, Geroge Prowd, Emmanuel Walker et al) friends and well wishers met at the First Mass Meeting of the Numoweh & Kudemoweh chiefdoms in Harper City, Maryland County.



This meeting is being referred to as “The First Meeting.” Because it is one of its kind ever to be convened in most recent years. It sets the basis for reunification talks between both Numoweh & Kudemoweh chiefdoms.



One hundred and fifty (150) persons were physically in attendance.



All of this took place in Harper City, Maryland County, Republic of Liberia. As you may know, Harper City is the capital of Maryland County. Maryland is in the deep keyhole of the southeastern region of Liberia.



Within Maryland, there are three political districts: Harper, Pleebo/Sodokeh and Karluway districts.



In the Harper Districts there are two chiefdoms: Numoweh and Kudemoweh chiefdoms.



Since Harper is the capital city of Maryland County, it is considered the “Center of Power” in Maryland. Therefore, if two of the chiefdoms within the “Center of Power” fall into a conflict, the County is bound to tremble in the conflcit. This is the case in current day Maryland. Both (Numoweh & Kudemoweh) Chiefdoms slipped into minor misunderstanding and the entire county is wobbling in misunderstandings.



Both chiefdoms comprised of the Grebo tribe which has legitimacy to ownership of the County.



The Grebo tribe’s claim to the ownership of the land of Maryland is no different from that of other tribes’ in Liberia.



For example, the Geos and Manos in Liberia lay claims to the ownership of Nimba. The Bassa tribe als makes similar claims to the ownership of Grand Bassa County. The same applies to the Krus - they lay claims to the ownership of Sinoe and Grand Kru. Others tribes in Liberia have similar claims. Whether or not the claim of ownership to lands in Liberia by tribes is correct becomes another question. But the truth remains, each time any of the tribes in each location in the various counties slip into a conflict, the entire county slips into conflict, as well. And this, in most, if not all cases, continues to hold down progress in Liberia.



Maryland County is not an exception.



The Numoweh and Kudemoweh chiefdoms in Maryland have slipped into (what I call) minor conflict years ago. Today, the conflict is eating up the County. Consequently, infrastructural and human resource development are on a go-slow. In the event both chiefdoms reunite, the entire county will experience a relief.



So calling for peace, unity and togetherness between both chiefdoms in the Harper District is the right step in the right direction for Maryland.



In this case, the reunion of the Numoweh and Kudemoweh chiefdoms is a development whose time has come.



February 6, 2011 Meeting of both chiefdoms is the First in many years. Thus, the meeting is referred to as the “First.“

One hundred and fifty men and women (young, elderly, prominent persons) met in the former Jehovah Witnesses Kingdom Hall on Water Street (opposite the late Ma Lima’s residence) to begin peace talks.



This all-important meeting led to a follow-up meeting at the Bedell residence the following day (Monday, February 7). Chiefs and heads of both Chiefdoms came together to put in the final “nail” for a delegation to travel to Monrovia in order to meet with President Sirleaf. The Delegation will present troubling issues facing the county such as ending ritualistic killings, discouraging extrajudicial punishment, force disappearance and in the end find ways and means for the Government to pay Reparation to the many shipwreck victims in Maryland.



I am Thomas G. Bedell speaking ands working on the ground in Liberia.