My TRC Presentation: The Albert Port Experience

When I appeared before the Liberia Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), I had a lot to offer to the Commission.



When I appeared before the Commission it was on November 10, 2008. It was the 23rd annivasary of the  Quiwonkpa abortive coup in Liberia. This event, in my personal opinion, is one of the foundations to the semi-destruction of the Liberian state through a generalized anarchy of violence.


As i sat on the table provided by the Commission from where i made my presentation, I spoke on variety of issues including political personalities.



There was one man that i considered the Guru-one-man-army-social justice advocate. his name was Dr. Albert Porte. He was one of the personalities I talked about during the Presentation.



This man (in my personal opinion) stood in the middle of what happened (peace & war) to and for our country through his participation and effort to restore hope and social justice.



This is my experience with the “great” Albert Porte. Please read and study the man; study his style of social justice advocacy. And the rest will fall in place. but keep an open mind.



First, let me tell you who I am that made the difference when i first met Dr. Porte.



I was born and reared in Harper City, Maryland County, Republic of Liberia. Harper City is a little city that sits quietly and deeply in the keyhole of the southeastern region of Liberia. In Harper, we were only opportune to listen to news and never knew much about the reality of the news.



As kids, we heard “Big” names in the news. But we never were able to see those persons in reality. So we were living in a dream world. I heard about ballers. For example, I heard of Nyenetu “Santos Maria” Brown. I heard about Benedict “Mama Musa” Wesseh. I heard of Waka Herron (my spelling), Jokar Wreakar, Paul Broh and many others on the radio. One thing I know for sure, I never had the opportunity to see all those I heard about on the radio. I met some of them later on when I graduated high school and moved to Monrovia (capital of Liberia) to further my academic education.



The same applied to Albert Porte. I heard of this great man many times on the radio on how he took Presidents Tubman and Tolbert to task on social justice issues. Many times we heard about his imprisonment by government. The interesting thing was, we heard, this man was "fearless." He carried his toothpaste,  beddings and personal belongings under his arm just in case he was arrested. In other words, he was always prepared to be arrested and go to jail.



Albert Porte became more popular during the April 14, 1979 rice riot. Don't get me wrong. He was already popular. But April 14, 19179 riot gave him the tip of the iceberg. He stood “tall” against the Government. But I must confess, I wasn’t anxious to see Dr. Porte. I was anxious to see the ballers like Benedict Wesseh et al.



In fact, I crossed it out of my mind to see Dr. Porte. I didn’t know where to find him. He was out of my league. This is how I felt all along.



As for the ballers, I could find them at the ballpark.So I knew where to locate the ballers. But this man who criticized three Liberian Presidents – Tubman (27 years reign), Tolbert (9 years reign) and Doe (10 years reign) for forty years would never be seen by me. This is what i believed! Then “Bang” the unthinkable happened - I met Dr. Porte - political “Rock of Gibraltar”; one-man-army. But I didn’t know who I was looking at until later on when it hit me that was standing before the man I thought I would never see in person.





Here’s how it happened:



I was a volunteer worker at the Tubman Law Firm. Our office was located on the 3rd floor of a 21st Century piece of real estate built by the Libyans. It was built in the 80s. The Libyans gave it a name that captured my attention. They called it, "Pan African Plaza." It was located on the Tubman Boulevard. It sits right in fornt of the Monrovia City Hall. This 21st Century state-of-the-art and modern piece of real estate is where history met me face-to-face.



I was standing on the front steps looking in direction of the City Hall. Don’t ask me what I was looking at. There’s no way you can miss looking at the City Hall standing on the front steps of the Pan African Plaza. It is just directly facing the Plaza. I was standing there as if I knew an “angel” named Hon. Dr. Comrade Albert Porte would come this way that day. Suddenly I saw this short man coming towards me. He bent over a little. I found out that his bending over was due to old age.



This man was probably in his 80s. Amazingly he came walking very fast towards me as if I am the one who sent for him. I noticed he was talking to himself. Soon he was standing right in my face. Then he asked the million dollar question "Where is Winston Tubman’s office." I wanted to ask him why was he asking for the office. But the way he looked at me told me not to ask such a “dumb” question. So I said, “Let’s go!” He bounced in front of me as if I was too slow. Maybe I was too slow for him. He was bouncing like a rubber ball in front of me. I had to double up my steps to catch up with him. He kept saying, “I’m a mad young man! I’m a mad young man!” This claim sounded like a broken record, for a minute. I thought something was wrong with the man. I didn’t know what it was. And I wanted to know. But I didn't know how to ask.



Anyway, he and I hopped on the Elevator. And there’s where he began talking. By this time, I still didn’t know who he was. He kept asking me one question after another. And this was the beginning of our conversation. this is what he said, “Son, you know I am a mad young man, right?” I said, “It seems like it.” I didn’t want to make the mistake to offend this man who is throwing questions into me like ton of bricks.



He said, “Yes, I am a mad young man.” Then I asked “What happened?” It seems now he was ready to explain his problem to me. And he did.



He said, “I am the chair of the board of directors of The Daily Observer newspaper. I was at the office when President Doe and his securities got in. President Doe walked to me and slapped me. I asked why he slapped me. He said if I kept asking that question again, he would slap me again. So I asked the question again. He slapped me again. I followed him as he left the office. I kept asking him why he slapped me. He turned around and said I was lucky he didn’t kill me. Then he walked out.”



Now, here is a man expalaining a story to me. But I don't know him. I began to wonder with whom I was talking. He didn’t tell me who he was. But I still listened to him. It was only when he asked if I knew him that he told me who he was. He said, “I am Albert Porte!” Right there and then I knew history had just hit me on the forehead. I got a little bit dizzy and confused. I thought I was daydreaming. As I tried to recapture myself, the Elevator opened and we hopped out. Our office was right there. I took him to see Winston. While he was in there, I waited for him so I could escort him downstairs. But before I flinched, he sped out of the office like a meteor. I tried but couldn’t catch him. I ran down the stairs. By the time the Elevator got down in the Lobby, I was right there. I was fast that time. Because I wanted to share history with this man. As soon as I got before the elevator, the door opened. He looked me in the eye and smiled. I walked with him at the exit of the building. As soon as we got on the Boulevard, he stopped and placed his right hand on my left shoulder. Maybe he thought I was a leftist. This was at the height of the “cold war.” So he may have thought I was a leftist. He rested his hand on my shoulder. i din't feel any weight from his hand. But heard him clearly when he said, “Son, I have done my part. The rest is up to you and your Generation. This country is great. Help keep it so. Take care of yourself. And I will see you again.”



He crossed the street and walked off. I don’t remember whether he took a motor car or not. Because he left me spellbound. But one thing was clear when I came back to my senses: Albert Porte was gone from me.



I never saw Hon. Dr. Comrade Albert Port again until I heard he had passed on. His journey was done. He left to join our martyr. May his soul rest in Perfect Peace and Light Perpetual shine upon him.



The reason why I spoke about my meeting with Albert Porte was to let the TRC know while we have issues to discuss, we also have personalities who sacrificed for us as a nation. And they needed to be recognized for their selfless service to Liberia . I impressed upon the TRC that we did not come to look for only the “bad” things that happened in our country, we also needed to revisited the good things.


Albert Porte is our Hero! His name lives on!