I join the whole Republic of Liberia today as we mourn the death and celebrate the fantastic life of legendary Clara Ayo Cole-Nyema, a diligent businesswoman a great community leader. Clara was about as close to a perfect human being as one could find. She was kind, honest, friendly, genuine, professional, and multi-talented. Clara was a beautiful and gentlewoman in every sense of the word. She was devoted to her God, her husband, family, friends and colleagues. It seems that she always had time for everyone. This was one of her many qualities that endeared her to Maryland.
Without going into an entire summary of Clara’s
career and life, please allow me to share a few special personal recollections.
Like so many of us, I have strong and fond
memories of sitting in the back of a community development meeting with others listening
to Clara speaking on the things that affect the lives of our women and the
community as a whole. I wondered how she knew we were waiting for her in the
office of Bishop Nyema Dalieh to begin discussion on the process and formality
of a reunion approach to the problems of Maryland County. As soon as she walked
in, she bowed to us and apologized for the long wait. Then it hit me this lady
was civilized and accommodating.
The stark memory of Ayo goes back when we were
kids on Marsh Street (the last street moving parallel to Maryland Avenue)
Harper City. There we came to know each other innocently. She was very young.
And so was I.
We snuck up to the Ascension Day Church which
was used as a school building. It was few yards away from Ayo’s dad’s house. As
for me, it was more than hundreds of yards away from my Aunt’s residence. But I
was always there to catch up with the fun time. We waited for Ayo to come out
of the Church. When she came out, she would look at us and say, "Hello friends!
Do have names. And I would always be the first to say, “My name is Thomas!” And
everybody would join me and say, “Wow! what a beautiful girl!" And we
would run in different directions. She’s shy and we are shy too!
When on May 31, 2010 Havea (the vessel on
which Ayo was riding) wrecked and I heard she was the first to call people on
shore as to what was obtaining and I heard the sorrowful comments she was
making before she perished along with others, I knew right away, such is life
and such is the condition. Ayo was bidding us farewell forever. If there was
something I could do, I would have bowed to her feet and give my life to save
her. But it happened so fast. It caught every human person unaware.
May Ayo’s soul and the others on board with
her who also lost their precious lives rest in perfect peace and light perpetual
shine upon her.
I am Thomas G. Bedell, working and speaking on
the ground in Liberia
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