April 24, 2018
We were 6 young, smart and astute students graduating high school between 1978 and 79. Two of us were juniors and the other four were seniors. We attended The Bishop Ferguson Episcopal High School in the outskirt of Harper City, Maryland County, Republic of Liberia. Maryland, sits deep in the belly and keyhole of the southeastern region of the country. So, it's a faroff land in Liberia. And that speaks volumes!
Ourstory (not history) that I'm about to bring into your presence is of epic proportion. It took place in 1979. It is very long. But I will give you a short version. Because FB has limited space.
Besides myself, the other five includes, Bhofal Chambers (Now Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Liberia), Czaar Freeman, Jerry Nyepon, Burgess Tubman and Stanley Bedell (deceased) may his gallant and militant soul rest in peace as he joined our martyrs. Six of us were detained briefly by the late President William R. Tolbert government.
Here how it started:
We were in class that morning when a Military truck arrived on Campus. Our classrooms had glass windows. And they were always kept very cleaned everyday by the sanitation engineer. So our outside view from our classrooms was always unhindered. Everyone could clearly see the Military truck that arrived on Campus that morning. It came with well-armed military men. Even though at that time, the entire nation was tensed and gripped with fear, as progressives criticized the OAU summit, which made the Government nervous, students naturally have had certain vibes that are always correct in these sort of situations. That day, the students proved it. Every student in the junior class with Jerry and I, began to point to us (Jerry and I). Because they had the feeling that we were the ones the Government was after due to involvement in politics.
The arrest started from the Senior class. They picked up Czaar Freeman, Burgess Tubman, Bhofal Chambers and Stanley Bedell. Then to the Junior class. They picked up Jerry Nyepon and I. After the pickups were done, the entire school turned upside down. It was disrupted for more than a week. Because students painfully witnessed their classmates, comrades and friends being taken away by the power-that-be. And that wasn't a good feeling!
When we arrived at the Administration Building, (a two-minute driving time from our Campus) offices of the Superintendent and Local government, where a council of men were well seated and well-dressed, noticeably the yard was packed to overflow. The news had already spread all over the City. Market women, students and parents, gathered in the yard. Some were already in tears and others beginning to mourn. Because, these were dangerous times in the country. And thinking of what the Government was saying and could do to us, scared every parent.
Why did the Government arrest and detained us, you may ask?
Simple! We authored a weekly magazine called, "The Voice of The People" in which we openly condemned the hosting and the unnecessary expenses of the OAU summit. Looking at how the Government was reacting to these criticisms around the country, we also openly declared an impending declaration of a generalized anarchy of violence in the not-too-distant future, if the Government failed to exercise restraint in those troubling times.
Our Declaration and Forecast provoked the Government into reactionary measures. And so it detained us! It brought us before a council of great men (I don't remember seeing a woman on that Council) to quiz and interrogate us. The exercise was excruciating. But we protruded. The experience was priceless. But we admired our courage. The test to our young souls and hearts were tantamount to a "Wilderness Experience." And we embraced it with fearlessness!
We build an unshakable and incomparable internal resolve in maintaining our Declaration and Forecast. Even how fruitlessly hard the Government tried to psychologically torture us, we were resolute!
Few months later, the April 14, 1979 Rice Riot took place. One year later, the Military ousted the Civilian government and instituted a military regime. Consequently, tens and tens of innocent men and women lost their lives as many others gnashed their teeth. Time and conditions proved us right. For our Forecast and Declaration had come to past. Liberia, a one-time peaceful nation, will never be the same ever again!
There's more to come. Go to the thomasbedell.blogspot.com
I am T. Gbuo-Mle Bedell, a volunteer worker, social justice advocate, victim of police brutality and political persecution, speaking and working on the ground pro bono in Liberia.
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