Gyude Bryant deserves a state funeral
By Thomas Bedell
I have been reading in the dailies that the family of Chairman Charles Gyude Bryant are rejecting the participation of the Liberian government in the funeral ceremonies that will take him to his final resting place, thus taking away his rightful dues as a former head of state of the Republic of Liberia.
I don’t know how true this is but I will say what I said when some Liberians in the US refused to give Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf the courtesy to speak to Liberians during her travel to the US, to make campaign statement during the 2005 Presidential election.
I said to those Liberians who refused Ellen a platform to speak to her fellow compatriots: “What the heck; let the oldma speak!”
The reason those Liberians did not want Ellen to speak at the time was because of the statement she reportedly made: “Level the Executive Mansion and we will rebuild it.” And of course she admitted making those comments during the early days of the civil war that plunged the nation into decadence.
All things considered, I thought the oldma needed to speak. And she did!
I will say the same today, “Heck, let the Liberian government give Gyude his dues – give him a state funeral with a 21-gun salute. He deserves it!”
Did the Liberian government do any harm to Chairman Gyude? Probably, it did! But does that take away from him his dues as a former Head of State of the Republic of Liberia? I say no!
Take a step further and ask: “Did the Liberian government treat the body of President William Vacanarat Shadrach Tubman – the nation’s longest serving President the same way when he died?
But did Tubman not get his due respect as a former Head of State of the Republic of Liberia? Yes, he got it!
Don’t stop there.
Ask the late William Richard Tolbert, the 19th President of the Republic of Liberia.
Did the Liberian government and some Liberians treat President Tolbert right? I’ll bet! he’s gonna say, hell, no!
Well then, heck! Let Chairman Gyude, our Honorable Chairman, get his honors! It could have been worse!
Ask our former President who now sits in prison in the White man’s country, His Excellency Charles Gankay Taylor, whether or not the Liberian government treated him right? The answer is a resounding no! But does that take away his dues as a former President of the Republic of Liberia? Heck, no!
Well then, let Gyude get his props! Let him get a state funeral with all the pomp that comes with it! He deserves it!
What’s about President Samuel Kanyon Doe?
Does one think Doe was happy over the manner in which the Liberian government and other Liberians treated and continue to treat him after his death? If you ask me, I’ll say no!
President Doe was openly bludgeoned and murdered in the open for the world to see. Did that take away his respect as a former president of the Republic of Liberia? Heck, no!
Well, review the scope of things with His Excellency Moses P. Blah.
I understand President Blah cried his way into the earth asking for help from the Liberian government. But he was denied help. Did the Liberian government treat him right? Of course not!
So, I say, heck! Let Chairman Gyude get his props, dues and salute right now! No one should deny him his dues!
There’s more. And all of those former presidents, dead or alive, have reasons to cry out loud for justice.
All I am saying is, let Chairman Gyude get his 21-gun salute.
Everything that the Government of Liberia allegedly did to him just go into the pages of history. Anyone responsible for all that was wrongfully done to Chairman Gyude will have to give an account in the future.
Go Chairman Gyude! go home and join our martyrs in the Great Beyond. Whatever you have done for our country will be left with history. Honorable Fidel Castro says it right, “History will absolve me.”
Indeed, “History will absolve” Chairman Gyude!
Farewell! Chairman Gyude, farewell!
May your soul rest in Perfect Peace and Light Perpetual shine upon you! Pass on our love and respect to the rest.
Long Live Liberia!
Thomas Bedell can be reached at [email protected].
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