02/07/2025
President Boakai Dedicates Mausoleum in Honor of Former President William R. Tolbert, Jr. and Officials Killed During the 1980 Coup
July 2, 2025, Monrovia, On Tuesday, July 1, 2025, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. presided over a solemn ceremony marking the dedication of a newly constructed memorial site for late President William Richard Tolbert, Jr., along with the 13 government officials executed following the April 12, 1980 military coup.
According to an Executive Mansion released, the memorial, located at the Liberian Baptist Theological Seminary in Paynesville, has been established as a national symbol of remembrance and a commitment to justice and peace.
In his address, President Boakai underscored the significance of the occasion, stating, “This dedication is not just a ceremony; it is a national duty and an act of moral restitution. It is critical that we remember the painful chapters of our history as a means to heal and to strive for a united future.” He further expressed, “This memorial is not just for those whose lives were taken—it is a tribute to the democratic ideals for which they stood. Their memories will forever inspire our journey toward a more just, peaceful, and accountable nation.”
The event was a gathering of notable figures, including former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor, First Lady Mrs. Kartumu Y. Boakai, and members of the National Legislature, alongside government officials and representatives from various sectors.
During the ceremony, tributes were shared by the Liberia Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, as well as from survivors and descendants of the fallen officials. The names of the 13 slain cabinet members were officially inscribed on the memorial, followed by a moment of silence in their honor. Additionally, a symbolic handover of the Flag of Liberia was performed by the Armed Forces of Liberia to the families of the deceased, complemented by a wreath-laying ceremony.
The establishment of this memorial, according to the Executive Mansion released, reflects President Boakai’s commitment to national reconciliation and the acknowledgment of Liberia’s complex history. This initiative follows a sequence of symbolic actions undertaken by the administration aimed at promoting transitional justice, including the reburials of former presidents and the formal observance of national days of remembrance. This even is many of the events planned by the president that will bring about national healing and reconciliation.