Trends Liberia

04/10/2026

08/09/2026

SEPTEMBER 8, 1994 THE DAY GBARNGA BECAME A CITY OF TEARS

Thirty-two years ago today, on September 8, 1994, the people of Gbarnga woke up to a nightmare that would forever change the history of B**g County.

Gbarnga had become one of the most important strongholds of Charles Taylor's National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL). It was not simply a provincial city it was the headquarters of Taylor's NPRAG and a symbol of his power.

Then came the assault.

From the Kokoya Road, fighters of George Boley's Liberia Peace Council (LPC) advanced. From the Lofa Road, ULIMO-K forces under Alhaji Kromah pushed toward the city. From the Kakata axis, forces opposed to Taylor also moved in.

The different factions had one objective: break Taylor's hold on Gbarnga.

But behind the military objectives were thousands of ordinary Liberians, mothers, fathers, children, patients, students and farmers who had nowhere to escape.

WHEN A CITY BECAME A BATTLEFIELD

As fighting intensified, civilians became victims of the war.

Homes were destroyed. People were executed. Women and girls were reportedly r***d and abducted. Families were separated, and bodies were left along roads and in communities.

Among the places forever associated with the violence was Kpolokpai, where residents were reportedly trapped during attacks and hundreds were killed.

Then there was Phebe Hospital.

A hospital should have been a sanctuary a place where the wounded went to survive. Instead, the war reached its doors. Patients were reportedly dragged from their beds, and people who were already fighting for their lives became victims of armed men.

The roads leading out of Gbarnga offered little safety either. Those attempting to flee toward Ganta encountered violence along the way, including horrific accounts surrounding Baila Bridge.

A CITY THAT NEVER FORGOT

The battle for Gbarnga did not end with the first assault. Fighting continued for months as rival forces struggled for control.

When the NPFL eventually regained the city, Gbarnga had been devastated.

Thousands of Liberians had lost their lives.

Families were left searching for loved ones who would never return. Survivors were left carrying memories that could not simply be buried with the dead.

Years later, remains of some victims were finally given a proper burial, bringing a measure of dignity to people whose lives had been violently taken from them.

THIRTY-TWO YEARS LATER

Today, September 8 should not simply be another date on Liberia's calendar.

It should be a day of remembrance.

A day to remember Kpolokpai, Baila, Lofa Road, Phebe and the countless unnamed places where Liberians lost their lives.

A day to remember the mothers who never saw their children again.

The children who grew up without parents.

The families who never received answers.

And the survivors who still carry the wounds of 1994.

Liberia's civil war was fought in the name of many things liberation, patriotism, justice and political change. But ordinary Liberians paid the greatest price.

Political power was temporary. The suffering was permanent.

The people of B**g County deserve a permanent memorial and an annual remembrance for the innocent lives lost during the tragedy that engulfed Gbarnga.

Because a nation that forgets its dead risks repeating the mistakes that killed them.

May the souls of all those who lost their lives in Gbarnga and across Liberia's civil wars rest in peace.

And may Liberia never again allow political ambition to become more valuable than human life.

September 8, 1994 We remember. We mourn. We must never forget.
Credit: Michael T. Biddle

**gCounty

08/09/2026

THE DAY SKD MADE HISTORY: LIBERIA’S FIRST INTERNATIONAL MATCH AT THE NEW STADIUM

Before the roaring crowds, historic victories, and unforgettable football nights that would make the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex famous, there was a beginning.

On July 26, 1986, the newly opened SKD Sports Complex witnessed what is documented as one of its earliest and the first documented international football match at the stadium.

Liberia vs. Guinea 🇬🇳

The two West African neighbors battled to a 0–0 draw in the Samuel K. Doe Cup, a tournament organized during the early years of the stadium.

For Liberian football fans, this was more than just another football match. It was the beginning of a new era.

The massive stadium had been built to give Liberia a modern sporting home a place where the Lone Star could welcome African football nations and where thousands of Liberians could gather to experience international football on home soil.

Date: July 26, 1986
Venue: Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex
🇱🇷 Liberia: 0
🇬🇳 Guinea: 0
🏆 Competition: Samuel K. Doe Cup
Attendance: The exact crowd figure has not been reliably documented in the historical records available.

Three years later, SKD would witness one of the biggest crowds ever associated with Liberian football when Liberia faced Malawi in 1989.

But every great story has a first chapter.

And for SKD, that chapter began in 1986 with Liberia and Guinea sharing a goalless draw beneath the lights of a stadium that would become part of Liberia's sporting history.

SKD wasn't just built it became a witness to Liberia's history.

Do you remember your first match at SKD? Tell us the year and who Liberia played.

04/09/2026

B**G MINES: THE TOWN MANY LIBERIANS STILL CARRY IN THEIR HEARTS

If you lived in B**g Mines during the 1960s, 1970s or 1980s, close your eyes for a moment and remember.

Remember the sound of the train moving through the town.
Remember the workers heading to the mine.
Remember children in their school uniforms, families going to church, young people gathering for sports, and neighbors greeting each other along the streets.

Remember a time when B**g Mines was not a forgotten place it was a thriving community full of life, opportunity and hope.

For many Liberians, B**g Mines was more than an iron-ore mine. It was childhood. It was work. It was family. It was home.

From the 1960s through the 1980s, B**g Mines stood among Liberia's most remarkable industrial communities. Thousands of Liberians and foreign workers lived and worked there, creating a diverse community around the B**g Mining Company's iron-ore operation.

The company developed facilities that were unusual for an interior Liberian town at the time: company housing, electricity, running water, schools, medical facilities, shops, communications services and recreational facilities.

WHEN B**G MINES WAS FULL OF LIFE

Outside the mine, there was a community to enjoy.

Historical accounts mention organized clubs and recreational activities including tennis, golf, riding, fishing, karting and aviation. Sports brought workers, children and families together, while weekends provided opportunities to socialize and enjoy life away from the demanding work of the mine.

CHURCH, SCHOOL AND FAMILY

Church life was an important part of the community. B**g Town had Catholic and Anglican churches, where families gathered for worship and fellowship.

Schools educated children from Liberian and foreign families, while vocational training prepared Liberian workers for technical careers and industrial trades.

For many families, working for B**g Mining Company meant more than earning a salary. It could provide housing, healthcare, education and a sense of stability.

THE TRAIN THAT CONNECTED B**G TO MONROVIA

The railway was the lifeline of the operation.

Trains carried iron ore from B**g Mines toward the port of Monrovia, connecting the interior mining community with Liberia's capital and the outside world.

For generations of Liberians, the railway became part of the sound and identity of B**g Mines.

THEN THE STORY CHANGED

But history would eventually turn the page.

Political instability and Liberia's civil war devastated the mining operation and the community around it. By 1990, the original B**g Mining Company operation had stopped.

Today, some of the buildings and infrastructure that remain may appear as ruins.

But to those who remember, they are more than ruins.

They are memories.

Memories of school days, working days, church Sundays, sporting events, friendships, family life, railway journeys and a community that once seemed almost unstoppable.

B**g Mines was never just a mine.

It was a town.
It was a community.
It was a dream.
And for thousands of Liberians, it was home.

TRENDs LIBERIA Preserving the memories of Liberia's past.

**gMines **gTown **gCounty

02/09/2026

THE $60 MILLION QUESTION: What Did China Really Get From Liberia for the Ministerial Complex?

In Congo Town stands one of the most visible legacies of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration: the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex, a massive government administrative facility constructed with Chinese assistance.

But behind the impressive building is a question that deserves a serious, evidence-based answer:

If China spent tens of millions of dollars to build Liberia a new government complex, what exactly did China receive in return?

The answer is more complicated than the rumors.

CONFIRMED FACTS

The project dates back to September 11, 2012, when Liberia and China signed an Exchange of Letters committing RMB 250 million in Chinese grant funding for construction of the Ministerial Complex. Contemporary reporting translated that commitment to approximately US$60 million. AidData classifies the project as a grant, not a commercial loan.

The project was conceived during the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration and was intended to consolidate government ministries and agencies that were operating from scattered, aging or inadequate facilities.

The complex occupies approximately 24,000 square meters and was designed to accommodate about 1,300 people. Plans included offices, conference rooms, auditoriums, multipurpose halls, archives, a canteen, generator facilities, power distribution systems and water infrastructure.

Although the agreement was signed in 2012, actual construction did not begin until **October 25, 2016**. A formal groundbreaking ceremony followed on April 28, 2017. The project was completed in 2019 and officially handed over to Liberia in July of that year.

WHO BUILT IT?

Here the historical record becomes interesting.

Liberia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs identified China Jiangsu Provisional Construction Company, Limited as the company commissioned to implement the project. AidData identifies the implementing agency as China Jiangsu Construction Engineering Corporation/Jiangsu Construction Engineering Group.

However, a 2016 People's Daily report identified Hebei Engineering Group as the contractor.

That discrepancy deserves further investigation, particularly into the procurement and project implementation documents.

THE COST QUESTION

The project is widely known as a US$60 million Chinese-funded project. That figure appears repeatedly in official Liberian and Chinese reporting.

But AidData records the original commitment as RMB250 million and calculates its constant-dollar value differently. Other Liberian reporting has also referred to figures around US$50–53 million.

So, an important question remains:

Was US$60 million the original pledged value, the total project envelope, or the actual amount ultimately spent on the completed complex?

That should be answered by the original financial and project-accounting documents.

SO, WHAT DID CHINA GET?

This is where we need to separate fact from speculation.

There is no publicly documented evidence in the sources reviewed showing that Liberia handed China gold, iron ore, land, oil, diamonds or another specific natural resource in direct exchange for the Ministerial Complex.

The project was officially described as Chinese gratuitous assistance.

So the popular idea that “China built the Ministerial Complex and secretly took Liberian resources in payment” cannot be presented as an established fact without documentary evidence.

But that doesn't mean China received nothing of strategic value.

China strengthened its diplomatic relationship with Liberia, expanded its visibility and influence, and Chinese companies gained opportunities to participate in major infrastructure projects.

China's broader relationship with Liberia included investment, construction, scholarships, technical cooperation and other development assistance. President Sirleaf herself highlighted China's growing economic and investment role in Liberia, including the China Union investment agreement involving the B**g Mines.

Chinese officials also openly described projects such as the Ministerial Complex as milestones in China-Liberia relations.

THE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

The real investigative questions are therefore not simply “What mineral did China take?”

They are:

1. What was the final audited cost of the Ministerial Complex?

2. What was the complete financing structure behind the RMB250 million commitment?

3. Why do historical reports identify different Chinese construction companies?

4. What procurement or implementation arrangements governed the selection of the Chinese contractor?

5. How much of the construction work went to Liberian companies and workers?

6. Were there additional agreements connected to the project that have never been publicly released?**

7. What economic and diplomatic commitments accompanied the Chinese grant?

These questions matter because the Ministerial Complex was not simply another building. It represented a major chapter in Liberia's relationship with China.

The available evidence shows a Chinese grant-funded government project not a documented minerals-for-building transaction.

But transparency demands that the public should be able to see the contracts, financial records, implementation agreements and final audited accounts.

The building is standing. The history is documented in pieces. But some of the numbers and agreements still deserve daylight.

Remembering our history. Questioning our present. Documenting our future.

30/08/2026

BWI WASSCE Performance
Total candidates: 189
Passed: 58 = 30.7%
Failed: 131 = 69.3%

30/08/2026

Bacardi Disco: When Hotel Africa Ruled the Nightlife of Monrovia

Before the years of conflict changed the face of Liberia, Monrovia was known for its vibrant nightlife, elegant entertainment centers, and unforgettable social scenes. Among the places that defined that golden era was Bacardi Disco at Hotel Africa a name that still brings back memories for many Liberians who lived through the city’s glamorous years.

Located inside the famous Hotel Africa in Virginia, Montserrado County, Bacardi Disco was more than just a place to dance. It represented a period when Monrovia was becoming a regional center for tourism, diplomacy, business, and culture. Hotel Africa was one of West Africa’s most impressive hotels, attracting government officials, foreign visitors, businessmen, musicians, and celebrities.

During the late 1970s and 1980s, Bacardi Disco became one of the places where people went to enjoy music, fashion, and entertainment. Young Liberians dressed in their finest clothes, couples gathered for romantic evenings, and friends created memories on the dance floor. The sound of disco, highlife, funk, and international music filled the atmosphere as Monrovia celebrated life.

For many older Liberians, Bacardi Disco represented a time of confidence and excitement a time when places like Hotel Africa, Ducor Palace, Charlton Night Club, and other entertainment spots gave the capital city a unique identity.

But Liberia’s civil wars brought a painful change. The once-famous Hotel Africa suffered destruction and neglect, and the lively sounds that once came from Bacardi Disco disappeared. What remained was not only a damaged building, but a powerful memory of a city that once shined.

Today, Bacardi Disco lives in the stories of those who experienced it. It reminds a new generation that Monrovia once had a nightlife culture filled with elegance, music, and unforgettable moments.

Bacardi Disco was not just a nightclub it was a symbol of the golden age of Old Monrovia.

30/08/2026

THE FAHNBULLEH LEGACY: A FAMILY WOVEN INTO LIBERIA’S HISTORY

Some Liberian families are remembered because of one famous individual. Others stand out because their story continues across generations. The Fahnbulleh family belongs to the second category a family whose history is connected to Liberia’s politics, diplomacy, education, culture, activism and the country’s long struggle over power and national identity.

With deep roots associated with the Vai communities of Grand Cape Mount County, the Fahnbulleh name has been part of Liberia’s story for generations. Members of the family became prominent at different moments in the country’s development, producing diplomats, government officials, educators, cultural figures and political activists.

One of the most prominent early figures was Henry Boima Fahnbulleh Sr., a lawyer and diplomat. He represented Liberia as ambassador in several African countries, including Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. His diplomatic career placed him among Liberia’s important international representatives during a period when newly independent African nations were redefining their relationships with the world.

But in 1968, his career took a dramatic turn.

During the administration of President William V. S. Tubman, Fahnbulleh Sr. was arrested and accused of sedition and treason. The government alleged that he had been involved in a conspiracy against the Liberian government. Fahnbulleh denied the accusations and challenged the government's case during his trial.

He was eventually convicted and sentenced to 20 years at hard labor, with his property ordered confiscated. The case became one of the most controversial political trials of the Tubman era and remains an important episode in discussions about political freedom and dissent in Liberia.

Years later, under President William R. Tolbert Jr., Fahnbulleh Sr. was released and returned to public service.

Meanwhile, another generation of the family was growing up.

His son, Dr. Henry Boimah Fahnbulleh Jr., would eventually become a major Liberian political and diplomatic figure in his own right.

Born in Monrovia in 1949, Henry Jr. grew up in a family deeply exposed to politics, diplomacy and public service. Following Liberia’s 1980 military coup, he became associated with the new political order and served as Minister of Education and later Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Samuel K. Doe.

His career, however, was not simply one of unquestioned loyalty to the government. Fahnbulleh Jr. was known to hold strong political and policy positions, and his disagreements with the Doe administration eventually contributed to his departure from government.

He later remained active in Liberian political affairs, including participation in the 1997 presidential election.

Years afterward, Fahnbulleh Jr. returned to senior public service during the administration of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. He served in senior advisory and security roles, including National Security Advisor, and later served as Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs.

But politics is only one part of the Fahnbulleh story.

The family also produced important voices in education, women's leadership and Liberian culture.

Mary Nema Brownell, Henry Jr.’s mother, was an educator and prominent women's and peace activist. Her work reflected another dimension of public service advocating for women, education and peace during some of Liberia’s most difficult periods.

Henry Jr.’s sister, Miatta Fahnbulleh, became one of Liberia’s recognizable singers and cultural personalities, contributing to the country's music and cultural heritage.

The next generation carried the family name beyond Liberia. Miatta Nema Fahnbulleh, Henry Jr.’s daughter, became a British economist and public-policy leader, continuing a family tradition of public service on an international stage.

From Grand Cape Mount to Monrovia, from diplomatic missions to political trials, from music and education to international public policy, the Fahnbulleh story stretches across generations.

It is a story of ambition, controversy, resilience, public service, political disagreement, cultural influence and survival through changing political eras.

More importantly, the history of the Fahnbulleh family offers a unique window into Liberia itself a country whose history has been shaped by traditional African societies, Americo-Liberian political dominance, indigenous political awakening, military rule, civil conflict, democratic transition and the growing influence of Liberians around the world.

The Fahnbulleh story is not merely the history of one family. It is part of the larger story of Liberia.

29/08/2026

Good night

29/08/2026

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