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Monrovia — In different international locations, the gravesites of their first Presidents are historic websites, and vacationers come from all elements of the world to see them. Nonetheless, it’s not the case in Liberia as the primary President of Liberia, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, and his whole household’s graves are deserted by the federal government and are mendacity on the historic Palm Groves, essentially the most desecrated cemetery in Liberia.
The ultimate resting place of Ghana’s first President is situated in central Accra, Ghana. It’s referred to as the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Mausoleum.
The museum hosts uncommon artifacts regarding Ghana’s independence and excursions on the park give guests the in-depth historical past of the Sub-saharan wrestle for independence.
The mausoleum designed by Don Arthur homes the mortal stays of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and his spouse Fathia Nkrumah.
Ghana receives thousands and thousands of {dollars} from vacationers who go to Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Mausoleum yearly.
This isn’t the case in Liberia. The stays of former President Roberts, his mom Amelia Roberts, his brother Henry J. Roberts, his spouse Sarah Ann, and kids together with the previous Secretary of State of Liberia Hilary Teage had been all buried in separate graves and positioned in a fence on the Middle and Lyne Streets facet of the Palm Groves Cemetery.
For multiple century, the authority has been unable to develop the place to draw guests and it appears to not be anyplace close to this regime’s agenda.
Drug addicts have taken over the complete gravesite and have burst open virtually the entire graves, one thing that has brought on low attendance on Ornament Days of latest.
The Palm Groves Cemetery was established within the 1820s. It is greater than twenty years now and virtually each grave is burst open one thing that has brought on many members of the family who’ve their family members buried on the graveyard to not exhibit on Ornament Day.
A tour was taken by FrontPage Africa on the Palm Groves Cemetery on Ornament Day and noticed that the place the place the primary President and his whole household had been laid to relaxation was filthy.
Fatomah Sherrif, a drug addict was on the entrance gathering cash from individuals who attempt to take a look on the first President of Liberia’s grave.
He advised FPA that nobody got here from the Monrovia Metropolis Company to wash the place. Not like final yr, this yr, he and his associates volunteered to wash the grass from out and in of the graves’ compound.
“I and my associates cleaned the place to hustle (get cash from individuals) for at present,” Sherrif mentioned.
He added: “Final yr, the federal government individuals got here right here and clear the place. However this yr, nobody from the federal government got here right here to wash the place. You see the paint on the wall, it is previous paint.”
“The gate that was on the fence, criminals stole it from right here. We wish the federal government to assist us to guard the place. I can clear the place in order that when individuals come they can provide us small cash,” Sherrif furthers.
Let Authorities Relocate the Cemetery
Not like earlier than, hundreds of Liberians on each Ornament Day trooped their method on the Palm Groves Cemetery to wash their family members’ graves however a tour taken by FPA noticed lower than 20 people, if not searching for their family members’ graves, renovating their family members’ graves as virtually each grave are burst open.
Charlesetta Tugbeh has her mom buried on the graveyard. Tugbeh advised FPA that she has deliberate to relocate her mom’s grave if the federal government does not present curiosity within the place.
“I used to be introduced right here by two abled physique males as a result of the place is harmful. I should relocate my mom’s grave from right here as a result of the place isn’t good. Ornament Day is the day to spend time along with your useless members of the family however coming right here, the place isn’t conducive,” she mentioned.
Madam Tugbeh added: “Nowhere to face, nowhere to sit down, the place is dangerous. The dangerous scent, the graves are all open and nowhere to undergo. We’re discovering it troublesome to even come right here and discover our mom’s grave.”
“It’ll be arduous for the federal government to recondition the place. They began at first but it surely was arduous to proceed. So, my suggestion is to relocate all of the graves from right here and discover someplace appropriate out of the town. If in case you have your family members right here, you may take their stays out and take them to the brand new spot that authorities find and you may bury them there. That’s the solely factor that’s proper for the federal government to do.”
“This yr, we discovered it arduous to get right here, possibly subsequent yr we would not even have the ability to attain right here. So, if nothing is completed by the federal government, should take away our useless mom from this gravesite to someplace higher as a result of at present is the day to spend with the useless,” she ended.
Palm Groves Cemetery Ought to Not Be Relocated
Not like Madam Tugbeh, Andrew Nagbe has his father buried on the cemetery, and with the entire deplorable circumstances he needs the federal government clear and defend the place from criminals and to not relocate the gravesite due to its historic nature.
“I would love for this cemetery to be cleaned and guarded as you may see, the place appears to be like dangerous but when the federal government can present safety, I believe the place shall be good as a result of the place is a historic website and so, I might love to come back right here each time. So, I would favor that authorities gives safety for this place,” Mr. Possibly mentioned.
“Ornament Day is a day put aside to offer homage to our family members who had died and provides their numerous gravesite a facelift and pay our respect to them however it’s discouraging as a result of many of the graves had been damaged into. And so, you could have the braveness to be right here. That is my father’s grave and so I am right here to offer it a facelift.”
Victor B. Bestman mentioned: “They burst the grave open extensive, I received to carry bricks and restore it -everything that was within the grave was taken out. Yearly that comes I needed to repair the grave. I repair it final yr and this yr, I am not properly. My foot is hurting. To even attain right here was not small for me.
If the federal government can attempt to clear the place, we’ll come to repair our members of the family’ graves again as a result of we all know the spot and we all know the title of the grave. Let the federal government reduce the grass. The place was higher through the previous administrations however now the place is worst than earlier than.”
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