Former Minister Wilmot Paye Calls Tubman Birthday Holiday “A Waste of National Time” But Thinks Otherwise
IPNEWS: Former Minister of Mines and Energy Wilmot Paye has denounced the annual celebration of November 29, the birthday of former Liberian President William V.S. Tubman, describing the holiday as “a waste of time” and an unhealthy glorification of a leader whose legacy, he argues, remains deeply troubling.
Speaking with unusual candor, Paye questioned why Liberia continues to honor Tubman, asserting that the former president’s nearly three-decade rule was marked by authoritarianism, wasted economic potential and the seeds of future national instability.
Paye insists that Tubman’s long presidency was made possible only because he abolished presidential term limits, reversing a democratic tradition upheld even by his predecessor, Edwin Barclay, who refused to seek a third term in 1944.
“Tubman aggressively suppressed dissent and sought term after term,” Paye argued, adding that had Tubman not died in 1971, “he could have extended his rule well into the 1980s.”
Political analysts say Tubman’s centralization of power, elimination of political competition and the creation of a climate of fear contributed to tensions that exploded after his death.
Paye’s criticism extends beyond politics to economics, he contends that Tubman squandered unprecedented opportunities to modernize Liberia during a period when other African nations were rapidly industrializing.
He compared Liberia’s stagnation under Tubman to the ambitious development agenda of Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana, which in the same period built the Akosombo Dam, launched strategic five-year development plans, expanded tertiary education and invested heavily in science, technology, and industrial capacity.
“While Ghana was preparing for the 21st century, Tubman was preoccupied with lavish travels and personal comfort,” Paye said, referencing accounts of the president’s extravagant lifestyle, including ceremonial voyages where he was reportedly carried ashore by men while smoking cigars.
Paye also pointed to staggering disparities in wealth and infrastructure development during the Tubman administration.
He noted that in the 1960s, one mile of paved road cost about US$25,000, but Liberia still lacked significant national road networks.
He cited a controversial claim that Tubman’s widow, Antoinette, inherited approximately US$420 million after his death an amount Paye says could have funded over 10,000 miles of paved roads.
“Had Tubman prioritized the country over himself, Liberia would not today be celebrating a few miles of road as national achievements,” he said.
Paye argues that Tubman’s authoritarian rule merely postponed unrest rather than preventing it.
He maintained that the former president kept a small, underpaid army loyal primarily to ruling elites, while brutally suppressing political opposition.
According to him, this created a volatile environment that contributed to the 1979 Rice Riot, the 1980 coup d’état, and eventually the 14-year civil war.
“Liberia’s tragedies did not emerge overnight,” Paye stressed. “They were rooted in decades of political exclusion and unchecked power.”
With these criticisms, Paye questioned the relevance of maintaining a national holiday for Tubman.
“In all honesty, celebrating him makes no sense when we reflect on the enormous opportunities he wasted,” he declared. “It is time for Liberia to stop idolizing a figure whose leadership derailed our progress.”
His remarks have sparked renewed public discussion about Liberia’s historical memory, the value of national holidays, and the importance of confronting uncomfortable truths about past leaders.
Whether the government will consider revisiting the November 29 holiday remains uncertain, but Paye’s statement has undeniably reopened a national conversation long buried beneath tradition.
On the contrary, Payes’s critics think the former Minister is out of touch with the many achievements of former President William V.S. Tubman .
Former President William V.S. Tubman, who served from 1944 to 1971, is widely regarded as the “Father of Modern Liberia” for his transformative economic and social policies.
President Tubman major achievements include the “Open Door Policy” which spurred massive foreign investment and the “National Unification Policy” which bridge the gap between indigenous Liberians and the Americo-Liberian elite.
Economic Modernization and Growth (Open Door Policy)
Tubman’s “Open Door Policy” encouraged foreign investment, which dramatically boosted Liberia’s economy and infrastructure development.
During the 1950s and 1960s, Liberia experienced one of the highest rates of economic growth in the world, second only to Japan at one point.
Foreign companies invested heavily, particularly in rubber and iron ore exploitation, making Liberia the world’s largest exporter of rubber and the third-largest exporter of iron ore by the time of his death.
The government used increased revenues to build key infrastructure, including the Free Port of Monrovia, Roberts International Airport, major road networks (e.g., Monrovia to Robertsfield, Monrovia to Buchanan), the Mt. Coffee Hydro Power Plant, schools, and hospitals.
Monrovia was transformed from a small coastal town into a bustling capital city with paved streets, a public sanitation system, and landmark buildings like the Capitol Building, Executive Mansion, and the Ducor Intercontinental Hotel.
Social and Political Reforms (National Unification Policy)
The “National Unification Policy” sought to integrate the majority indigenous population into the political and social life of the country, which had previously been dominated by the Americo-Liberian minority.
Tubman supported a referendum in 1944 which granted women the right to vote. He also extended full voting rights and citizenship to the indigenous ethnic groups, who had previously been largely excluded from the political process.
He gave more opportunities for indigenous Liberians to hold government and leadership positions, and frequently installed a native Liberian as acting president when he traveled.
He transformed the former hinterland provinces into new counties (Bong, Nimba, Lofa, and Grand Gedeh), providing greater local governance and representation.
His administration invested in education and healthcare, launching a literacy program and establishing schools, clinics, and the expansion of the University of Liberia.
International Role
On the world stage, Tubman was a prominent figure in the Pan-African movement and aligned Liberia closely with the United States during the Cold War. He played a critical role in the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union, in 1963.
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