By Alaskai Moore Johnson, alaskaijohnson@gmail.com +231-777-889-870 / +231-886-631-025
The Grand Lodge of Liberia’s Masons and Order of the Eastern Star on Tuesday, February 18, participated in a solemn ceremony aimed at exhuming the remains of President William R. Tolbert, Jr., and other prominent sons of the land. Over 95 percent of those men, who are believed to be buried in the mass grave at the Palm Grove Cemetery on Center Street in Monrovia, are Past Grand Masters and prominent Masons.
Following the coup that toppled William R. Tolbert’s Administration on April 12, 1980, prominent Government officials were rounded up and executed by a firing squad on April 22, 1980 by soldiers under the command of the Peoples’ Redemption Council (PRC)
Background
Nearly 46 years ago, on April 12th and 22nd, 1980, under the auspices of the Peoples’ Redemption Council (PRC), headed by then Master Sergeant Samuel Kanyon Doe, executed those men by a firing squad on South Beach behind the Barclay Training Center (BTC). Earlier on Saturday, April 12, 1980, Doe along with 16 enlisted non-commissioned soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), staged a bloody coup d’atat that overthrew the Administration of President Tolbert, who was a Past Grand Master. The President and some of his very close associates were murdered during the commission of the crime by the soldiers. Following the upheaval, some influential government officials, including the Presiding Grand Master, E. Reginald Townsend, Past Grand Master Frank E. Tolbert, Sr., President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Past Grand Master Richard A. Henries, Speaker of the House, and other prominent government officials, majority of whom were masons, were rounded up and executed few days later by a firing squad. It is believed that all the bodies of these men, including the President and others who were killed on April 12, were dumped in one mass grave. Those men were not given the proper Masonic burial rites.
Most Worshipful Brother Willis J. Allen, Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Liberia performing the 2nd Scripture Reading from Psalm 46:1-11
The owner of St. Moses Funeral Parlour, Mr. Moses Ahoussouhe and his team breaking free the plague from the mass grave containing the remains of former President William R. Tolbert & others men executed on April 12 & 22, 1980
Exhumation of Remains
So, on Tuesday, February 18, the Grand Lodge headed by Most Worshipful Brother Willis J. Allen, Grand Master, took part in a parade, which began from Benson and Center Street intersection down to the Palm Grove Cemetery. At the cemetery, families, relatives, loved one and other Liberians had gathered for a short program marking the exhumation of former President Tolbert and others. Noticeable among those at the ceremony was former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who was the Finance Minister at the time of the coup.
During the ceremony that was largely a religious event as prayers were offered for the families, Grand Master Allen graciously accepted to perform the Second Scripture Reading, which came from the 46th chapter verses 1 to 11, of the Bible book of Psalms. The Grand Master stated after how he felt when he performed that religious duty for his forebears: “I felt very emotional, after 45 years, we could participate in this ceremony.”
Most Worshipful Brother Willis J. Allen, Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Liberia says what happened on Tuesday began the true reconciliation process that Liberia yearns for
Beginning of True Reconciliation for Liberia
In an exclusive interview following the ceremony, Grand Master Allen stated: “For the Masonic Craft and myself, it was a day of honor and remembrance for our past Grand Masters and prominent Masons, who were executed on April 12, 1980 and April 22, 1980. So, this ceremony was a most historic one; we are proud and honor to be a part of it.”
While reechoing what Rev. Dr. Samuel Reeves of Providence Baptist Church and Representative of the Baptist World Alliance President, had said, Mr. Allen stressed, “Today actually begins the reconciliation process for the civil conflict that commenced in our country in 1980 and continued from 1989 upward, today begins the actual reconciliation and healing process.” He called on all Liberians to think about what happened on Tuesday and reflect on what took place 46 years ago. He expressed his gratefulness to God that Liberians can begin the process of reconciliation.
Grand Master Allen hopes that the families of the slain men will request that these men be accorded Masonic burial rites
Giving The Slain Men Proper Masonic Burial
Grand Master Allen is wishing that the families of his masonic brethren will invite the Grand Lodge so that it can perform the masonic burial rites for the past Grand Masters and other masons, who were executed.
“The brethren that we honored today by beginning to remove their remains, were never given a masonic burial. We hope the families are going to invite us to perform that ceremony that day,” he said.
The Grand Master named President Tolbert as being a Past Grand Master before the coup. “Frank Emmanuel Tolbert, Sr., he was a Past Grand Master.” It was Frank, who chaired the committee that built the Masonic Temple opposite the United States Embassy up on Benson Street. “Richard Abram Henries, who was Speaker of the House of Representatives at the time of the coup, was a Past Grand Master. The Grand Master who was presiding at the time of the coup was E. Reginald Townsend. So, it has huge implications; we are just so happy that we can commence this process,” he added.
He disclosed that while the Masonic Craft and Order of Eastern Star await instructions and request from the families, the Grand Lodge will be preparing in anticipation of that day that everyone can come together and put the past to rest, “the remains as well as our minds, the country can be at rest, too.”
Ms. Mai Bright-Urey, daughter of the late Honorable Dr. Cyril A. Bright, Sr., former Minister of Agriculture, who was one of the men slain, providing updates on what to expect in the coming days
Notification of Plans from the Families
Providing the plans for what should be expected, Ms. Mai Bright-Urey, daughter of the late Honorable Dr. Cyril A. Bright, Sr., former Minister of Agriculture, who was one of the men slain, announced that the St. Moses Funeral Parlour, which was doing the excavation of the remains, was going to do the exhumation within two or three days, taking all the remains found to the parlour. “After that is done, he will clean the remains; he will separate them not by individuals but by parts. Of course it is an expensive venture to do forensic. So, we as families have decided that they have been lying together for over 45 years so we might have well just leave them together.”
She informed everyone that on July 1st, 2025, the exhumed remains will be finally, properly interred at a site that the Baptist Seminary graciously gave to the families. But the site needs to be built before the burial.
The entire project is a little over US$100,000, including what was done on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.
Who Were the Men Murdered/Executed:
1. His Excellency Dr. William R. Tolbert, Jr., President
2. Honourable C. Cecil Dennis, Foreign Minister
3. Honourable James A. A. Pierre, Chief Justice
4. Honourable Richard A. Henries, Sr., Speaker, HOR
5. Honourable Frank E. Tolbert, Sr., Pres. of the Senate and older brother of the President
6. Honourable Joseph J. F. Chesson, Sr., Minister of Justice
7. Honourable D. Franklin Neal, Min., Planning & Economic Affairs
8. Honourable E. Reginald Townsend, Chairman, True Whig Party
9. Honourable James T. Phillips, Former Min. of Finance before the coup
10. Honourable Cyril A. Bright, Sr., Minister of Agriculture
11. Honourable John W. E. Sherman, Min. of Commerce
12. Honourable Charles D. B. King, III, Representative, Nimba County
13. Honourable Frank J. Stewart, Sr., Director-Gen of the Bureau of Budget
14. Honourable P. Clarence Parker, III, Treasurer, True Whig Party
15. Brigadier General Charles E. Railey, Jr., Aide Camp to the President
16. Honourable A. Benedict Tolbert, Director of the Cabinet
17. Honourable Gabriel Moore, Captain, Special Security Services (SSS)
18. Honourable Spurgeon Capehart, Commander, Post Stockade
