MONROVIA, Montserrado—Lofa, Liberia’s northernmost and third-most populated county, has begun preparations for celebrations marking 60 years since the county’s founding.
Lofa was among four counties established in 1964 under the Unification Policy of former President Williams V. S Tubman. The others are Bong, Nimba, and Grand Gedeh.
Ahead of the celebration next month, the county’s leadership has announced the 60th Anniversary Committee members, naming President Joseph N. Boakai as the chair on reconciliation.
Sen. Joseph Jallah, who chairs the Lofa County Legislative Caucus, made the disclosure at his Capitol Building office. He said committee members are responsible for planning programs to observe the anniversary in Voinjama.
On the national committee, Sen. Jallah named himself, Sen. Momo T. Cyrus, Rep. Thomas P. Fallah, Rep. Julie F. Wiah, Rep. Momo Siaffa Kpoto, Rep. Collins Gizzi, and Rep. Augustine Chiwolo. General Services Agency director Galakpai W. Kortami, Internal Affairs Minister Francis S. Nyumalin, and social media influencer Josephine Kolubah were also named as members. Diaspora-based citizens such as Rudolph Johnson and Sandoe Bangalu were also named, in addition to former internal affairs minister Maxwell Poe, Heritage News Publisher Mohammed Kanneh, and Lavalah Massaquoi of the University of Liberia-based Student Unification Party. Commerce Minister Amin Modad, Cllr. Koboi Johnson, Education Minister Jarso Jallah, and former defense minister Brownie Samukai rounded up the list of members added.
According to the caucus chair, the anniversary celebration, scheduled for the second week of June, will unite citizens of the county—home and abroad—to celebrate the achievements and gains Lofa has made over the years.
Sen. Jallah said the idea to celebrate the county’s 60th anniversary in 2024 was initiated by Lofa citizens in the diaspora following his past visit to the U.S.
“We are grateful to the administration of [former] President Tubman for being created as a county and to the great people of Lofa who made their desire important and felt to give President Tubman the impression that we (citizens of Lofa) are part of the nation-building process,” he said.
The senator added that the celebration will also promote peace, reconciliation, and development in the county.
He added, “Let us be clear here that we haven’t been able to speak with everyone named on the various committees directly, but we have been doing our best to get in contact with all of them. We believe they are all citizens of Lofa, and they will accept.”
He said the president would be adequately briefed about the details of the program upon his return from the United States: “I will make the effort once he is in the country for him to be there. We think that giving him the respect and honor to come and play a role will be to our advantage.”
The Lofa senator maintained that the programs would include cultural performances and sporting activities, among other happenings.
Featured photo by Jerry Byepu