| Gov’t Honors 5 Slain Catholic Nuns, Others |
| Published on July 21, 2008 | Email To Friend Print Version
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The Government of Liberia will on Thursday, July 24, 2008, decorate and confer the nation’s highest honors on several prominent statesmen and the five catholic nuns murdered during the Liberian civil in Barnesville Township.
The recognition is owing to their Invaluable and Humanity Services rendered the Government and People of Liberia, the Foreign Ministry says.
The five nuns who were rendering humanitarian services were reportedly massacred in 1992 by Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia rebel forces.
The five Catholic Nuns include Sister Shirley Kolmer, Sister Mary Joel Kolmer, Sister Barbara Ann Martton, Sister Agnes Muller and Sister Kathlen McGuire. The government will confer Grand Commanders (Star of Africa) on the five slay Catholic nuns.
A Foreign Ministry release dated July 18 signed by Assistant Minister for Public Affairs, Mr. Josephus M. Gray, disclosed that others to be honored include, Mr. Albert Porte, Knight Great Band (HOAR); Mr. Joseph Nyandedo, Paramount Chief of Kolahun District (Oldest Serving Chief) will receive the Knight Commander, (HOAR) while the government will confer on Mr. Lafayette Montgomery, Knight Grand Commander.
Also to be honored include 99-year-old Mr. David Lake, who the government will confer on the Grand Band (Star of Africa); Professor Euphemia Abdullah, Dean of William V. S. Tubman Teacher’s College, University of Liberia, Grand Commander (Star of Africa) while the government will bestow on Dr. Lois C. York, former president, AM Zion University, Grand Commander (Star of Africa).
Besides, the government will also confer on Dr. Varsay Sirleaf, Proprietors of Snapper Hill Clinic, Knight Great Band while Dr. Robert Dennis, Chief Medical Officer, JFK will be recognized by the government with a Grand Commander (Star of Africa).
Meanwhile, the Government of Liberia will on July 26, 2008 confer the nation’s highest honor of Knight Grand Commander (HOAR).on the National Orator of the 161st Independence Anniversary, Dr. Sakui Waiba Suo Godee Malakpa. Dr. Malakpa, according to Foreign Ministry release will be decorated during the ceremony.
Dr. Malakpa was thrilled with the gift of a manual typewriter as a teenager because he had dreams of becoming a writer and a professor. Dr. Malakpa teaches all vision courses in addition to other courses at undergraduate and graduate levels. He has published extensively in the areas of special education and international studies.
He recently published a novel that is getting positive reviews. Dr. Malakpa has obtained federal and state grants and, as a member of various professional and community organizations, he is a regular presenter at national and international conferences.
A month after Sakui Malakpa went blind he says he was given the greatest gift he's ever received: a typewriter. In 1977, he traveled to Florida State University where he received his undergraduate and masters degrees. After college, he went on to Harvard University and got his doctorate.
By this time, a military coup in Liberia had devastated his home - his benefactor president was killed - so he began applying for teaching jobs and landed one at UT in 1986. While in school, he took a typing class and was thrilled at the chance to type stories. But within a month, his vision was gone because of a parasite that causes "river blindness."
It was a blow to a budding novelist who dreamed of writing stories and books. But a missionary couple gave him an Olympia typewriter. And he began to write. He wrote letters to friends and family. He wrote short stories. And one day he typed out a letter to the president of Liberia, asking the leader if he'd help send him to Israel for surgery to restore his vision.
The president got the letter, but physicians said it was too late; Mr. Malakpa's vision was gone for good.
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