The Independence Day Committee of the Organization of Liberians in Minnesota (OLM) has released its official calendar of events to commemorate Liberia's 159th Independence Day. The festivities will begin with a County League on Saturday, July 1 and end with a Thanksgiving Service & Gospel Music Extravaganza on Sunday, July 30, 2006.
The main events will start on July 26th with a formal program at the Brookdale Covenant Church, an intellectual forum at the North Hennepin Community College that will be discussing topics about ethnicity, gender equality, social justice, immigration and other religious issues.
The independence ball is on July 29th with Guest Speaker Bishop Bennie D. Warner, former Vice President of the Republic of Liberia. The close of the program will be held on July 30th at the Bethel Outreach Church in Robbinsdale.
The speaker at the formal program of this year’s 26th program was one of the first persons to be displaced due to the start of a cycle of civil upheaval in Liberia. The Rev. Bennie D. Warner was in the United States on church business when he learned that a revolution had occurred back home in Liberia.
The year was 1980. The VP and his family were in Indianapolis at General Conference, the top legislative gathering of the United Methodist Church. Warner had served as vice president of Liberia, in addition to being bishop of the Liberia Central Conference since 1973.
Fearing retaliation for his role in the government, friends warned him not to return.
"I was on the wanted list," The VP said in a 1990 interview with the Arkansas United Methodist Chronicle. He later learned that, after a mock trial, the deposed president of Liberia and 13 other officials were executed.
In an interview in 2005, he observed that the level of corruption in Liberia was disappointing. He mentioned that the Tolbert government was overthrown in 1980 because of alleged corruption. However, he continued, Liberia has experienced epidemic corrupt practices by our so-called leaders during the past 20 years. “Our so-called leaders have used the people’s money to purchase homes, cars and other items. The level of corruption in Liberia must cease. Liberia will not develop if leaders continue to steal from the Liberian people.”
Continuing, he said, “I simply wish 2005 would bring peace, harmony and order, unity and prosperity for the Liberian people. For any meaningful social economic development programs to be initiated in Liberia, there must exist peace and security first. Therefore, all Liberians must work toward peace, law and order in Liberia”.
During this interview at which time the Liberian elections were being hotly contested, he endorsed Dr. Woah-Tee because as he put it, he has the vision and passion to unite Liberia. He noted that in addition, none of the presidential contenders recognized him as an elderly statesman to seek his advice, except Dr. Woah-Tee. He intimated during that interview that he doesn’t plan to run for any office in Liberia, but will work to ensure peace and unity in Liberia. However, as an elderly statesman, he would seek to advise anybody who desires his advice.
It is not known what the theme of his speech will center on at this time. Bishop Warner has been in the US for 26 years and has been following events in Liberia.
In an interview in 1998, when asked about one day returning to Liberia, he said, "There's really no reason to go back, at our age and stage, "We're just going to grow where God has planted us."
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