President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. will travel to Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County later this month to participate in a historic national ceremony honoring two prominent Liberian figures: the reburial of former President Samuel Kanyon Doe and the funeral and interment of former First Lady Nancy Bohn Doe.
The announcement followed a courtesy visit by members of the Doe family to the President’s residence in the Rehab Community, where President Boakai assured the family of his full support and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to national healing and unity.
“This moment is not just about honoring the lives and service of two prominent Liberians,” President Boakai stated. “It is about taking meaningful steps toward healing the deep wounds of our past, promoting reconciliation, and strengthening the bonds of national unity.”
President Boakai emphasized the importance of according dignity and national recognition to past leaders, a stance that aligns with his administration’s broader reconciliation agenda. During the meeting, he donated five cows as a gesture of solidarity to support the ceremonies in Zwedru.
The funeral and reburial are scheduled for late June 2025 and are being coordinated with the active involvement of a National Committee for the Reburial of Former Presidents. The committee, chaired by Minister of Education Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, was established on February 19, 2025, following the President’s announcement during his January State of the Nation Address.
Ms. Veronica Mamie Doe, daughter of the late President and First Lady, spoke on behalf of the family, expressing deep gratitude to President Boakai for his compassion and leadership during their time of mourning. She was accompanied by her brother, Mr. Fallah Varney Doe, and their uncle, former Grand Gedeh County Senator and former Senate Pro-Tempore, Mr. Isaac W. Nyenabo.
President Boakai, who served as Minister of Agriculture under the Doe administration during the 1980s, reflected on his personal and professional ties with the late President and First Lady, describing them as formative years in his public service journey.
Former President Samuel K. Doe assumed power on April 12, 1980, after leading a military coup. He governed Liberia until his capture and assassination by rebel forces of the Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL) in September 1990, during the height of the country’s civil war.
The reburial and funeral events are being hailed as a milestone in Liberia’s long path toward reconciliation, historical reckoning, and national cohesion.
