‘FAREWELL, GIKLOR’ -Moving Tribute of Young Grigsby to Patriarch Sylvester Grigsby
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MONROVIA – Unarguably, it can be said with utmost boldness that the Grigsbys of Liberia are no strangers in Liberia’s social and political history. They, like other legendary families of the country, have had their fond, revered place that is not easy to ignore. From the days of the 133-year hegemony to the revolutionary days, and to this post-conflict era, the family’s epitaph on society remains firm. In the passing of a noted pillar of the Grigsbys, a junior relative has accentuated an unforgettable legacy in a near-thorough way. Atty Teklo Maxwell Grigsby II, just released a tribute for dear elder Sylvester Gilklor Grigsby as PUBLISHED BELOW:
Like Harrison William Grigsby, Sr. (Rock of Gibraltar), Sylvester Mondubue Grigsby has transitioned from labor to rest. Another big Tree in the Grigsby Family has fallen. Rest in Power Giklor Boy!
Greg, as he was affectionately called by his peers, was born in Grigsby Farm, Butaw District, Sinoe County on 15, October, 1950 to Ma Nyanabo and Numah Mondubue. He and his senior brother, Isaac Mondubue Grigsby were adopted by Harrison William Grigsby, Sr and Diana Sylvia Grigsby at early childhood.
Given the root of the Grigsby family in the Methodist Church in Liberia and the incredible service of Reverend Samuel J. Grigsby (Sylvester’s Grand Father) to the Church and State, Sylvester Grigsby was taught the values and enlightenment of the Christian faith and that enveloped his service to Liberia birthed in discipline, honesty, integrity and hard work.
Greg was educated at the United Methodist School, College of West Africa, where he became a Sophomore Class President, Student Council Government President, Senior Monitor and Mentor to other students. During his studies at the College of West Africa, he met beautiful Cleopatra; who eventually became his dear wife and with whom he shared his triumphs, solitude and fond memories for over 50 years.
Sylvester Mondubue Grigsby, upon completion of his studies at the College of West Africa (CWA), matriculated to the Cuttington College (Now Cuttington University) where he earned his B.Sc. in Chemistry. While at Cuttington, Greg was selected by President Tolbert as Liberia’s first student representative to travel on a foreign trip with the Leader of the Country and upon his return, he return to the state, unspent per-diem given to him for the travel.
The gesture from President Tolbert was quite strange but not surprising because it was a common knowledge within the True Whig Party (TWP) that Sylvester father, Harrison William Grigsby, Son of Sinoe County, declined an offer from President Tolbert to serve as Vice President and subsequently recommended his Cousin, James Edward Greene who eventually became the 24th Vice President (April 1972 – July 1977). Senator Harrison William Grigsby was a very trusted ally to President Tubman and one of the revere leaders within the Party and Government and political perimeters who was considered capable and suited within the ranks to succeed President Tubman upon the expiry of his seventh term by 1972.
The Grand Old Man, President Tubman had whispered within the corridors of Power that he would have exited the Presidency upon the expiry of his seventh term (27 years in office) 1972 due to poor health. Notwithstanding, some of his close allies including Harrison William Grigsby were severally punished for harboring ambition to succeed him while he was still in active service as president of Liberia.
President Tubman appointed Harrison William Grigsby as Superintendent of Sinoe County in 1948, after he had early served his native County (Sinoe) as Disbursing Office, Ministry of Finance in 1933 and subsequently as Senior Revenue Officer in 1942. Also, after the third inauguration of His Excellency President Tubman in 1952, Harrison William Grigsby was once more appointed as the Secretary of Interior (now Minister of Internal Affairs), a position he used effectively to supervise the creation of several cities within Southeastern Liberia (mostly Sinoe County, earlier Mississippi in Africa, 1838 and Maryland County; earlier Maryland in Africa, 1857) as a means of integrating and ensuring the participation of the locals (indigenous Liberians) within the governance architecture of the country.
President Tubman in the formation of his government for the fifth term (1960 -1964), reappointed Harrison William Grigsby (Major in the Arms Forces of Liberia-AFL) in a new role as Secretary of Defense (now Minister of Defense) and in his honor commissioned Camp Grigsby in Greenville, Sinoe County as a Military Barrack.
In this role as Secretary of Defense, the fate of Harrison William Grigsby political survival became uncertain as was the case with his dear son, Sylvester Mondubue Grigsby in the role of Minister of State for Presidential Affairs for the second time within a decade (2015 to 2025) under His Excellency President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, 26th President of the Republic of Liberia.
Unlike Harrison William Grigsby who served the three branches of the Liberia Government, Executive (Superintendent- Sinoe County, Secretary of Interior, RL, Secretary of Defense), Judiciary (Associate Justice) and Legislature, (Senator of Sinoe County) (1948 up to the total breakdown of Governance), Sylvester Grigsby committed over Forty (40) years of dedicated services to the Executive Branch of the Government beginning with his days as Assistant Minister for Economic Affairs (1975), Deputy Minister for International Cooperation (1979), Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, the European Union, and the African, Caribbean and the Pacific Secretariat (Civil War Years), Superintendent of Sinoe County (2006), Deputy Minister International Cooperation and Economic Integration (2009), Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (2012), Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs (2015), Minister of State Without Portfolio (2016), Minister of state for Presidential Affairs (2016) and Minister of State for Presidential Affairs (2024 to the point of his death).
In June, 2025, the news of Sylvester’s poor health was widely spread within the corridors of power with many speculating that the state of his health could not permit him to discharge of the duties and function of the Office of the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs. Others echoed their dislike and extreme opposition to Grigsby continuous service within the very strategic role in the Unity Party Government considering that he did not play a ‘Known, Active and Visible (KAV) role in the election of President and that he betrayed his friend, President Boakai and supported the Presidential bid of Mr. Alexander Cummings. Some said, he was very old, archaic, and unfit to deliver real-time progress within the Presidency eventhogh they publicly professed that President Boakai of similar age (probably slightly above) is an exception with sharp and retentive capacities to deliver the Arrest Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID). Some of the rank leaders of the malicious blackmail and deceptive gimmick are the fore-runners for a possible second term of His Excellency President Boakai at which time he will most likely be 82 Years in 2029.
History will be the judge of their words and actions as the Office has become vacant as a consequence of what the Grigsby family considered a natural phenomenal and an inevitable occurrence that every human-being will one day experience. The Grigsby family understandings the politics of Liberia and remain an integral part of the governance with historical antecedents/collections of betrayals and political persecution.
Grigsby was not perfect but his kind was rare and his replacement as Minister of State for Presidential Affairs under the current administration of President Boakai will have to take years reading from his play book. The testament from President Boakai, the rare message from the United States Embassy near Monrovia and countless messages from Foreign Countries, Bilateral and Multilateral Partners of Liberia are testament to his sacrificial services to Liberia for over 40 years that the late night falsehoods and baseless propaganda cannot erase even when sustain for the next decade. Minister Grigsby lived as a simple man amidst the privilege he had to exert himself and impose his will as others continue to do, seeing themselves as demigods, but he took the lone path of simplicity and was buried in said manner, a father, friend and family man who did not have to cost the Government and People of Liberia a fortune on burial ceremonies.
Harrison William Grigsby was dismissed as Secretary of Defense by his comrade and political ally, President William V.S. Tubman as a consequence of political conspiracies but he did not become a victim because the People of Sinoe decisively acted by electing him to the Liberian Senate to continue his unmatched public services to the benefit of all Liberia. Sylvester Mondubue Grigsby was investigated multiple times as Minister of State since 2024 on accounts of falsehoods and diabolic propaganda, the most recent being the appointments of Envoys under the Ministry of State, yet the outcome of all the investigations prove that the allegations were frivolous and unmeritorius. A few qualified and competent Grigsbys and Mondubue were denied appointments and employment opportunities even after demonstrating academic brilliance and exceptional expertise because of their family ties with the then Minister of State for Presidential Affairs but as individuals with inherited brilliance, we soldier on!
The singular act fighting against opportunities extended to Grigsbys on the basis of merit was to send a clear message to the People of Liberia that the professed emasculated Minister of State in person of Sylvester Mondubue Grigsby, was nothing short of an office holder, hence the real decision makers did not need his approval or consent on any issue affecting the very office he was asked by his lifetime friend, President Boakai, to supervise. Grigsby embraced these challenges with a calm demeanor and he always wore a charming smile in the midst of adversity.
On August 10, 2025, just a day after the death of the Late Minister of State, Sylvester Grigsby, a friend called me to convey his sympathy for the passing of Minister Grigsby and in the concluding remarks he said, ‘atleast we can now have a young minister of state’. I was quiet for the first time in many years and couldn’t hold back my disgust and amazement with a single question running through my mind. Where is the sense of humanity amongst us (Liberians)?
To that comrade, I say in response, Sylvester Mondubue Grigsby is no more. He expired on Tuesday, August 9, 2025 and the Grigsby and Mondubue Families buried him on Saturday, August 30, 2025 at the Forest Park, Southwest Cemetery, Richmond Texas, United States of America. He is not physically present anylonger but his exceptional teaching of honesty and service to country lives on.
You can now lead the campaign for a young, vibrant, proactive and exceptional Minister of State for Presidential Affairs who will deliver the Arrest Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID) to your like and benefit and for the good of all Liberians which Minister Grigsby failed to do in your imagination and assessment.
Farewell Giklor, until we meet again on that faithful resurrection morning. May your gentle soul rest in Peace!
Author: Teklo Maxwell Grigsby, II BSc. M.P.A. LL.B Esq.
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