By
Togba-Nah Tipoteh
One of the oldest persons in the world, a Liberian woman named Ma Zerpolu Dofusuah, passed away early morning of July 6, 2020 on the eve of the 173rd Anniversary of Liberia’s Natal Day, July 26, 2020. Ma Dofusuah was 110 years old. She lived in Foequelleh, Bong County and was married to Pa Nyahnquai Dofusuah, who predeceased her in 2003. The Dofusuahs had 13 children, 35 Grandchildren and 36 Greatgrandchildren. Let us all say Eseh Emama (the Kpelle language for a Big Thank You) to Nngala (the Kpelle language for God) for the life of Ma Dofusuah.
Throughout her life, Ma Dofusuah was most dependable, most reliable and most trustworthy for pursuing the upbringing of her children and thousands of other children in many communities in and around Foequelleh. She was not giving the name of the last child for nothing because whenever she was the only one left to stand up for any matter of principle, she remained standing. This was the Legacy of Ma Dofusuah.
One of her children who continues to lift high her Legacy is Mr. Nyahnpudolo Manangan, who serves as the Secretary General of the Bong County Council of Chiefs and worked closely with Dahkpana (Chief of Chiefs) Flomo Baworlor, Chairman of the Bong County Council of Chiefs and Senior Advisor to the National Council of Chiefs of Liberia, who lived to be 103 years of age. Working dependably like his Mother, Manangan lives up to his name, person with nothing to hide, by being an extrovert, an open book full of transparency, with nothing to hide from people in the public space, while being busy raising awareness on how to get rid of mass poverty and, currently, how to end the health pandemic after having some concrete experience working to end the ebola epidemic.
In times like these when public health diseases have gone global, like the Corona Pandemic, there is great need for us as a people to rely mainly on the practice of our culture, our values that continue to sustain the vast majority of the people despite the worsening mass poverty situation. Let us bear in mind that it is impossible to solve any of our problems when we do not know about our problems. Therefore, our educational system must be based on our culture, not on western culture, in order for us to acquire the knowledge to solve our problems. Ma Dofusuah did not attend any western styled school but she was highly educated because she understood well the culture of the people and became very respected for coming up with solutions to the problems of the people in the communities with which she was in contact. On the basis of what she knew, she guided thousands of students through the western-oriented school system. We can observe her work particularly through the work of her Son, Manangan.
Ma Dofusuah lived through the Administrations of 11 Presidents of Liberia from President Arthur Barclay to President George Manneh Waeh. As Ma Dofusuah is to be laid to eternal rest in Foequelleh on Saturday, July 11. 2020. let us be hopeful that the current Administration of Government will give her the appropriate Homage that a Distinguished Citizen of Liberia deserves, not forgetting that she was one of the world’s oldest persons, who lived honorably/honestly. In remembering Ma Dofusuah, let us take due note of the number 11, as found in the 11 Presidents of Liberia during her lifetime, her burial on July 11, 2020 and her age of 11 times 10, while working globally to ensure that the Corona Pandemic will not last beyond 11 months.
Monrovia, Liberia
July 7, 2020
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