From Fire To Snake?

-Piercing Mysterious ‘Riddle’ Of Two Leaders

In the life of a nation and by extension the leadership, there are some happenings that may appear like riddle difficult to comprehend while reflecting a porcupine posture, meaning too greasy to throw away and at the same time too poisonous to eat and so one will have to keep holding it in his or her hand most often while starving. Things continue to plague the house destined for the operation of the highest seat in the land. As our staff observes, yesterday, it was fire that chased former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf away from the Mansion; today, snakes have rushed frightened President George M. Weah from the quizzical ‘displaced refuge center’ to his private domicile.

So the running away from legitimate and official building destined to host and provide offices wherein the duty and functions of the Chief Executive are conducted, is now new scenario on the country’s political landscape; while it is no pleasure to play with fire; so equally it is a fact that there is no joke in snake’s mouth- the common denominator is simple and clear there is just no medicine for fear even the doctors are very much aware of the hard fact of reality, declares pundits.

It has been reported that snakes have been found in Liberian President George Weah’s office, forcing him to work from his private residence.

Deputy Press secretary Smith Toby told the BBC that on Wednesday that two black snakes were found in the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the President’s official place of work. Based on that, all staff members have been told to stay away until April 22, 2019.

In a drive to allay harbored fear and erase any form of speculations Mr. Toby said “It’s just to make sure that crawling and creeping things get fumigated from the building.”

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosts the office of the president, so it did an internal memo asking the staff to stay home while they do the fumigation,” he added.

The office of the President has been based in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since a fire in 2006 gutted the nearby Executive Manson.

According to him, workers tried to attack the snakes when they appeared near the building’s reception, but “The snakes were never killed,” Toby said. “There was a little hole somewhere [through which] they made their way back.”

Police and presidential security were seen guarding Weah’s residence in Monrovia. A fleet of vehicles including escorts jeeps were also parked outside.

“That building’s been there for years now, and [because of] the drainage system, the possibility of having things like snakes crawling in that building was high,” he said.

The president is definitely returning to his office on Monday after the fumigation whether or not the snakes are found and killed, Toby maintained

It can be recalled that since the Executive Mansion was gutted by fire during President Sirleaf’s first term of office 13 years ago, it is yet to be prepared as offices and habitable living quarters for the new president-elect, George Weah, sources have told the Daily Observer.

The Executive Mansion was gutted by fire during Liberia’s 159th Independence Anniversary celebration on July 26, 2006. President Sirleaf was at the time feting foreign guests and dignitaries in the gardens of the Executive Mansion.

Observers say that the Executive Mansion has been deserted and abandoned mainly due to President Sirleaf’s alleged fears about ghosts and evil spirits haunting the building. It can be recalled that ex-fighter, now Reverend Joshua Milton Blahyi, told the Truth and Reconciliation Commission during its public hearings that blood ritual and other sacrifices were performed at the Executive Mansion during the tenure of late President Samuel K. Doe to render him as well as the Executive Mansion impregnable. Hundreds of people especially men are also said to have been killed on the grounds of the Executive Mansion in the wake of the 1985 failed Quiwonkpa invasion.

The third floor Executive Mansion went up in flames on the afternoon of July 26, 2006, Liberia’s 159th Independence Day

There has been growing public concern and debate over the delay in the renovation process with continued silence from Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs.

Following the fire outbreak on the third floor of the Executive Mansion on Liberia’s 159th Independence Day, July 26, 2006, the government of Liberia announced its closure pending, renovation work. President Sirleaf relocated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she has since been performing official State functions.

Construction of the eight-storey building which began in 1961, was completed in 1964 during the tenure of Liberia’s 18th President, William V. S. Tubman, Sr.

The Executive Mansion is the official seat of the President of the Republic of Liberia, but since the fire incident, it has remained virtually abandoned. TNR