By Shallon S. Gonlor / shallonsgonlor@gmail.com*
YEKEPA, NIMBA COUNTY, LIBERIA — Decades after one of the darkest chapters in Liberia’s history, the Nimba County administration has taken a significant step toward healing and remembrance. This week, Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono unveiled a monument in Yekepa to honor the victims of the 1985 massacre, a tragic event that claimed the lives of hundreds of Nimbaians, including leaders, youths, and children.
The monument, titled *“Nimba Preserves the Loving Memories of Our Fallen Heroes, Heroines, and Angels Who Lost Their Lives Here,”* stands as a solemn tribute to the 85 victims whose lives were brutally cut short. It features gravestones bearing the names of individuals like D.K. Onselly and Eugene Kidau, who were among those killed during the massacre.
The initiative aligns with President Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s call for the dignified remembrance of Liberians who lost their lives during the country’s civil conflicts. Many of these victims were buried in mass graves without proper recognition or memorials, leaving their families and communities without closure.
The 1985 massacre in Yekepa remains one of the most horrific acts of violence in Liberia’s history. The tragedy unfolded in the aftermath of a raid by unknown gunmen, allegedly from the Gio ethnic group, who attacked the residence of Charles Julu, a Krahn commander working at the Liberian-American Mining Company (LAMCO). Julu’s children were reportedly killed during the raid.
In retaliation, President Samuel Doe and Krahn-dominated government forces launched a brutal crackdown on the Gio and Mano ethnic groups in Nimba County. Hundreds of innocent civilians, including children as young as seven, were rounded up, tortured, and killed. Many were dumped in mass graves, their lives erased without dignity or justice.
The massacre left deep scars on the community, with homes, businesses, schools, and churches destroyed, and countless families displaced. For decades, the victims’ families have sought recognition and justice for their loved ones.
A Monument for Healing and Remembrance
Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono, who spearheaded the monument project, described it as a long-overdue acknowledgment of the lives lost and a step toward healing for the Yekepa community.
“We will never forget,” Gono said during the unveiling ceremony. “It is my hope that with this site, we can offer some sense of healing, peace, and hope for the future. We have an obligation as a community and as a country to honor each of the victims of this evil act.”
The monument, dubbed *“Memories 85,”* serves as a permanent reminder of the resilience of the Nimba people and their commitment to preserving the memory of those who perished. Gono’s administration worked closely with the victims’ families to locate the graves and identify the exact site where the atrocities occurred.
The unveiling ceremony brought together citizens, local leaders, and families of the victims, who stood in solemn reflection as the monument was revealed. Emotions ran high as survivors and descendants recounted the pain of that dark day, now immortalized in history.
