The Government of Liberia says, with the death of the late former chairperson of the Council of State (CoS), Mrs. Ruth Sando Fahnbulleh Perry, the country has lost a devoted public servant, a good women advocate, a leader and a great stateswoman.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, the attributes were contained in a tribute paid on behalf of the Government of Liberia at the weekend by former vice chairperson, Mrs. Wedea Kobbah Wureh, who was a member of the CoS during the tenure of the late Madam Perry.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf led an array of senior government officials, relatives and mourners to the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Paynesville City where a memorial service was held for the late chairperson of the CoS who died in Columbus, Ohio, United States of America early Sunday, January 8, 2017.

“It is said that some people are born great, some achieve greatness, while others have greatness thrust upon them; such was the case of the late Madam Ruth Sando Fahnbulleh Perry,” Mrs. Wureh, in her tribute stressed, adding that during Madam Perry’s life sojourn, she achieved greatness in her own rights and later had greatness thrust upon her.

Mrs. Wureh, recalled when the late Madam Perry was sworn in as the first female chairperson of the CoS, her first response to the international press when questioned on how she planned to accomplish the task of restoring peace to war torn Liberia as a woman when other men had failed; her reply was, “I will use my motherly virtues, because nothing in my experience had prepared me for this.”

Former vice chairperson of the CoS, Mrs. Wureh said when she looked in the eyes of the late Madam Perry, she saw tears; indicating that certainly, she wasn’t prepared for this daunting task. “She was not prepared in her mind because she didn’t go to Abuja, Nigeria to canvas for a job. Rather, she had a job thrust upon her.”

However, under Madam Perry’s chairmanship, the daunting task of reuniting Liberia was cardinal and members of the CoS had to travel the length and breadth of Liberia assuring Liberians that the war was over and there was on one government in Liberia, Mrs. Wureh emphasized; adding that these were challenging times since these visits were made to hostile territories while disarmament was incomplete.

“These were the types of sacrifices made to the peril of our lives to consolidate the peace and promote a stable government for Liberia,” she noted.

Mrs. Wureh recounted that after achieving mandate of the CoS which included disarmament, partial repatriation of refugees from all over West Africa and the successful conduct of presidential and legislative elections on July 19, 1997, acting as chairperson of the Liberia National Transitional Government, Madam Ruth Sando Perry peacefully handed over power to a duly elected government on August 2, 1997 and like all other members of the CoS retired to private life.

When the civil war broke out again in Liberian in 2001, the late Ruth Sando Fahnbulleh Perry was among several women who travelled to Accra, Ghana in 2003 and joined other women of Liberia to help broker the famous Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement culminating in the peace the country now enjoys and is obligated to maintain.

Delivering the homily earlier on behalf of the Bishop of the Episcopal Church of Liberia, the Most Reverend Jonathan B.B. Hart, the Vicar of the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Rev. Fr. Peter M. Inuwa, speaking on the theme: “A Charge to Keep,” said everyone has a charge to keep in their area of assignment like Madam Perry successfully did in ensuring the peace to Liberia during those daunting days in our nation’s history.

He encouraged the bereaved family and others to take solace in the Lord as they go through the period of bereavement.  He noted that the gathering was not to weep for Madam Perry, but to rejoice for a life well lived. Fr. Inuwa admonished the congregation to desist from pretense and hatred that have not and will not do us any good.

Tributes were also paid by Minister Julia Duncan Cassell on behalf of the Women of Liberia; Mrs. Ophelia Hoff-Saytumah on behalf of the Mano River Women Peace Network; Cllr. Yvette Chesson-Wureh on behalf of the Angie Brooks International Center; Order of Eastern Star; Orders of the Sons and Daughters of the Knights; former United Methodist Bishop Arthur Kulah; Good Shepard Episcopal Church Women; The Episcopal Church of Liberia, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Gladys Johnson and the family.