|Liberia 🇱🇷| Now let’s have a glance at Tolbert’s 9 years presidency before he was assassinated. Just In Case You Missed It! Read below:
*Born: May 13, 1913, Bensonville, Montserrado County, Liberia.
*Became President: 1971, after the death of President William V. S. Tubman (he had been Vice President since 1952). 20th president of Liberia
*Died: April 12, 1980, assassinated a during the military coup.
*Political Party: True Whig Party (TWP).
Slogan/Policy: “Total Involvement for Higher Heights”.
What did Tolbert really do that he was assassinated for…?
➤ Tolbert’s Domestic Policies:
1. Agriculture First Policy
*Tolbert first launched programs to reduce Liberia’s reliance on food imports. Introduction of the “Total Involvement for Higher Heights” campaign, emphasizing agriculture and self-sufficiency to reduce reliance on imports.
*Encouraged mechanized farming and cash crop expansion (rice, cocoa, coffee, palm oil).
2. Economic Reform:
*Promoted Liberianization – greater involvement of indigenous Liberians in commerce. Established programs to empower indigenous Liberian entrepreneurs in trade and business, reducing foreign dominance.
*Encouraged diversification beyond rubber and iron ore.
3. Housing & Development:
*He extended Tubman’s earlier housing drive by building low-cost houses in various counties for middle- and low-income Liberians.
*Built the Stephen Tolbert Estate, Barnersville Estate, Matadi Estate and the Police Academy Estate.
*Bong Mine Housing Units (Bong County), Estate-like housing communities built for workers of the Bong Mining Company and surrounding areas.
*Supported low-cost housing projects across the country through the National Housing Authority.
* Notable clusters were developed in Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Bong, and Nimba Counties.
4. Education & Health:
*Expanded the University of Liberia and Cuttington College.
*Invested in secondary schools, BWI (Kakata), and teacher training institutes.
*Improved hospitals, clinics, and rural healthcare systems.
5. Political Reform:
*Opened political space by relaxing restrictions on opposition parties.
*Banned the “mattress vote” system and promoted electoral fairness.
*Human Rights Advocacy: Took steps to improve press freedom and allowed more public debate.
*Appointed more indigenous Liberians to government positions, breaking the Americo-Liberian monopoly.
6. Foreign Policy:
*Tolbert became Chairman of the OAU in 1979): Raised Liberia’s profile in Africa.
*Pan-African Leadership:
Supported African liberation struggles in Southern Africa.
*Balanced Diplomacy: Maintained ties with both the U.S. and socialist countries during the Cold War.
*Non-Aligned Movement: Advocated for neutrality and African unity.
7. Religious & Cultural Leadership:
*He served as the first Baptist African President. Tolbert was a prominent Baptist preacher and the first African to serve as President of the Baptist World Alliance (1965–1970).
*Moral Reforms: Tolbert often preached against corruption and emphasized “moral rearmament” in national governance.
Overview:
* Tolbert is remembered as a reformer who tried to modernize Liberia and open opportunities for indigenous Liberians.
* His presidency was a turning point, as it ended the Americo-Liberian monopoly on power.
* However, his rice policy, economic downturn, and resistance from entrenched elites created instability that led to his overthrow.
Xplorers, do you think Tolbert’s assassination was necessary?
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