By Ruth Jappah-Samukai
“As is a tale, so is a life: Not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.” – Seneca
It was with great sadness and pain that I learned of your passing, my dear brother, friend and colleague. One of those moments when one can only reflect with question of why did he leave so soon. Our paths crossed with work and the values you strongly believed in. It was with pride and honor to know you and work with you. Some may be surprised that our paths ever crossed, but they did, when you headed CENTAL and I, at the Governance Commission serving as a consultant, where we forged a bond and collaborated with public and private integrity institutions and civil society organizations in a holistic fight against corruption.
Your love for country, a nationalist at heart, mind and spirit; and passion for pressing government to be the best it could be was unmatched. When there was not enough donor funding to draft integrity and anti-corruption reforms, you led us for days and nights at CENTAL, drafting the Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees of Government and the Whistle Blower Protection Acts, eating “dry rice and fried fish” as meals most days. It was a difficult time but you never for one moment doubted we could do it without donor money. The stoic nature of your resolve in the fight against corruption shone best. You led the creation of the National integrity Forum, a space where integrity institutions would meet and discuss the challenges facing their respective institutions and ways to overcome those challenges. Through our work, donor funds eventually came and we accomplished a lot as a forum, among which were an asset declaration regime for officials of government and politically exposed persons and an Assessment of The National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) for Years 2006-2008, which was oriented towards developing capacity and programs to promote good governance with the realization that corruption was widespread and deeply entrenched in all aspects of the Liberian economy and society, particularly in the public sector.[1] Which assessment, I will add, now sits gathering dust. When you went to Harvard and returned home, we, your friends, were excited that you would continue in the work we started as integrity institutions. We spent much time after tennis workouts to talk about your plans for the LRA. Thomas, your life was brief but well lived. As Nelson Henderson wrote, “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” Your trail as a civil society giant will live on forever, and I know you would want us all to look forward with hope, and keep striving to create a corruption free Liberia. You leave behind a legacy of excellence and hard work.
To Jimmy, your big sister, Amelia, your wife and children, may God show each of you the power of his love and comfort.
Rest well my brother. May heaven’s gate stand open for you, giving you a new home in heaven.
[1] Assessment of the NACS, 2006-2008, Harvey, John E.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]
