Clergyman lashes at Officials

Liberian officials received lashes at the hands of clergyman Rev. Charles Diggs in a sermon at the official funeral service of fallen Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Dr. Edward McClain on Monday, 22 August at the Presbyterian Church on Ashmun Street in Monrovia.

The Presbyterian Church Director of Administration Rev. Diggs says there are people calling themselves honorable, but wondered over how they treat the country.

Referring to President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf’s fallen Office Chief of Staff Dr. McClain as “Soldier,” Rev. Diggs described him as a committed and dedicated man with integrity, urging other officials to emulate his good example.

Unlike the character of others whom Rev. Diggs had warned against disrespecting the president, he suggested that if Dr. McClain had some disagreements on issues, he was not in the press but demonstrated a good hallmark of a honorable person.

Rev. Diggs pleaded with the three branches of government here to work together, respect and honor the people whom they serve. In concluding, he urged Liberians to put their country first today, tomorrow and forever in his early warning to electorate on the coming election not to decide the country’s fate based on rice, buckets and money that will be distributed by politicians.

Earlier in her tributes at Dr. McClain’s funeral, President Sirleaf said there was no one more loyal “than you,” and ponder over who can ever match what he represented, his intelligence and integrity.

President Sirleaf said Dr. McClain left a void that cannot be filled, having earlier recalled that with Dr. McClain, no one was too big or too small for him to find companionship in. Other top officials at the funeral service included embattled House Speaker Alex Tyler and his deputy Hans Barchue, Senate President Pro Tempore Amah Jallah and officials of the judiciary, among others.

Tributes were paid by government ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, which Dr. McCalain headed until his death on July 23 this year.

Officials of the legislatures did not speak at the funeral service, but protocols from the House of Representatives and the Liberian Senate were called up to laid wreaths over the casket bearing Dr. McClain’s remains.

By Winston W. Parley-Edited Othello B. Garblah