Phila Institute dedicates Tenneh’s grave

The Student Council Government in collaboration with the Administration of Phila Institute in Brewerville, Montserrado County has dedicated the grave of the late Tenneh, the main Character in the Liberian Novel by the late author Bai T. Moore entitled: “Murder in the Cassava Patch.”

The dedication of the late Tenneh’s grave over the recently in Dewein District, Bomi County appeared to restore a lost hope to the people in the area. The Liberian Novel “Murder in the Cassava Patch” which explains the incident involving Tenneh is being taught in secondary schools across the country.

One of Liberia’s famous writers, the late Bai. T. Moore wrote the novel in 1957, after Gortokai killed Tenneth over love affection.Speaking at the grave dedication on Friday, 27 April , Phila Institute Principal Mr. Morris L. Sambola said the decision to reconstruct and dedicate Tenneh’s grave was to bring back the lost image, and to create the avenue where students will be able to see the grave of late Tenneh after learning about her in Literature.

He narrated that the school started the project in February 2017, when he took his students to visit the late Bail T. Moore and Tenneh’s grave sites to show them where the historic incident took place.

Mr. Sambola says the the reason for their visit was to erase the doubt that students were having about the story.According to him, students often didn’t believe the story “Murder in the Cassava Patch,” with some referring to it as fictional story.

Mr. Sambola notes that it was based on some students’ doubts that they undertook the project to provide them the opportunity to see the grave of the late Tenneh.

According to Mr. Sambola, what they saw during the visit at Tenneh’s grave was discouraging, prompting them to engage the chiefs and elders, informing them about their interest to reconstruct and give the grave a facelift.

Mr. Sambola adds that they intend to create an opportunity for other students who may want to see where Tenneh and Bai T. Moore were buried.“Mr. Commissioner, my Chiefs, and Elders, since this grave has been dedicated, I kindly ask that you allow us take care of this site for the next five years,” he pleads with the local authorities.

Mr. Sambola says they will go back there to carry on some decoration and other things, saying they want to be the only ones that will grant permission to any school that will want to carry their students at the grave site for field trip.

The Phila Institute Principal says his school is also considering the construction of palava hut, and the maintenance of the rock that Gortokai used to sharpen his cutlass at the grave site.

They want students to sit there and listen to explanation of the actual story that led to the death of the late Tenneth whenever they pay visit.He also calls on the government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism to undertake program that will generate revenue for the country, instead of abandoning it.

For his part the Police Commander for Dewein District in Bomi County Sergeant Lawrence T. Myers pledged his team’s support to monitoring the site by providing protection to stop intruders from tampering with the grave.

According to Sergeant Myers there is a urgent need for national government to see reason in supporting the efforts of the school, saying what Phila has done
will continue to benefit the people of the county and the country at large.

By Lewis S. Teh–Edited by Winston W. Parley