By Naneka A. Hoffman
Liberian folk musician and retired Professor of English, Jones B. Dopoe, is battling old age and sickness that have left him partially losing his speech and memory and confined in a wheelchair.
The NEW DAWN recently visited the residence of a daughter of Prof. Dopoe, Miss Benetta Dopoe, in Duazon community along the Roberts International Airport (RIA) highway outside Monrovia and spoke with the Professor himself, who disclosed that the President of Liberia, George Manneh Weah, is his biological son.
He said President Weah knows him to be his (Mr. Weah’s) father, but couldn’t explain why the President is not paying him any attention even prior to, and after he assumed the Presidency.
But the conversation ended abruptly after Professor Dopoe lost his memory and could not recall anything, including his speech.
However, Benetta Dopoe narrates that her father has about 26 children by many women, and was residing with one of her stepmothers in Mount Barclay but because of lack of care, she went for him.
According to her, Prof. Dopoe had never told the children that President Weah is one of their siblings, adding that she’s shocked hearing it now while he is on sick bed.
Benetta reveals that her father fell sick in 2021 and they haven’t taken him to hospital because of lack of money, but her junior sister, Joyce Dopoe, who works at a government-run hospital in Bensonville, has been providing home medication.
She says there is no support to properly take care of their father except her brothers and sisters, who have been helping her in the process.
Meanwhile, Miss Benetta is appealing to the government, philanthropists, and humanitarian organizations to come to the rescue of Prof. Dopoe, noting that her father impacted so many people educationally, but regrets that he did not educate her.
She adds that they now live by the grace of God despite her being a well-known personality, narrating that she was very little but still remembers how people knew him.
Benetta expresses sorrow in seeing her father lose his memory sometimes for two weeks without help coming from anywhere despite serving society for many years, impacting lives.
She notes that since father fell sick, no official of government or politician has paid him a visit, including the University of Liberia where he last worked as a lecturer or to call and check on his health condition.
Besides the University of Liberia, this paper gathered that Professor Dopoe also lectured at Cuttington University in Gbarnga, Bong County, Central Liberia.
Apart from his academic career, Mr. Dopoe is a famous Liberian folk musician, who plied his trade both in Liberia and in neighboring Sierra Leone, where he played with the late king of palm wine guitar music, Sooliman Ernest Rogers, aka, ‘S.E. Rogie’ that produced the song “My Lovely Elizabeth.”
In Liberia, some of his efforts include the famous “Sweet, Sweet Cassava Leave” and “Mama I want to go to school, I tired selling plastic bags”, among others. Editing by Jonathan Browne
This is so sad on the part of our dear country to see someone who impacted the lives of many Liberians illing and no one is showing attention. That what happens when everyone is focus on one thing. Every liberians today is focusing on politics of today and have forgotten even about their life and future.
What is also wrong to have a God giving biological father of such when even we ourselves do the same today? May God heal prof.Dopoe.
You have made me to cry. Why now old Prof?
Doting children here and there and not caring for them is an anathema…. abomination.
The lady taking care of you now ….you did not educate..why?
I pray the heart of your son is touched….that is if it is true you are his father. Please forgive your dad so that you can also be forgiven.
My hat for the health caring daughter.. God bless.
Nice article indeed. Thank you writer and editors.