Stop disturbing me! Public Works Minister warns Church mother

Liberia needs all of the prayers that can be offered to invoke God’s intervention in the wake of the Ebola outbreak here, and Mother Oretha Taylor, spiritual head of the Living Prayer Evangelistic Ministry in Lakpazee Community, Sinkor suburb of Monrovia is willing to take up the task like many other religious leaders in the country.

But she seems to have fallen into trouble with a member of President Sirleaf’s cabinet, Public Works Minister Dr. Antoinette Weeks, who is angry with the Church for disturbing the peace of her residence.

A rather infuriated Dr. Weeks has violently entered the Living Prayer Evangelistic Ministry and disrupted its worship, seizing the pastor’s microphone and smashing it on the floor with a warning to the congregation to stop disturbing her. The controversial female cabinet minister has also warned the Church to bring down its mounted public address system or loudspeakers used during worship that disturbs the community.

The minister on Tuesday night ordered a pickup load of police officers from the Liberia National Police (LNP) led by senior Officer Prince David or code-name 117 to warn the Church to stop disturbing her in its service. Minister Weeks was seen at the Airfield Police Station otherwise known as Salem, apparently to get the police to go to the Church and implement her orders.

A few hours later, a pickup load of uniformed officers headed by Officer Prince David, stormed the Church compound to execute Dr. Week’s directive.  Mother Oretha Taylor, spiritual head of the Church, has refused to talk to the press on the issue, insisting that she is leaving everything to God. According to her, God will fight on her behalf, saying, “Let’s forget it; God will be our judge.”

Recently, the Liberia Council of Churches organized a three-day national fast and prayers to invoke God’s intervention in the national health calamity here. The fast and prayer was climaxed with worship at the Centennial Pavilion on Ashmun Street, central Monrovia graced by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and her officials.