GRAND KRU, MY MOTHERLAND
-A TRIBUTE TO OUR FOUNDING FATHERS
Grand Kru County is a county in the southeastern portion of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first level of administrative division in the nation, it has eighteen districts. Organized in 1984, its capital is Barclayville. The area of the county measures 1,504 square miles (3,900 km2). As of the 2022 census, it had a population of 109,342, making it the third-least populous county in Liberia.
As of 2025, Grand Kru's County Superintendent is Antoinette W. Nimely. The county is bordered by River Gee County to the northeast, Sinoe County to the northwest, and Maryland County to the southeast. The southern part of Grand Kru borders the Atlantic Ocean.
Grand Kru was created in 1984 by the merger of the territories of Sasstown and Kru Coast. Kru Coast territory had previously been part of Maryland County, and Sasstown territory had previously been part of Sinoe county. As of the 1984 Census, the county had a population of 62,791. A UN Mission in Liberia report issued in April 2005 estimated that the population was 71,000.
The county is blessed with abundant gold deposit, with huge forest reserve and a fertile soul for agricultural purposes. Grand Kru is also blessed with highly educated and influential individuals in every aspect of life, especially in governance. Unfortunately, the high lever of IQ of the citizens are not reflective of development in infrastructural gains, thereby leaving its citizens in a state of destitution due to serious leadership gaps as life becomes very unbearable
The county came to existence in 1984 by Degree of the People’s Redemption Council (PRC), headed by Master Sergeant Samuel Kanyon Doe, as its chairman.
There is a hypothetical question that continues to linger our minds, and we keep asking ourselves. Which way do we hope to take our county, and what will we tell our founding fathers? This question comes from the backdrop of the county’s underdevelopment and the inability of officials and policymakers to create opportunities for sustainable livelihood for its citizens. Development in Grand Kru is illusive due to the personal aggrandizement by our leaders at the disadvantage of its struggling masses.
Grand Kru Citizens, especially those from the intelligential class, who have served influential positions in government are guilty for their inability to champion the development drive of Grand Kru County thereby leading the people in the midst of unbearable hardship.
The question is, what we, as citizens of nowadays, Grand Kru will tell the late Hon. Agustine Doe Saplah, a soldier, and the 1st Superintendent of Grand Kru County, and one of the architects for the creation of the county. What really will we tell the late Sen. Cllr. Tuan Wreh, and Sen. Thomas K. F. Seedee, the 1st set of senators for Grand Kru County and Sen. Author Bedell, a soldier pilot who filled the vacancy created by the death of Sen. Cllr. Tuah Wreh (Senator) in 1986.
What will we tell Jlator Nicolas Podier, Samuel Doe, and other PRC members who have fought for the creation of the county? Podier was the Vice Head of State and a high-ranking member of the People’s Redemption Council ( PRC), a closed ally to the Head of State, Doe. During their visit to the Kru Coast Territory, Podier made a request to elevate Kru Coast Territory to a county status. A request which Doe granted in 1983 and 1984, the PRC through the PRC’s Degree declared Kru Coast Territory as Grand Kru County, with Barclayville City as its Capital
It was Jlator Nicolas Podier and other PRC’s members that lobbied with their colleagues in the Interim National Assembly (INA) to have what we called and referred to as Grand Kru County All credits and recognitions begin with the PRC’s Vice Head of State, Podier, through whose instrumentality and influence mainly this county was created in 1984.
What will we tell them when we shall meet on the beautiful seashore of Zion or in the human traffic as some of them are still alive. Some of them who have failed, they must be told that their people live in destitution and that the county lies in a state of neglect by the central government because the citizens have failed to give direction. The people are marketing the future of their younger generation for handout from politicians’ handouts.
What will we tell Sen. Thomas Nah Nimely, and Sen. Mayonomy Sherman, the 2nd batch of Senators for Grand Kru County in (the 51st Legislature of 1997 – 2002) of Mr. Charles Taylor (former President of Liberia, now in the Hague). Mr. Isaac Nyanmah, the 2nd superintendent of Grand Kru County, after Agustine Doe Saplah. What will we tell the late Hon. Jonah Wreh, and Nyondueh Mongonmana (alive) as the 2nd batch of Representatives of Grand Kru in the 51st legislature of 1997 – 2002).
What will we tell Madam Roseline Sneh, the 3rd Superintendent of Grand Kru County, a visionary superintendent ever in the history of development of Grand Kru County. The woman who put Grand Kru on the map when it comes to development. Since she left the county’s leadership, no one has filled that gap created by her absence. Roseline elevated the prestige and dignity of the county’s Capital City (Barclayville) to an appreciable level by erecting historic infrastructures such as superintendent’s quarter, Judiciary Complex, Town halls, Administrative Building, Modern Schools, local bank, GSM towels, River Norn bridge, etc. she did not stop there, she opened the way for women’s leadership in the county. Unfortunately, her vision for development was killed by her successors, all of whom are women.
After she left, that marks the slow pace, if not the end of development drive in Grand Kru County. Madam Sirleaf had appointed a visionless Superintendent of the county; she is no other but Elizabeth Demster. After Roseline Sneh had resigned. She (Dempster) has absolutely nothing to show when it comes to tangibles in the county during her ternue. For the rest of the balance six years of Ellen’s rule, Elizabeth Dempster rode on the back of Roseline’s development gains. She met early everything she needed to work with, unfortunately, nothing she could do. The question is, what will she tell our founding fathers.
Absolutely there is no reason why she had not done anything for our people because she met convenient dwelling place, offices and a system to work with, unfortunately, nothing she could do to follow the footprint of her predecessor.
There came another batch of excavator’s officials, who prefer uprooting our people’s farmland in search of gold at the disadvantage of the already suffering masses who live on substance farming.
The issue is that the survival of the people becomes secondary. All our officials are concerned about is exploiting the masses by damaging the farmland for aggrandizement. This is why we referred to them as excavators’ officials.
It is interesting to note that Grand Kru County had played a major role in our democratic culture. Grand Kru produced President, Grand Kru produced Speakers, Grand Kru produced President Protempory, Grand Kru produced Deputy Speaker.
On the international front, Grand Kru produced Africa Best, Grand Kru produced World Best, Grand Kru produced European Best, Grand Kru produced Surgeons, Grand Kru produced Educators, Lawyers, Diplomats, Grand Kru produced Boyo and Ritualists and notorious Criminals etc. The question is, what have we gained as a county and citizens?
Develop is at a slow pace in Grand Kru because most of our leaders subscribed to the “me, mine, I, myself theory” which means, if not them, it should be no one else. Most of our leaders are milking the county at the disadvantage of our impoverished masses.
TO BE CONTINUED
