Eli Alexander Budu Tubman, “Black Man”, a Tribute

I have written many tributes without problems. But with this, I had difficulties starting. Therefore, I procrastinated. I could not accept Eli’s death. Each time I delayed, his name and memories of our relationship kept reminding me. He was a good friend. Eli died on May 17, 2023, in Maryland County, Liberia. He was 77 years old.

Eli and I met in Washington, DC, over 15 years ago. He was a Pan-Africanist, believing all Black people are Africans, and they must unite to truly liberate themselves from any form of neo-colonialism. He called himself a Black man. Yes, Eli was a real Black man, a true African. He saw his living and survival in the US as a war. And Eli was strong in fighting that war. He considered Howard Hughes, a famous American movie producer and aviator, racist. Though I disagreed with his classification, he spoke in considering his general opinion of American racism.

We worked closely together in 2011 when we, as members of a concerned Liberian group in America, demonstrated in Washington, DC, against the Unity Party government in Liberia for killing peaceful Liberians at the CDC’s headquarters in November 2011. Members came from different states of America, including California, Georgia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania. We assembled at the Liberian Embassy, where we, with a casket, protested the deaths and the violation of democratic and constitutional rights by the administration. We continued the demonstration to the White House and climaxed the activity with a social and cultural event at a DC government hall.

Eli and I were the foot soldiers, meeting with federal and DC government officials for permits for the demonstration. The US government, through the Park Authority, provided us with police protection for the demonstration, and the DC government allowed us to use the Reeve Municipal Center for the cultural event and reception. Eli and I worked tirelessly to make the activities successful. Mrs. Clar Marie Weah, the wife of Liberian President George Weah, also participated in the events. Though many of us were non-CDCians, we were all Liberians caring about justice in our country. Some of us went on to organize the Coalition for Justice in Liberia, a progressive advocacy group headed by Sister Lovetta Tugbe in the US. The Coalition is still functioning.

While living In the United States, Eli remembered his birthplace, Maryland County in Liberia. He “often spoke about the need for Marylanders in the diaspora to form Maryland County associations [to help] meet the needs of the citizens of Maryland County.” In April 1999, Eli and some other concerned Marylanders in the US founded Marylanders For Progress (MFP). Some of MFP’s projects to the county included the following: Shipping 20,000 textbooks to public schools, shipping medical supplies to the J.J. Dossen Hospital and clinics, contributing to the reopening of the W. V.S. Tubman University, and “providing micro-loans for market women in all four districts of the county.”

Our friendship continued in Liberia when we returned home. He taught history at the Tubman University in Maryland County. I lectured as a volunteer visiting teacher in writing at the Barnes Mission School in New Krutown, Monrovia. Eli shared and discussed some of my topics with his students. We kept in touch.

Eli showed interest in Maryland County’s politics. He once wanted to run for the county senatorial seat in the 2020 election. Eli participated in renovation and historic preservation activities in his birthplace. He was a family man. Eli married Kadijah in the US. He birthed three sons: Taweh, Jumoki, and Vacanarat. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in political science and Master’s in African-American studies from Morgan State University and Beacon College US respectively.

Eli was bored in 1946 by Alexander Glen Tubman and Mary Wilson Tubman. The father was a brother of William V.S. Tubman, former president of Liberia. Eli died at the J.J. Dossen Hospital in Harper City and was buried in Maryland County, Liberia. His death shocked me.

May Eli’s soul rest in perfect peace.