NATIONAL STUDENTS POLITICOS AND THEIR COLLISION WITH GOVERNMENT: A PAGE FROM HISTORY.

The Liberia National Students Union (LINSU) was transformed from the Liberia Students Association (LSA), which was founded in 1952, and legislated on January 25th 1957.

Twenty -Two years thereafter, following a Resolution derived from its Congress held at the Cuttington University College (CUC) in 1979, the nomenclature of the Liberia Students Association (LSA) was changed to the Liberia National Students Union (LINSU), with W. Comany Best Wesseh as its first President. Wesseh had earlier served as President of the University of Liberia Students Union (ULSU), under the banner of the Student Unification Party (SUP) in 1978.

One of the main objectives of LINSU is to serve as an umbrella organization to coordinate the affairs of all students through their respective organizations in the country. Since its founding, the Union has been vocally critical against ills in government that pertained to students and the larger society.

In1980, its leader, Comany Wesseh read a Position Statement on behalf of the students community to Head of State Doe on the Grounds of the Executive Mansion shortly after the Coup. He subsequently fell in disfavor with Doe later in 1981 when he called for a speedy return to civilian rule. That feat caused his dismissal from the LEC, and subsequently the Constitution Commission headed by Dr. Sawyer.

Based on threat to his life, Wesseh fled into exile in Ghana. He was succeeded by Ezekiel Pajibo as Acting Head of LINSU, with Alaric Tokpa was its Secretary General. Both Pajibo, and Tokpa were Zoology, and Political Science students of the University of Liberia at the time. They also formed part of the Six Student Leaders including Siafa Blackie, Kpedee Woiwor, Klon Brownell, and Menyongai Wilson that were condemned to death in January, 1982 for a Position Statement issued against the ban on all political activities effectuated in 1981 by the PRC. The PRC had considered their Statement as a challenge to its AUTHORITY. Fortunately, at the eleventh hour they were pardoned amid jubilation in Monrovia, and by extension, Liberia.

LINSU mainly had its bases on the campuses of the University of Liberia, Tubman High, and Cuttington University amongst which most of its memberships were drawn. At the University of Liberia, several ideologues of the Student Unification Party (SUP) were its cushion. It was alleged that the Movement of Justice in Africa (MOJA) that boasted of several professors, and Doctorate holders including Drs. Tipoteh, Sawyer, Fahnbulleh, Tahyor, and Prof. Dew Mason tele-guided its operations; and by that, their allegiance(s) were owed to them.

So, by its diverse students' composition, and alleged alignment with opposition elements, especially MOJA; LINSU became the conduit for championing critical views against government in the cause of the "MASSES."

When the PRC Government issued Decree 88 A on July 21, 1984 which essentially curtailed Free Speech prior to the conduct of Presidential and General Elections in 1985, it red flagged a signpost to most political interests, including LINSU, which promptly accused the government of infringement on the rights of the entire Liberian citizenry to ably express themselves on critical national issues.

Caught ambivalently between twists and turns per the Decree's impact on Free Speech; unconventional outlets were utilized through mediums that bordered on unorthodoxy, and executed by shadowed individuals who clandestinely circulated stenciled leaflets under the title  REVOLUTIONARY ACTION COMMITTEE or "REACT" for short.

The message(s) as contained in the REACT leaflets were grammatically composed with structural outlines that semantically highlighted the acute corruption which permeated in segmented ministries and agencies; in addition to proffered recommendations.

The ripened times witnessed the leaflets to find its way in strategic areas in Monrovia, and at times, surreptitiously on the desk of prominent government officials. On one occasion it was mysteriously found on the desk of Head of State Doe which detailed in totality, discussions held at a private arena relative to dismissals of key officials of government who were underground supporters of newly formed opposition parties

The poignancy which the leaflets germinated amongst government officials who were usually singled out as corrupt, created an uneasy backdrop amid uncertainties as to who were the harbingers.

To unearth the mystery became a tantalized challenge for the Joint Security who worked overtime. However, based on the patterns of REACT'S choosy dictions which were sequentiality similar in syntax when juxtaposed to LINSU'S Releases; the Joint Security therefore became suspicious to the effect that it intensified their network(s) against its activities. Their efforts consequentially paid off when Defence Minister Gray D. Allison announced through a Press Conference that the authors behind the "REACT" leaflets were identified to be the Acting President of the Liberia National Students Union; in concert with others.

The incident was captured on the front page of the Vol. No. 85 Thursday, December 6, 1984 edition of the DAILY OBSERVER newspaper with a caption: 'REACT' AUTHORS IDENTIFIED 
- SAYS GOVERNMENT
- But Pajibo Denies Knowledge

Below are excerpts of the narratives in the newspaper.

Defense Minister Gray D. Allison says government has identified the authors behind the circulation of the anti - government leaflets that have been clandestinity circulated in and around Monrovia; especially on the University of Liberia campus on Capitol Hill.

Minister Allison presented the Acting President of the Liberia National Students Union (LINSU), to journalist at the Defense Ministry yesterday afternoon.

Other officials present at the Conference were Information Minister Carlton Karpeh, Justice Minister Scott, Police Director Wilfred Clarke, NSA Director Sylvester Moses, Immigration Commissioner Edwin Taye, and Joint Security Chairman Edward Massaquoi, amongst others.

Pajibo was one of the four persons arrested by security men early Monday. The others are Lucia Massally, James Fromoyan, and Dempster Yallah. All four are reportedly members of the Liberia People's Party (LPP) being organized by Dr. Amos C. Sawyer. But the government said that the party affiliation of the four had nothing to do with their arrest. Rather, they had been arrested as "writers or authors of the anonymous leaflets."

Under questioning from journalists, Pajibo admitted to being the sole author of a stencil found at his residence entitled "Uniting for an unblemished purpose" which he described as intended to rally the students of the University of Liberia concerning issues connected with its reopening. BUT HE DENIED ANY CONNECTION WITH THE REACT LEAFLETS.

Later in answering questions from journalists, NSA Director Sylvester Moses said that the security forces had established direct link between the "REACT" leaflets and the four individuals who had been arrested, and that three additional authors of the leaflets were still at large. But he did not elaborate and the names of the three additional persons were not revealed.

Information Minister Karpeh for his part cautioned the security apparatus to be meticulously professional in the discharge of their duties so as not to considered impartial as the Government was committed to a peaceful transition to democratic civilian rule.

Minister Scott averred that those concerned would bear the full weight of the law. He didn't say which law the accused had violated when quizzed by journalists.