REVEREND HONOURABLE JOSEPH MUNTER NANA GBADYU

 

REVEREND HONOURABLE JOSEPH MUNTER NANA GBADYU
 

Dr. Mason
HONOURABLE JOSEPH MUNTER NANA GBADYU
 

 

It is with deep sorrow and regret that the Gbadyu family announces the home-going of our beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Uncle, and Cousin, The Reverend honorable Joseph M. N. Gbadyu. He lived with his family in Minneapolis, MN, until his passing. He leaves to cherish his memory, his beloved wife, Elizabeth J. Gbadyu and children of this marital union which include Fanceit (deceased), Digoa, Palmah, Giitoun, Foingii, Sahji (deceased), Dabo-konmohn, and Dyupedeah; other children Pappies, Bani, Dehdo, Mammie, Marpu, Trokon, including others in Liberia; his brothers Philip Gbadyu and Zacchaeus Gbadyu; sisters Joanna and Annie Gbadyu and a host of relatives and friends in the United States and Liberia. He was also a foster parent for many Children.

 
 
Rev. Gbadyu, who has passed age 83, on May 14, 2017 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, was a towering Liberian journalism world from the day in took to the radio waves for the first time, and honed his skills that placed his greatest legacy on the summit of human conscious. This is where it all began in 1958, while employed at ELWA Radio Station. Mr. Samuel Adcucker was impressed with Gbadyu‘s broadcasting skills and related it to Mr. J. Richard Reeves. Reeves then informed Gbadyu that his skills – knowledge base, ethical compass, and ability to process new information was the best newscast management had heard. As a result, Gbadyu was moved by the praise of breaking news. He embarked upon and asked all Bassa to voice their opinions and to argue their points on the quality of his broadcasting. The response to his call generated more than 400 letters, many written in the Bassa Script. Faced with the Bassa Script letters and the limited reading knowledge he had of it, Gbadyu was compelled to call James W.M. Nyanakpe and Abba Grogro Karnga, who knew the Ehni Ka Se Fa to help him with the letter translation. The volume of letters caused them to seek additional help from known Bassa such as Elder Diggs, Bassa Governor Thomas Bestman Neoh, Teatea Gedepor, Bishop Samuel B.G. Stepeney, Attorney William Cisco, and Richardson Gargar to help with the translation and to provide additional names for the translation. The coming together of Bassa people for the Bassa Script provided the name BASSA VAH ASSOCIATION (BVA). The Literary Movement’s first meeting was held July of 1959 in Monrovia at Burning Bush Tabernacle Pentecost Church. It brought together progressive Bassa leaders as Mr. Joseph M.N. Gbadyu, radio personality/ president-elect; Chauncey Karnga—member; Henry Goeh—member; Philip Gaye Gbadyu—member; Andrew F. Gbadyu—member; Abba Karnga—Recording Secretary.
 
In 1966, Rev. Gbadyu played a pivotal role after retrieving the printing press Dr. Thomas Flo Narvin Lewis, a son of a Bassa chief from Hwuduagbam, District #3, Grand Bassa County used to refine and systematize the ‘Vah‘ script in the 1900s. The association began to produce calendars as an impetus to bringing the rich culture of the Bassa people to a national awareness. The calendar featured colorful photographs of the Palm Trees and President Tubman. In the month of February, it featured Vice President Tolbert and others. The following months were Bassa executives who were counties commissioners, paramount and clan chiefs, Elders, and Religious Leaders. Everyday carried the name of a Bassa Leader with special scripture in Bassa. There were also peculiar places of attraction such as historical buildings, skin—top drums for ancient communications, awesome cotton trees, and students of the Sande and Poro in their traditional uniforms. Each picture had an explanation in Bassa followed by English language. Upon the order of President W. V. S. Tubman, Chief Patron of the BVA, 2000 copies were sent to the Festival of Africa Artists in Dakar, Senegal and 2000 copies were sent to all embassies of Liberia around the world. American universities such as Indiana and Syracuse were also recipients. The Liberian Education Ministry and the Government recognized the Bassa and Via Languages as written languages of Liberia in the early 1970s. Executive Officers of the BVA were instructed to meet with the University of Liberia administration to register the Bassa Language as a curriculum and prepare the syllabus. .
 
In contrast to the dull, by-rote announcers that have preceded him, Gbadyu was a bundle of dynamite, heralding each broadcast with a loud “Jeeh-jeh be ni tuun-tuunoo; Jeeh-jeh be vaa duuo. Dyoheh to dugba kuin duon, “(You all open your ears. You little beat the news drum). He also gained notoriety on his show “Songs of Liberia,” which showcased the songs and cultural tapestry of the various Liberian ethnic groups. Invariably known by his first name, Joseph was popular with both the English and vernacular radio listeners through Liberia and other African nations.
 
'Gifted Voice,' truly the lens through which he saw the world, journalist Rev. Gbadyu was a polished politician and diplomat. He was loved and worked with everyone from President W.V. S. Tubman to President Samuel K. Doe; from Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Ato Ketema Yifru lobbied the conference participants to have the next meeting in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa to Guinean, to Mr. Diallo Telli who represented the Guinean government and he became the first Secretary General of the OAU, who successfully lobbied the Casablanca Group members. He was one of the key Liberian journalists who was assigned as a member and reporter on the on the referendum of May 1963 that assembled African leaders in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to create the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Rev. Gbadyu was a Reverend, veteran Bassa Historian and former Radio News Reporter went on to become Superintendent of Grand Bassa County and Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs (Local Government), Republic of Liberia.
 

Synopsis

Reverend Hon. Joseph Munter Nana Gbadyu was born on July 10, 1933, at the Mid-Baptist Mission near Zondo Town, Gianda Clan, District No.4, Grand Bassa County to the union of Reverend Gaye and Mrs. Nanna Gbadyu. He was educated at the Tappita Mid-Baptist Mission, Nimba County, the Gaye Peter Mission (World Evangelical Church), Grand Bassa County, the Zondo Mission School (eight grade diploma), Grand Bassa County, the University of Liberia (BS, magnum cum laude, secondary education, 1964), and Indiana University (MS, education and communication, 1966) respectively. He returned to Liberia after he graduated in 1964. He then taught and served as principal at the Zondo Mission (1950-57); worked in Christian broadcasting at the Sudan Interior Mission’s Eternal Love Winning Africa (ELWA) in Monrovia (1957-67); served as director of broadcasting at the government’s Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (1965-72); was Supervisor of Schools for Grand Bassa County (1972-1976); Superintendent of Grand Bassa County (1976-80); and Deputy Minister for Operation, Production and Coordination at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Republic of Liberia (1981-82).

It was dusk in 1982 when his car was involved in a near-fatal car accident that left him paralyzed from his shoulder and partial spinal cord injuries (fractured and dislocated neck vertebra) during a trip to rural Brand Bassa County. Liberia not having organized trauma response system and few months after one of the most serious traumatic injuries, he miraculously made it to the US where in underwent several surgeries and rehabilitations.
 

Early Years

But it was when Rev. Joseph Munter Nana Gbadyu took to the radio waves for the first time, and honed his skills that his greatest legacy was placed on the summit of human conscious. It all began in 1958, while employed at ELWA Radio Station. Mr. Samuel Adcucker was impressed with Gbadyu‘s broadcasting skills and related it to Mr. J. Richard Reeves. Reeves then noted to Gbadyu that his voice was the best newscast management had heard. Gbadyu was moved by the praise of management and embarked upon asking all Bassa to rate the quality of his broadcasting. The response to his call generated more than 400 letters, many written in the Bassa Script. Faced with the Bassa Script letters and the limited reading knowledge he had of it, Joseph Gbadyu was compelled to call James W. M. Nyanakpe and Abba Grogro Karnga, who knew the Ehni Ka Se Fa to help him with the letter translation. The volume of letters caused them to seek additional help from known Bassa such as Elder Diggs, Bassa Governor Thomas Bestman Neoh, Teatea Gedepoh, Bishop Samuel B.G. Stepeney, Attorney William Cisco, and Richardson Gargar to help with the translation and to provide additional names for the translation. The coming together of Bassa people for the Bassa Script provided the name BASSA VAH ASSOCIATION (BVA). The Literary Movement’s first meeting was held July of 1959 in Monrovia at Burning Bush Tabernacle Pentecost Church. It brought together progressive Bassa leaders as Mr. Joseph M. N. Gbadyu, radio personality/ president-elect; Chauncey Karnga—member; Henry Goeh—member; Philip Gaye Gbadyu—member; Andrew F. Gbadyu—member; Abba Karnga—Recording Secretary.
 

Later Life and Legacy

While in the United States, Rev. Gbadyu, the scion of Bassa history, met three Americans who became his friends: Mrs. Rachel Curtis, Monica Whitfield, Mr. Samuel Hawkins, and two Liberians, Mrs. Alma K-Harris Smith and her son Varnie N’jola Karmo, who was born of Bassa and Gola heritage, yet was taught English rather than his own people’s language. Through the guidance of God, Karmo found his own African identity and approached his mother about the desire to learn how to speak and write in Bassa. Although she herself could speak Bassa, she did not know how to write it, so she decided to introduce him to her longtime friend, Rev. Gbadyu. During a conversation between the iconic radio host Gbadyu and Karmo, the idea of creating a Bassa font based on the Bassa Script was born.
 
On June 14, 2003, Gbadyu served as the Keynote Speaker for the “African Governance, Philosophical Thought & Rule of Law” Symposium held in Greensboro, NC on April 26, 2003. Rev. Gbadyu's speech was on Traditional Bassa Education and Leadership which coincided with the independent research on the Bassa origin and launching of “Nyanyan Gohn-Manan: History and Migration of the Bassa,” by Dr. Syrulwa Somah. Rev. Gbadyu met Dr. Somah at this symposium. At that time, Dr. Somah was at NC A&T State University, Greensboro, NC, though Rev. Gbadyu’s fame preceded this meeting. Rev. Hon. Joseph M. N. Gbadyu, a Bassa historian and mentor to many Liberians, believed that education should be brought to those who want it. Rev. Gbadyu, was a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Liberian History, Education and Development (LIHEDE) in Greensboro, NC, USA.
Rev. Gbadyu will be remembered as a person who valued his culture, a person who would not be shy to wear his traditional garb and lead his fellow Bassa in traditional dances. To many in the sanctum, he symbolized its grand history of which he kept a meticulous record as an accomplished historian and author of “The Bassaman and the Expansion of the Liberian State, 1847-1912.” He was a man of culture and politics; of great political courage, cultural dignity and traditional responsibility. The family believes such ethos stems from his humble beginnings. He lived his life never forgetting where he came from. Dr. Somah surmises there may not be a smarter Bassa speaker who ever loved his people and language then Rev. Gbadyu. His life inspires us in ways that give us hope and light the way forward. As Dr. Somah says to Mrs. Elizabeth, his widow, children, and his entire family, “We extend our heartfelt condolences. He was as much yours as he was ours, probably his dedication to LIHEDE organization robbed you of a father. We will, from this moment on, as always, walk this journey with you to the end. Memory will never draw curtain over his good work. May the heavenly angelic host guard him, through his journey, walk beside him all along the way, to direct each footstep to the Ancestral Kingdom.”
 

Signed:

Sam Togba Slewion

Director of Publications& Public Relations-LIHEDE

 

 

 

   

 

   


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