By Sidiki Fofana |Truth In Ink
In a nation long struggling to define the intersection between faith, politics, and public accountability, the recent expulsion of Dr. Samuel Reeves former President of the Liberian Council of Churches (LCC) and senior pastor of Providence Baptist Church has ignited fierce public debate. Is Dr. Reeves a rogue cleric defying ecclesiastical order for political expediency, or a moral voice silenced by the very institution he served?
Just months after being suspended for a press release that condemned the early governance record of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Dr. Reeves now finds himself ousted from the leadership of Liberia’s most prominent religious coalition.
The charge? Violating the “biblical and ethical standards” of the church by organizing a controversial program to honor Former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and his predecessor, Rep. Richard Nagbe Koon, the very actors at the center of a national parliamentary crisis.
The Fallout with the Boakai Government
In January 2025, Dr. Reeves made headlines when the Council of Churches, under his leadership, released a scathing critique of President Boakai’s nascent administration. The statement decried what it termed a “lack of purposeful direction, nepotistic appointments, and an absence of moral clarity.” Reeves, never one to shy away from moral indictment, declared, “It is not enough to have waited twelve years in opposition. The people voted for good governance, not recycled dysfunction.”
While many Liberians hailed the statement as a bold call to conscience, critics, including high-ranking clergy within the LCC argued that the release lacked consensus and bordered on partisanship. Reeves was suspended shortly thereafter, in what many saw as a warning to clerics critical of the Unity Party government.
The Honors That Shook the Church
In early May, Dr. Reeves announced a controversial event: a program to honor current Speaker Richard Koon and former Speaker J. Fonati Koffa for their “contributions to legislative leadership and national dialogue.” The announcement stunned many within both religious and political circles, especially given the fresh wounds left by the recent legislative crisis.
The roots of that crisis lie in one of the most bizarre chapters of Liberia’s democratic experiment: the burning of the rotatom the roll call device and voting tool at the heart of legislative proceedings. The incident, which occurred in early 2024, plunged the House of Representatives into chaos and led to weeks of parliamentary paralysis. Koon, the honoree was implicated by actions and association as tensions boiled over during the disputed Speakership election. Though he was later re-elected and publicly apologized to his West Point constituents, many Liberians viewed the apology as too little, too late.
Former Speaker Koffa himself rejected the proposed honor, stating in a press release: “At this time, I do not believe I deserve such recognition, particularly given the painful memories many of our people still bear from the recent legislative confusion.” His rejection was widely praised, casting further doubt on the appropriateness of Dr. Reeves’ initiative.
Following the uproar, the LCC convened an emergency session, culminating in a unanimous vote to expel Dr. Reeves. In a statement, the Council said:
“The decision to bestow public honor on individuals central to one of the darkest moments in recent legislative history, without institutional consensus or spiritual discernment, reflects a gross departure from the biblical mandate of moral clarity and prophetic responsibility.”
The Council further criticized Reeves’ pattern of unilateral decision-making, accusing him of using the church as a personal platform for political relevance.
A Misunderstood Prophet?
Dr. Reeves, however, is no stranger to controversy. During the George Weah administration, he frequently denounced corruption and impunity, once stating from the pulpit, “If the church must be silent, then democracy itself is doomed.”
His defenders argue that his only crime has been consistency refusing to remain silent regardless of which political party is in power.
Prominent theologian and rights advocate Rev. Charles Diggs came to his defense, writing:
“Dr. Reeves is not a rebel. He is a Jeremiah in a nation that has forgotten its covenant with justice. We must not confuse institutional rigidity with righteousness.”
Others disagree, noting that while moral outspokenness is commendable, it must be grounded in accountability and ecclesiastical order. “You cannot lead a coalition of churches like a personal ministry,” said Rev. Martha Zleh, a senior member of the LCC General Assembly.
Dr. Samuel Reeves’ rise and fall reflect the broader tension between prophetic leadership and institutional conformity in Liberia’s religious and political culture. As the 2029 elections draw near and political alliances begin to shift, his expulsion sends a clear message: the church, too, is a political actor, and internal dissent will not be tolerated.
But the question remains: Was Dr. Reeves truly out of line, or is he merely the latest casualty in a system that punishes independent thought and moral audacity?
As Liberia wrestles with its democratic contradictions, perhaps the legacy of Samuel Reeves will depend less on whether he was right or wrong and more on whether we, as a society, still have the courage to tolerate uncomfortable truths.
