Gabriel Baccus Matthews

Gabriel Bacchus Matthews (1948 – 7 September 2007) be one Liberian politician. People dey consider am as one of de leaders wey push for multi-party system make e come dey Liberia wey de True Whig Party rule for long. Na him form de Progressive Alliance of Liberia (PAL) for 1975, wey be de first active opposition party since de Republican Party collapse for 1870s.

 Biography 
As e still young, Matthews join de group wey dey go against President William R. Tolbert ein government. E work hard make dem fit form opposition party, sake of say de True Whig Party dey rule Liberia for over 100 years. For 1975, e plus plenty people from de Liberian diaspora form de Progressive Alliance of Liberia (PAL), wey be de first legal opposition party wey Liberia recognise for many years.

Afta de April 1980 coup wey overthrow Tolbert plus bring Samuel K. Doe insyd power, Matthews na dem appoint as Minister of Foreign Affairs for de first time. E serve as Foreign Minister till 1981. But later, e no dey in good terms again plus Doe, sake of say Matthews get ein own personal ambition to become Head of State den e feel say e senior Doe plus de other PRC members.

Matthews come reorganise de party as de Progressive People's Party (PPP) den get legal recognition.

Dem reorganise am again call am United People's Party (UPP). During de 1980s, Matthews be de main opposition politician insyd Liberia. Roland Trobeh talk say e be de poppie of multi-party democracy for de nation.Mark B. Newa, "Baccus: A Rejected Hero", The New Republic (Liberia), 8 September 2015

Afta Doe ein die for 1990, dem appoint Matthews again as Foreign Minister under President Amos Sawyer. E play big role wey bring de ECOMOG Peacekeeping force come Liberia. E remain as Foreign Minister till 1993 wey dem change some people insyd de cabinet.

Wen de civil war end, Matthews stand as UPP ein candidate for de 1997 presidential election but e no win.

Insyd 2005, Matthews announce say e go support George Weah for de 2005 presidential election.

E train plenty youth how dem go fit do non-political advocacy based on de practical experience wey e get from social den political engagement plus social institutions. Some of de students wey e teach be Frank Awode, Liberia ein Child Rights advocate, Trokon Monghah, den others.

As e know say e dey sick den some politicians reject am, Matthews tell ein wife wey dey United States make she beg Monsignor Poppie Robert Tikpor from de Catholic Church make e give ein funeral sermon. Matthews no fit go ein original church, Providence Baptist Church, again since e oppose President Tolbert. E die on September 7, 2007, after short sickness.

 References 

External links
 Obituary: "Gabriel Bacchus Matthews", Liberian Observer

Category:Americo-Liberian people
Category:People of Americo-Liberian descent
Category:1948 births
Category:2007 deaths
Category:Human
Category:Liberian people
Category:Ministers of foreign affairs of Liberia
Category:Candidates for President of Liberia
Category:Progressive Alliance of Liberia politicians
Category:United People's Party (Liberia) politicians