The Ministry of Internal Affairs categorically terms as diabolical and unnationalistic the shocking indictment that the Liberian Government was ‘selling the country to Satan’, . Yesterday the National Chronicle Newspaper in its July 20, 2009 publication, under the caption: “As Liberian Zoes, Witches, Bodeos Dedicate Chiefs’ Compound: Queen of the Coast Arrives – Liberia becomes satanic shrine”. The Ministry condemned the indictment which deliberately exposed the leaders, traditional chiefs of Liberia and the sub-region, as well as officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, including members of the international community who graced the occasion to international ridicule with such potentially devastation claims, a release said.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs further asserted that the article was full of falsehood, and lacking any evidence of the “facts” surrounding the ceremony of the delegation of the so-called ‘Chief Compound’. The Ministry of Internal Affairs advanced further that the President of the Republic of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf did not invite the Queen of Sheba, who the paper referred to as “Queen of the Coast”. 

The Ministry revealed that the Queen of Sheba was invited by the organizing committee of the traditional leaders at the 15-counties flag hosting program headed by Ambassador Juli Endee. The Ministry said the so-called “Chief Compound” that Chronicle referred to is actually the headquarters of the National Traditional Council of Liberia, thus imploring the paper’s lack of limitation and simplicity.

“The National Traditional Council of Liberia is a government body of chiefs and traditional leaders of Liberia, not an organization of witches and wizards or an occult or any other entity of satanic disposition as indicated by the paper’s report,” the Ministry said
The Ministry noted that the culture/tradition of the Liberian people is the sum total of the values, beliefs, customs and norms of the indigenous people of the land which distinguishes them as unique from any other people in the world.

The Ministry said the paper’s article has not only undermined the tradition and culture of Liberia but has labeled this tradition and culture as demonic and satanic, while associating leaders with witches.The Ministry of Internal Affairs has strongly condemned the Chronicle Newspaper and the writers of the article who seek to abuse the freedom of the press to plunge the country into an abyss of ignominy and destruction. The Ministry has clarified further that the National Traditional Council did not bring to the program zoes, witches and bodeos but that the Traditional Council program was instead attended by paramount, clan and general town chiefs from the 15 political sub-division as well as traditional leaders from the sub-region, the Ministry of Internal Affairs release concluded.