By Alfred Kollie, alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
Tears could not stop rolling from the eyes of family members, journalists, especially colleagues who work with him during this professional career, as well as friends and Sympathizers who had gone to pay their last respect to the fallen Liberian broadcast Journalist, Zenu Miller.
In late January this year, Zenu said he was flogged by the elite Presidential guards, Executive Protection Service (EPS) during the County Sports Meet at the SKD Stadium in Monrovia’s Paynesville suburb. He later sought Doctor’s treatment for pain in the chest and leg, but no investigation was done into his claim of attack.
An autopsy widely called for would have shed light into what the secondary causes that triggers that eventually led to his final demise. The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) and other local and international groups and individuals and the government said it was willing to fund an autopsy, but Miller’s family prefer to give their family member a “peaceful” and quiet burial on February 29, their will that eventually prevailed.
As earlier as 7am on Saturday Morning of February 29, 2020, hundreds of Liberians including family members, government officials, friends, and media colleagues gathered at the Freedom of Worship Center in Congon Town outside Monrovia to finally say to Zenu, bye-bye, a way of telling him go and sleep well with weeping among many.
The Church was jam packed; the seat could not hold the crowds other were standing outside the church building during the memorial service.
The Liberian broadcast Journalist were pronounced dead on Saturday the 15th of February 2020 just few weeks after he was allegedly flogged by presidential security, the Executive Protection Service (EPS)
Several professional media experts the past and president, young journalists, students and both senior and junior officials of government were all represented at the funeral ceremony in Paynesville City.
Liberia Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Education Minister, Deputy Presidential Press Secretary and several government Public Relations Officers were seen at the program with the Alternative National Congress or the ANC Political leader Alexander B. Cummings.
Speaking under the theme ’’THE THINGS WE DO DOWN HERE’’ with text taken from Luke 5:25, the general overseer of Hope International Ministries, Bishop Jackson G. Weah noted that the things we do down here are recorded by God and that everyone will give account of his or her life on earth.
‘’Be careful how you treat your fellow men, the things we do down here, you will give account of it one day. Life is not all what we see, there is more to life, therefore consider life’’ Bishop Weah noted.
According to him, some individuals in Liberia will not be remember based on not leaving legacy behind that other can point out while in power.
‘’we are washing you keenly when your days are over, you have to be careful life is about legacy, if you think you are rich and others around you are suffering, you are not rich’’
According to Bishop Weah, if an individual is lifted in life he or she should look down by helping those in need.
‘’the things we do down here will be rewarded whether you are rich or poor, accept God’’ he concluded.
The late Zenu Miller according to medical report in the possession of his family established that he died as a result of severe hypertension (high blood pressure) at the ELWA Hospital in Paynesville City.
From his Facebook post, Miller complained of chest pain since he was reportedly manhandled by officers of the Executive Protection Service in January at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Stadium during the most popular and well attended sporting even in Liberia, the National County Sports Meet.
Despite the medical report, there has been calls from both local and international Institutions including government requesting for an autopsy to be conducted in order to establish the cause of death but the Miller family refused and demanded that there son should be bury in peace.
Notwithstanding, the family refusal to conduct an autopsy as call by government, the PUL is still demanding an independent investigation in to circumstances surrounding the alleged flogging of its fallen journalist Zenu Miller.
The Liberian broadcast Journalist, Miller was finally laid to rest on Saturday February 29, 2020.