On Thursday, November 24, 2004, The Perspective learned with regrets the death of Liberia’s former Vice President Harry Moniba. According to family sources, Dr. Moniba had traveled to Michigan on the eve of the Thanksgiving Day for a political meeting. It was during the trip that he was involved in an auto accident. The former VP was riding with Dr.John Kormei (a Professor at Michigan State) and his wife when the accident occurred. Dr. Moniba and Mrs. Kormei were pronounced dead at the scene, while Dr. Kormei is said to be in critical condition.

Dr. Harry Moniba

Dr. Moniba served as Vice President of Liberia during the administration of President Samuel K. Doe. During the Ghana Peace Conference, Dr. Moniba was one of those who campaigned for the chairmanship of the present Liberian interim government.

During the conference in Ghana the organization known as the Liberian Youth Leadership Forum (LYLF) had this to say about Dr. Moniba: "…His unsurpassed level of tolerance, his patience, his emotional stable state of mind even under the most tormenting circumstances, his willingness to listen to even the least member of society, and his readily strong appeals to people of all social strata, are just a few of the attributes that strike out almost instantly. On November 12, 1985, while being held captive by General Thomas Quiwonkpa and his forces, Dr. Moniba warned: 'Liberia is too small for its people to fight among themselves'. Such comment from a man whose life and position were under threat could not have been made by many of the characters here if they were faced with such dilemma. No wonder then why only Dr. Moniba stands out from the rest of the candidates."

After having lost during the selection process, he returned to the United States but did not give up. He was one of the 43 plus candidates contesting the 2005 Liberian presidential election. According to some accounts, he was invited to Michigan by some of his supporters to plot political strategies: Dr. Moniba died fighting and planning to take Liberia out of the mess that the country has plunged itself in.