By Ben T.C Brooks
FISH TOWN-[March 17, 2025]–River Gee County, one of the newest counties of Liberia has concluded its silver jubilee celebrations. A silver jubilee is a 25-year-annivesary celebration of an event or a milestone.
River Gee celebrated its silver jubilee in an elaborate event that took place between March 13-16 in Fish Town, the capital city. River Gee became county in 2000, during the regime of former President Charles Taylor.
The anniversary celebration was intended to retrospect the history of the county and pay tributes to those who defied the cultural norms to make River Gee a County separate from Grand Gedeh County, established 1964.
During the celebrations, local county authorities who spearheaded the anniversary led series of activities highlighting the county’s history.
The ceremony was graced by the performances of local artists, cultural troops, traditional mask dancers, local football and kickball club teams.
Speaking at the official program marking the 25th anniversary held on the sports pitch in Bassa Community, on March 16, 2025, River Gee County former Senator, Commany B. Wesseh, called on citizens of the county to coexist in unity if River Gee County is to experience developments. Wesseh stressed the need for citizens both at home and away to be united in order to fast track development in their county.
He stated that unity will pave the way to enhance major developmental projects in order to transform the living standards of the people.
“Let our citizens everywhere work in unity for the transformation of our county to enable us bring projects that will make more impact on the lives of ordinary citizens,” Wesseh said.
The former River Gee senator has therefore warned against division among any group of people, noting, it hampers the growth and upliftment of a county or any group of people.
Also remarking, elders, women and youths of the county urged their local county authorities and legislative caucus to redesign the county’s flag to bring back what they called ‘the missing leopard’.
History had it that he first flag of River Gee had a Leopard drinking from a creek, but got altered during the making of its new flag now without leopard.
“We want the leopard back on our county’s flag, please put it back before next year’s celebration,” the citizens pleaded.
The word “Gee” means leopard in the Grebo tribe after which the county was named. According to oral history, leopards were always going to the source of River Gee to drink but were killed by a certain hunter.
The source of River Gee is from a hill called “Saitoi” between a calwood about one and a half hours walk from Jarkaken Town, Chedepo Administrative District in River Gee County.
In response, River Gee County caucus chair, Senator, Jonathan Boycharles Sogbie, received the citizens petition and promised to work with colleagues including county authorities to do the will of the citizens.
He noted that without unity, it would be difficult to foster the county’s development agenda.
“We all have to explore all avenues to be united to revamp the development process of our county” He added.
The River Gee County senator therefore praised and thanked individuals who turnedout, especially citizens from the diaspora. He encouraged them to always put the county’s development first.
Fish-Town is the capital city of the county with the area measuring 1,974 square miles. It has a population of 124,653, people making it one of the least populated counties in Liberia, according to the 2022 Census.
It is bordered by Sinoe County to the west, Grand Gedeh County to the north, and Grand Kru and Maryland counties to the south. The eastern part of River Gee borders Ivory Coast along the Cavalla River with its current suprintendent being Milk Swengbe.
The County Anniversary celebrations which kicked off from the 13th to the 16th of March this year brought together guests from Grand Gedeh and Maryland Counties.
