Nation’s Highest Honor Posthumously Conferred on Rev. Dr. J. Edwin Lloyd Sr. | News

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has conferred Liberia’s highest national honor on the late humanitarian, statesman, and renowned clergyman Rev. Dr. J. Edwin Lloyd Sr., recognizing his decades of service, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to peace, justice, and humanitarian causes.

The late Dr. Lloyd was posthumously awarded the Order of African Redemption with the Grade of Knight Official, one of Liberia’s most prestigious national distinctions, during ceremonies marking the country’s 179th Independence Anniversary on Wednesday at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Monrovia.

The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, formally informed the family of the late clergyman of the decision, expressing profound appreciation for his lifelong contributions and sacrifices made in service to Liberia and its people.

According to the official communication to the family, the honor recognizes Dr. Lloyd’s “illustrious service” and his outstanding role as a humanitarian leader, advocate for human rights, and voice of conscience during some of Liberia’s most challenging periods.

Rev. Dr. Lloyd, who died in 2023, was widely respected nationally and internationally for his humanitarian leadership, particularly through his service as President of the Liberian National Red Cross Society (LNRCS), where he played a critical role in expanding humanitarian assistance and emergency response across Liberia.

He also served as Chaplain General of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) during the early years following Liberia’s 1980 military coup and later became the first Director-General of the National Bureau of Veterans Affairs after the country’s civil war.

Throughout his life, Dr. Lloyd earned a reputation as a courageous advocate for peace, human dignity, justice, and accountability, often speaking against injustice even when such positions placed his own safety at risk.

Following the 1980 military takeover, Dr. Lloyd openly condemned the executions and human rights abuses carried out by the ruling People’s Redemption Council (PRC).

As Chaplain General of the AFL, he became increasingly concerned about the growing culture of violence following the coup and organized a special worship service at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion in Monrovia, where he publicly appealed to the military government to stop executions and uphold human rights.

He later led a delegation, including members of the diplomatic community, to the Executive Mansion to directly appeal to then Head of State Master Sergeant Samuel Kanyon Doe to halt the killings.

Following the intervention, the government announced a suspension of executions targeting former officials of the Tolbert administration.

However, Dr. Lloyd’s outspoken advocacy came at a personal cost. He was arrested and imprisoned for two years at the notorious Camp Belleh Yallah in Lofa County.

In his 2021 memoir, “In the Army of the Lord,” Dr. Lloyd reflected on that period, explaining his decision to speak out against injustice despite the risks associated with challenging those in power.

After his release, he continued his advocacy for peace, justice, and human rights, eventually gaining international recognition through his humanitarian work with the Red Cross movement.

At the outbreak of Liberia’s civil war in 1990, Dr. Lloyd again emerged as a leading voice for dialogue and peaceful resolution, urging the government of President Samuel Doe and the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) to pursue negotiations to avoid a prolonged conflict.

His calls for peace were rejected by some government officials, and he reportedly faced threats that forced him and his family to seek refuge in neighboring Côte d’Ivoire.

While in exile, Dr. Lloyd established HUB Ministries International in 1990, an organization that provided humanitarian support to Liberian refugees affected by the civil war.

Through the initiative, he founded the Union Baptist Center, regarded as the first comprehensive refugee center in Côte d’Ivoire, providing shelter, relief assistance, and resettlement support to thousands of Liberians displaced by conflict.

The organization expanded its operations across the region and in the United States, assisting more than 200,000 Liberian refugees and helping thousands secure opportunities for international resettlement.

A proud son of Grand Bassa County, Dr. Lloyd was highly respected among religious leaders, humanitarian organizations, civil society actors, and peace advocates in Liberia and beyond.

Before becoming President of the Liberian National Red Cross Society, he served as Special Representative of the International Red Cross in famine-affected regions of Ethiopia and Sudan, gaining extensive international humanitarian experience.

During his leadership of the LNRCS, Dr. Lloyd expanded the organization’s national footprint by establishing additional chapters across Liberia, recruiting hundreds of young volunteers, establishing Monrovia’s first blood bank, and acquiring ambulances to strengthen emergency medical response.

His humanitarian contributions earned him several international recognitions, including the Henry Dunant Award, the highest honor of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, for distinguished service to humanity.

Beyond humanitarian work, Dr. Lloyd contributed to several national institutions and organizations. He served as an executive member of the Family Planning Association of Liberia (FPAL) and was a founding member and former treasurer of the Group of 77, an organization dedicated to supporting persons living with disabilities.

Within Liberia’s religious community, Dr. Lloyd remained a respected leader of the Liberian Baptist Convention and served as Senior Pastor of Hopeful Baptist Church in Schieffelin, Margibi County, for 46 years until his passing.

The conferment of the Order of African Redemption on Dr. Lloyd forms part of Liberia’s 179th Independence Anniversary celebrations, honoring individuals whose contributions have shaped the country’s history and advanced the values of service, sacrifice, and national development.

Government officials said the recognition represents Liberia’s appreciation for a life dedicated to humanitarianism, peace-building, and the defense of human dignity.