During Liberia’s civil war, General Butt Naked won notoriety as one of Africa’s most brutal warlords. Claiming responsibility for 20,000 deaths, a self-confessed sacrificer of children and a cannibal, he underwent a transformation in 1996 when he claimed he had an “epiphany” on the battlefield which changed his life forever. Today he is an evangelical preacher. In this interview with me, he openly discusses his past war crimes and says he is willing to go to The Hague to be tried. As he seeks redemption, his story provokes the question: are some sins too great to be atoned for? It is a question he asks himself.
Read his story here. I would welcome your comments on ednamailbox@gmail.com
3 Comments
I returned from Sierra Leone last Thursday after a two week stay during which time I delivered a course to help Christians working with children who have been traumatised or abused. Much of the course is relevant to those working with adults too.My wife had saved your article for me and I read it with great interest as I have been going to SL since 2002. I am aware of some of the atrocities and the influence of witchdoctors. As an evangelical Christian I was thrilled to read of Butt Naked’s conversion. From what I read it seems to be genuine. One of my friends in SL had both hands amputated by the rebels as the trouble in Liberia spilled over into SL. Thank you for your time and effort in bringing this story into the open, and for your bravery too.
I read your interview with general Butt Naked. It was quite interesting and revealing. I am a Liberian born but now a US citizen living in the state of Tennessee. I had left Liberia when general Butt Naked went on the killing spree. One of the stories I heard about his involvement in the war which he didn’t reflect during the interview with him was that he got involved when it became almost possible that the Krahns, his nativemen were about to be eliminated by the rebel forces in Monrovia. I was in Ghana by then and many that cross over to Ghana some his loyalists thought of him as a hero for them. I had to escape the war immediately when Samuel Doe was assasinated in September. I enjoyed your story, my personal experience in the war will hopefully be out by the end of this year.
Dear Zon,
thank you for your feedback and I appreciate the interview would not cover the aspect you mentioned in detail. Let me know when your own account comes out as I’d be keen to read it.
best wishes
Edna