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| African view: Memories of Taylor | African view: Memories of Taylor |
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| Charles Taylor played the role of soldier, president and now defendant | Charles Taylor played the role of soldier, president and now defendant |
| In our series of weekly viewpoints from African journalists, former BBC editor and Ghanaian minister Elizabeth Ohene, relives her unforgettable encounters with Charles Taylor, the former Liberian president currently defending himself against war crimes charges. | In our series of weekly viewpoints from African journalists, former BBC editor and Ghanaian minister Elizabeth Ohene, relives her unforgettable encounters with Charles Taylor, the former Liberian president currently defending himself against war crimes charges. |
| Not much had changed. It was the same self-assured, flamboyant performer. I must confess it gave me quite a start to hear that voice on television say: Dr Charles Ghankay Taylor. | Not much had changed. It was the same self-assured, flamboyant performer. I must confess it gave me quite a start to hear that voice on television say: Dr Charles Ghankay Taylor. |
| The memories came flooding in... The Charles Taylor story is well known, so where do I start with my Charles Taylor story? | The memories came flooding in... The Charles Taylor story is well known, so where do I start with my Charles Taylor story? |
| Boxing Day, 1989. The day after Christmas Day, Boxing Day is usually a slow day in newsrooms, and the four of us who were at work in the BBC's Focus on Africa office that Boxing Day were probably cursing our luck that we were at work when most other people were nursing their Christmas hangovers at home. | Boxing Day, 1989. The day after Christmas Day, Boxing Day is usually a slow day in newsrooms, and the four of us who were at work in the BBC's Focus on Africa office that Boxing Day were probably cursing our luck that we were at work when most other people were nursing their Christmas hangovers at home. |
| The phone rang and the voice at the end said he was Charles Taylor, he had launched an invasion into Liberia to throw out the head of state, Master Sergeant Samuel Kanyon Doe. | The phone rang and the voice at the end said he was Charles Taylor, he had launched an invasion into Liberia to throw out the head of state, Master Sergeant Samuel Kanyon Doe. |
| 'No better than a murderer' | 'No better than a murderer' |
| I do not remember if there were any arguments among us about whether we should give him the exposure. But that is not the point today and as the old cliche goes, the rest is history. | I do not remember if there were any arguments among us about whether we should give him the exposure. But that is not the point today and as the old cliche goes, the rest is history. |
| Taylor's rebellion was notorious for its use of child soldiers | Taylor's rebellion was notorious for its use of child soldiers |
| He was interviewed and the Liberian rebel war was introduced to the world - and with it a certain notoriety for the programme. | He was interviewed and the Liberian rebel war was introduced to the world - and with it a certain notoriety for the programme. |
| As time went by and Focus on Africa continued with what was to become a daily chronicle of the war, the internal arguments and agonising did take place in the office. | As time went by and Focus on Africa continued with what was to become a daily chronicle of the war, the internal arguments and agonising did take place in the office. |
| But hey, the man made great radio. Gift of the gab - if ever anyone had it, that was Charles Taylor. Probably the most famous of the verbal sparring between editor Robin White and Charles Taylor went something like this... | But hey, the man made great radio. Gift of the gab - if ever anyone had it, that was Charles Taylor. Probably the most famous of the verbal sparring between editor Robin White and Charles Taylor went something like this... |
| Robin White: "Mr Taylor, some people think you are not much better than a murderer." | Robin White: "Mr Taylor, some people think you are not much better than a murderer." |
| Charles Taylor: (guffaws) "Robin, Jesus Christ was accused of being a murderer in his time." | Charles Taylor: (guffaws) "Robin, Jesus Christ was accused of being a murderer in his time." |
| Okay, I know Jesus Christ was accused of many things in his time but I cannot recall him being accused of murder; all the same you get the drift and must concede it made riveting radio. | Okay, I know Jesus Christ was accused of many things in his time but I cannot recall him being accused of murder; all the same you get the drift and must concede it made riveting radio. |
| 'He killed my ma' | 'He killed my ma' |
| Fast-forward to 1997 and I am in Liberia to cover the elections that would eventually make Charles Taylor president. | Fast-forward to 1997 and I am in Liberia to cover the elections that would eventually make Charles Taylor president. |
| Mr Taylor was eventually charged over the war in Sierra Leone | Mr Taylor was eventually charged over the war in Sierra Leone |
| My abiding memories of that assignment and the face-to-face encounters with Charles Taylor must surely be the chant of his youthful supporters. | My abiding memories of that assignment and the face-to-face encounters with Charles Taylor must surely be the chant of his youthful supporters. |
| There were thousands of them, all clad in yellow Taylor T-shirts and they would run up and down the streets of Monrovia chanting: "He killed my ma, he killed my pa, I'll vote for him." | There were thousands of them, all clad in yellow Taylor T-shirts and they would run up and down the streets of Monrovia chanting: "He killed my ma, he killed my pa, I'll vote for him." |
| When I interviewed him, he brought up the matter of the chant. | When I interviewed him, he brought up the matter of the chant. |
| "Have you heard them?" he asked. "They mean it, you know, and they love me." And indeed they voted for him, and he became president. | "Have you heard them?" he asked. "They mean it, you know, and they love me." And indeed they voted for him, and he became president. |
| Did he make up that chant himself, as some suggested? I tackled him on that and as I recall it he simply laughed, but again you must admit he can put words together to make good radio. | Did he make up that chant himself, as some suggested? I tackled him on that and as I recall it he simply laughed, but again you must admit he can put words together to make good radio. |
| Reluctant dinner guest | Reluctant dinner guest |
| Fast-forward again to the year 2002 and I am a minister of state in Ghana when a then "under-pressure-to-step-down" President Taylor arrives for a summit of the West African bloc Ecowas, and I am asked to be his ministerial escort. | Fast-forward again to the year 2002 and I am a minister of state in Ghana when a then "under-pressure-to-step-down" President Taylor arrives for a summit of the West African bloc Ecowas, and I am asked to be his ministerial escort. |
| CHARLES TAYLOR CHARGES Violation of humanitarian law: Conscripting child soldiersCrimes against humanity: Terrorising civilians, murder, rape, sexual slavery, enslavementWar crimes: "Violence to life", cruel treatment (including hacking off limbs), pillage Charles Taylor denies cannibalism Taylor defiant as testimony begins Preacher, warlord, president | CHARLES TAYLOR CHARGES Violation of humanitarian law: Conscripting child soldiersCrimes against humanity: Terrorising civilians, murder, rape, sexual slavery, enslavementWar crimes: "Violence to life", cruel treatment (including hacking off limbs), pillage Charles Taylor denies cannibalism Taylor defiant as testimony begins Preacher, warlord, president |
| I am afraid the abiding memory of that encounter was the last evening of the summit when Ghanaian President John Kufuor hosted a dinner at the hotel in which all the visiting presidents were staying. | I am afraid the abiding memory of that encounter was the last evening of the summit when Ghanaian President John Kufuor hosted a dinner at the hotel in which all the visiting presidents were staying. |
| I arrived to take Charles Taylor to the dinner at the seafront of the hotel. | I arrived to take Charles Taylor to the dinner at the seafront of the hotel. |
| He was reluctant to go and I could not immediately work out what the problem was because he would not say. I managed to get him out of his room, we walked for a few yards and could see ahead of us the dinner laid out and the guests. | He was reluctant to go and I could not immediately work out what the problem was because he would not say. I managed to get him out of his room, we walked for a few yards and could see ahead of us the dinner laid out and the guests. |
| He stopped, and have I mentioned that he was surrounded all the time by four hefty bodyguards? We never made it to the dinner - he did not feel safe. | He stopped, and have I mentioned that he was surrounded all the time by four hefty bodyguards? We never made it to the dinner - he did not feel safe. |
| Not even the presence of all the other presidents could convince Mr Taylor it was safe to go and eat in an outdoor setting; he looked and acted like a hunted man. He ended up with room service for his dinner that night and I cannot remember any great witty remarks. | Not even the presence of all the other presidents could convince Mr Taylor it was safe to go and eat in an outdoor setting; he looked and acted like a hunted man. He ended up with room service for his dinner that night and I cannot remember any great witty remarks. |
| He will doubtless keep the courtroom in The Hague spellbound with his oratory and choice phrases. I shall be watching carefully to see if the judges are also mesmerised by his performance. | He will doubtless keep the courtroom in The Hague spellbound with his oratory and choice phrases. I shall be watching carefully to see if the judges are also mesmerised by his performance. |
| I wonder whether that macabre chant will be resurrected, this time ending with the words Taylor used the day he was forced out of Liberia: He killed my ma, he killed my pa... and he will be back. | I wonder whether that macabre chant will be resurrected, this time ending with the words Taylor used the day he was forced out of Liberia: He killed my ma, he killed my pa... and he will be back. |
| How do you remember Charles Taylor's rule? Are you a Liberian who lived under his presidency? Did you ever meet Mr Taylor in person? Send us your comments. | |
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