Bong County Electoral District #6 Representative Mioma Briggs-Mensah has expressed desire to reconnect with ancestry from Virginia, United States of America.
Representative Mensah said the acceptance and passage of the Dual Citizenship Bill on July 22, 2022, by the 54th Legislature, has allowed Liberians of negro descent, who were born in the diaspora, to obtain Liberian passports, making them Liberian citizens.
The Bong County Lawmaker made the proclamation Tuesday in a press conference held at the Capitol in Monrovia.
"We have prepared a proclamation, endorsing and uncovering further connections of Liberians or Native Black Americans wishing to reconnect with their heritage and historical family members." She added.
Rep. Mensah said she supports appeal by the Quiyoughcohannocks of the Powhatan Confederacy in the greater Surry County, Virginia communities to the United States of America for federal assistance also known as federal acknowledgment as Native American indigenous peoples.
"In the spirit of our collective ancestors, we support Sovereign Nation status for Quiyoughcohannock sister tribe in Liberia known as the Via Tribe who contributed to the survival, life and times of Native Americans and Native American Blacks of the 1800s from the United States until today in the forming of Country Liberia."
She wants the Government of Liberia to immediately declare a provision of citizenship in Liberia for United States Emigrant families both Native Americans and Native American Blacks, who remain in America and are ancestors and descendants of the Via tribe in Liberia.
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According to her, the formation of Liberia came in part from the efforts of some American citizens, including the American Colonization Society (ACS) originally known as the Society for the Colonization of Free People of Color of America until 1837, founded in 1816 by Robert Finley to encourage and support the migration of free African-Americans to Africa.
She said the Quiyoughcohannovks and the Via tribe pledged to help enhance a more tolerant society based on diverse culture and individualism, as both groups seek seats at the United Nations to join the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Representative Mensah said when the 54th Legislature returns from break, she will proffer a bill to seek dual citizenship for the VIA tribe in Liberia and VIA tribe in Virginia, United States known as Quiyoughcohannock to foster trade link.
Meanwhile, Bishop Dr. Otis B. Young of City of Light Harvest International church said research shows that the descendants of the Via tribe in Virginia have their roots in the Via tribe in Liberia.
Bishop Young stated that the proclamation endorsing and uncovering further connections of Liberians will go a long way to benefit Liberia in many aspects of its developmental drive.
He noted that descendants of the Vai ancestors in Virginia have been engaging in research scientifically to discover their origin in Africa over the years. Editing by Jonathan Browne
