Nancy Bohn Doe (born 1949) is a former First Lady of Liberia.

Nancy Doe
First Lady of Liberia
In office
12 April 1980 – 9 September 1990
PresidentSamuel Doe
Preceded byVictoria Tolbert
Succeeded byJewel Taylor
Personal details
Born1949 (age 74–75)
Zwedru, Liberia
Spouse
  • (death 1990)

Biography

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Nancy was born in 1949 in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County. She moved to Monrovia in the 1960s, where she worked as a merchant. She married Samuel Doe, who was in the Liberian Armed Forces, in either 1968 or 1969. Together, they had four children. After Samuel gained control of Liberia in the 1980 coup d'état, Nancy became First Lady. As first lady, she established a national market women's association.[1] The Nancy B. Doe Market, in Jorkpeh Town, Sinkor, was established in her honor.[2] In June 1983, during a visit to the United States, Nancy helped establish scholarship opportunities for Liberian students at Chicago State University.[1][3]

After her husband Samuel was executed in 1990, and the First Liberian Civil War began, Doe went into exile. She returned to Liberia after the second civil war, sometime before 2005.[4] On 12 November 2016, Doe filed a lawsuit against the Liberian government to the ECOWAS Court, claiming the government denied her access to the bank accounts of her deceased husband. In 2019, the court ruled in favor of Doe, ordering the government to pay Doe a sum of $18 million (~$21.2 million in 2023) U.S. dollars.[5] As of 2020, Doe is yet to be paid the money ordered by the court.[6]

In 2020, Doe called for her husband to be given a state reburial.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b Dunn, Elwood D.; Beyan, Amos J.; Burrowes, Carl Patrick (2000). Historical Dictionary of Liberia. p. 111.
  2. ^ Azango, Mae (10 January 2018). ""Nancy Doe Market Is For Market Women Not Ecobank" – Nancy Doe". FrontPage Africa. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  3. ^ Jet. Vol. 65. Johnson Publishing Company. 5 March 1985. p. 22.
  4. ^ Azango, Mae (23 August 2018). "Liberia: Wife of Slain Pres. Doe Accuses Senator Sherman of Seizing Her Property". FrontPage Africa. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  5. ^ "ECOWAS Court Orders Liberian Gov't to Pay US$18M as Compensation to Nancy Doe". FrontPage Africa. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  6. ^ a b Genoway, Edwin Jr. (5 August 2020). "Liberia: Ex-Pres. Doe Wife Wants Him Reburied; Pleads with Govt. For Due Benefits". FrontPage Africa. Retrieved 11 September 2022.