Cancer, Poison, or African Science: What Killed Grigsby?

Michael T
Aug 9
2 min read

Updated: Aug 10

Late Minister if State Sylvester Grisby — Deceased Minister of State Sylvester Grisby

The passing of a public figure in Liberia often stirs a tide of speculation, more so when politics is in the mix. This is true in the case of Sylvester M. Grigsby, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, whose death was announced late Saturday, August 9, 2025. Multiple reports are emerging about his cause of death in the absence of any official statement from his family. Two key factors remain: Grigsby was fiercely opposed by certain factions within President Boakai’s circle, and he had some health complications. Still, sources hint his death was beyond these complications.

With no official cause of death immediately released, three dominant narratives have seized the Liberian public:

Cancer: Some sources have linked Grigsby’s death to a cancer diagnosis after years of battling health issues, citing public posts and tributes that reference his struggles with the disease and related treatments. However, there is no conclusive public medical documentation confirming this as the sole cause.
Poison: Others allege that Grigsby was poisoned, pointing to episodes of unexplained illness and the climate of intense internal rivalry within the Boakai administration. However, no concrete evidence has emerged to support this claim, and as is common in Monrovia, such rumors often circulate when prominent officials die under ambiguous circumstances.
African Science: Still more sensational are whispers of “African science”—a reference to traditional spiritual or supernatural practices allegedly used for influence or harm. Some close to Grigsby have noted that while he was undergoing treatment in the United States, his symptoms reportedly defied medical explanation, further fueling suspicion among segments of the public.

Grigsby’s central role in government, coupled with his decades-long friendship with President Boakai, made him both invaluable and a target. In the months before his death, internal government sources and political commentators described sustained efforts by some within the executive and legislative branches to undermine him and push for his removal. These attempts were reportedly not due to questions about his competence, but rather fears over his proximity to the President and his commitment to advancing sensitive reforms.

Despite the swirling rumors, no official statement has yet clarified the exact cause of death, leaving the public to grapple with uncertainty and suspicion.

As Liberia mourns one of its senior statesmen, the question looms larger: Was Sylvester Grigsby simply a victim of fate, or a casualty of the ruthless political games that thrive in the corridors of power?

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Cancer, Poison, or African Science: What Killed Grigsby?

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