MOUNT BARCLAY, Monrovia — Liberian evangelist and former warlord Joshua Milton Blahyi, popularly known as “General Butt Naked,” has warned that a war between Liberia and Guinea is “inevitable,” urging Liberian authorities to urgently prepare the country for potential conflict.
Blahyi made the remarks Thursday, March 12, 2026, during a podcast broadcast in which he discussed recent tensions along the Liberia–Guinea border and what he described as the need for national preparedness.
“In this dispensation, in this time, war is inevitable,” Blahyi declared during the broadcast. “As bad as war is… there must come war.”
The former militia commander—who fought during Liberia’s brutal civil war before later converting to Christianity—said global developments and biblical prophecy convinced him that armed conflicts would continue to erupt around the world.
“Jesus said there will be wars and rumors of wars,” he said. “Just how sure you are that night will come after day—that’s how sure these words are.”
Warning of Possible Liberia–Guinea Conflict
Blahyi specifically warned that Liberia must assess its military readiness should tensions with Guinea escalate.
While stopping short of explicitly advocating conflict, he insisted that the country must prepare for the possibility.
“I would not want to say anything that will put fuel on the fire,” he said. “But we have some serious advantages whenever a war will strike between Liberia and Guinea.”
He also cautioned that Liberians should not mistake enthusiasm or emotional reactions for military preparedness.
“What the young people exhibited was not confidence,” Blahyi said, referring to recent border tensions. “It was zeal. It was presumption. It was foolishness.”
Instead, he stressed that any nation facing potential conflict must rely on both strategic preparation and what he described as spiritual faith.
“Confidence and faith both depend on preparation,” he said. “If you are not prepared, you cannot exercise confidence.”
Call for Military Preparedness
Blahyi urged the Liberian government to increase recruitment into the Armed Forces of Liberia and invest more resources into national defense.
“You are talking about recruiting 600 soldiers,” he said, criticizing what he viewed as insufficient military expansion. “You should increase that recruitment now.”
He also suggested that young Liberians who recently mobilized during the border tensions should be formally recruited and trained.
“Find those children and bring them under structure,” he said. “Give them training and discipline.”
Blahyi warned that political leaders risk leaving the country vulnerable if defense preparedness is ignored.
“Those houses you’re building and those cars you’re driving—when war comes, other people will live in them,” he said.
Warning About Food Security and Global Conflict
The evangelist also warned that global conflicts could disrupt food and fuel supply chains, which would have serious consequences for Liberia and other West African nations.
“When ships stop bringing food to Liberia and fuel cannot come here, are you preparing your people to survive?” he asked.
He described how hunger during Liberia’s civil war forced civilians into desperate conditions, recalling scenes of extreme deprivation.
“A hungry man is an angry man,” Blahyi said. “Hungry people don’t think.”
From Warlord to Evangelist
Blahyi remains one of the most controversial figures from Liberia’s civil war. During the early 1990s conflict, he commanded a militia group notorious for ritual practices and extreme violence.
He later publicly renounced his past, converted to Christianity, and became an evangelist preaching about repentance and reconciliation.
In 2008, he testified before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia, where he admitted responsibility for killings during the war and asked for forgiveness from the Liberian people.
Since then, Blahyi has remained active as a preacher and motivational speaker, often addressing issues related to Liberia’s past conflict and national development.
Appeal to National Leaders
Despite his warnings, Blahyi said his remarks were intended as a call for preparedness rather than panic.
“What God showed us these few days is a sign that we must prepare ourselves,” he said. “Preparation is the only way a nation survives.”
His comments come amid heightened public discussion about Liberia’s border tensions with neighboring Guinea, which have prompted diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
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