THISDAYonline

Former Liberian President, Mr. Charles Taylor, who was last week granted asylum in Nigeria, has been given a list of stringent conditions by the Federal Government under which he will stay in the country.

This is coming on the heels of plans by Taylor's former arch-rival during the struggle to oust late Master Sergeant Samuel Doe from power, Mr. Yormie Johnson, to return to his home country, Liberia, "to join in the rebuilding" of the war-torn nation.

Part of the terms, contained in a three page document titled 'Conditions of Asylum for President Char-les Taylor' is that he cannot travel out of Calabar town except with the clearance of the "Liaison Officer" who according to presidency sources is the governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke.

Taylor is also to be responsible for his own upkeep and that of his family while on asylum in Nigeria with his stay here being at his personal cost.

The Federal Government document given to both Duke and Taylor last week by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olu Adeniji, according to THISDAY checks, had four sections: Host Obligations for Nigeria; Obligations for Charles Taylor; Restrictions and Documentation.

Under the host obligations, Nigeria is expected to facilitate the movement into the country, described as "resettlement", of Taylor and not more than 35 members of his family, an obligation fulfilled last Monday when the former Liberian leader arrived the country with his family in a presidential jet.

Nigeria is also to provide security for him and members of his family while he is here and ensure he is secluded from all forms of embarrassment. But he is to enjoy no sovereign immunity though, the document stated that courtesies normally reserved for former heads of state will be accorded him.

As for Taylor's obligations, he is to meet all his expenses and those of his family while in Nigeria. He will not participate in politics either in Nigeria or in Liberia and is not to engage in any form of political activities. He is specifically barred from commenting on Liberian affairs.

In the obligations, he is also expected to live within the laws of Nigeria while no form of arms or ammunitions must be found within his residence.

On restrictions, Taylor cannot grant press interview "except with the permission of the federal government". He also cannot engage in what the document describes as "Cross-border Propaganda" which was further amplified that he "cannot speak on Liberian affair to foreign media like Voice of America (VOA) and British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)".

Taylor cannot also move outside Calabar without the permission of Governor Duke who has been appointed as his Liaison Officer. By the terms of the asylum, if he has anything to do outside the town, he must state where he is going to, why he is going there and the duration of his visit. If the Governor grants him permit, he has to be escorted by Nigerian officials.

Under documentation, it is stated that Taylor has no immunity and no special privileges shall be accorded him and members of his family who have to live in Nigeria as ordinary citizens. But they are allowed to seek employment and work.

Competent presidency sour-ces disclosed to THISDAY yesterday that Taylor has accepted both his obligations and the fact of his restrictions though, it was gathered that Governor Duke was prevailed upon to take care of the former Liberian leader for one month after which Taylor is expected to fend for himself and his family.

The hospitality which Taylor and his family currently enjoys, according to the source, "is not part of the agreement with Taylor and will expire at the end of this month. I think the President just told Governor Duke to take care of them for one month and that's it. It's just the usual African hospitality. As far as the financial implications of his stay here are concerned, Taylor is on his own."

THISDAY also gathered that Taylor during his visit to Governor Duke on Thursday, thanked the federal government for the "soft landing" given him and his family and even promised that after awhile, he will move out of the government house where he and his family are presently staying and find his own accommodation.

It is believed that the former Liberian leader is planning to build his own residence in Calabar, where he may have resigned himself to spending the rest of his life.

While Taylor is here, however, his former rival, Johnson, is planning to go back to Liberia.

Johnson who visited THISDAY Corporate Headquarters in Lagos yesterday said that now that hostilities in his country would soon be over, he would be returning to Monrovia to restart his life.

Asked to comment on when he would specifically depart Nigeria, he said: "Not abruptly. My children are in school here in Nigeria and I need to go to my country to first of all renovate my house, if it is still there and then see how I can return."

But on what he plans to do when he eventually returns, he quickly said: "I am a Liberian and I have a right under the country's constitution to vie for any elective office.

"But on a more serious note, as soon as I get fully returned, I shall set up a centre for peace and conflict resolution in Monrovia and an orphanage home to cater for the needs of hundreds of thousands of children who would have lost their parents as a result of the war."

Johnson, who is now an ordained minister of Pastor Temitope Joshua-led Synago-gue of All Nations, Lagos, also revealed that the orphanage home would be a semblance of the one he ran during the arms struggle in the country.

"It was called Independent National Patriotic Front Orphanage Home. It has since been returned to the UNICEF."

He expressed gratitude to the federal government and Nigerians for the asylum granted Taylor and debunked apprehension that the presence of the former Liberian leader with him in the country would be used to launch another guerrilla warfare as "Liberians are sick and tired of war and the bloody conflict. The possibility of the renewal of hostilities is very, very remote," he added.

However, he expressed reservation to a statement credited to Taylor that "I will return" and advised the former leader to first of accept Jesus Christ, repent of all his sins and ask for forgiveness.

"Once he has done this, I will like ministers of God in Nigeria to transform him by praying for him always."

Johnson pleaded with Nigerians to forgive Taylor while enjoining the former Liberian leader to refrain from revolting against the government which brought him into the country.

He lauded Nigerian press for being steadfast in the struggle for the nation's renaissance and advised those "who still have the penchant of writing destructive stories to desist from such as they do not lead anywhere."