PHOTO: (L-R) Bishop Kortu Brown and Rep. Kolubah
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) has strongly reacted to the constant use of profanities and derogatory comments in public by opposition Lawmaker, Yekeh Kolubah against the Liberian Presidency at his will and pleasure.
It is a trademark of the Montserrado County District #10 Rep. Kolubah to come out with outbursts of invectives in the public space, with the recent one being last Friday, after his return from medical trip abroad.
Rep. Yekeh Kolubah has been very critical and abusive in his utterances against the Liberian leader, since the election of the Coalition for Democratic Change government of President nearly four years ago.
This opposition CPP Lawmaker has constantly accused President Weah of amassing wealth illegally, wining and dining with, as well as shielding criminals in his government. Rep. Kolubah has also accused the President of condoning secret killings, having stake in the 16 billion Liberian Dollars saga and the 25 million US Dollars mop up exercise.
Pres. Weah
The Lawmaker has also accused President Weah of not showing any real interest in finding solutions to problems confronting less fortunate, but rather building estates and acquiring properties in several parts in the country.
Unimaginable for a Lawmaker
But speaking in an interview, LCC President Bishop Kortu Brown urged Rep. Kolubah to desist from making extra insinuations against the country’s highest office and civil servant.
According to Bishop Brown, it is unimaginable for a lawmaker to engage in publicly insulting the Liberian President.
The Council of Churches President indicated that though Rep. Kolubah may have genuine issues against the government or the presidency, he must make use of engaging those issues in keeping with the tenets of a good democracy.
Bishop Brown added that the Council believes that the remarks made by Rep. Kolubah and public insults and invectives against the Presidency are childish, weak and it should not even be coming from a lawmaker.
The Montserrado County lawmaker usually doesn’t discuss issues without using invectives and vulgarism against President Weah and some of his close confidantes.
Another Lawmaker from the ruling CDC, Edward Papie Flomo last weekend also warned Rep. Kolubah to desist from insulting the President, with himself threatening to retaliate by spewing out abusive language against Kolubah’s political leaders in the opposition.
Rep. Kolubah’s constant abuses against the Liberian Chief Executive months ago claimed the attention of the Plenary of the House of Representatives, resulting to his suspension for two months.
But the decision taken by the lawmakers did not go down well and he took a flight to the Supreme Court where the lower house lifted his suspension after serving almost penalty and seizure of two months of his salaries.
Despite all these, it seems that CPP lawmaker is not backing down.
According to the Bishop Brown, any lawmaker, no matter what the grievances are, should retrain himself/herself to the democratic governance and the rule of law
Bishop Brown pointed out that the consistent use of profanities and invectives against the Liberian Presidency by Rep. Kolubah shows that he has no real ideas to engage the public.
The Council of Churches President added that the Montserrado County lawmaker continues to play on the gullibility of the Liberian society to vent out his outbursts and abusive languages against the President.
Bishop Brown made it clear that no matter what the grievances are, he should be able to hold a civil conversation on a way in order to address national issues.
Bad example for young people
“The lawmaker’s actions show that he lacks real ideas to engage the public square and so, he plays on a gullible society to appease his emotions. Secondly, his outburst and abuses do not serve as a good example of statesman who the young people should emulate, follow and imitate,” said the LCC President.
Bishop Brown noted that the used of emotions to blindfold the gullible Liberian society over the years to satisfy the ulterior motive of a politician, has not taken Liberian politics anywhere, and as such,
Rep. Kolubah should change his style of politicking and civilly address the issues or his grievances.
He added that the depriving of a lawmaker or any other public officials’ salaries for unjustifiable reasons will continue to tie or keep Liberia to the same place years after years.
The Council of Churches also stressed that the persistent used of abusive languages by Representative Kolubah also sends a wrong and negative signal to the youthful population as well as Liberian students.
He added that youths and students would copy the Montserrado County lawmaker’s style of politicking, if he fails to desist immediately.
Judging from his utterances, students will start to challenge the teachers by using vulgar languages against authorities because, a lawmaker is doing that.
“This is not a good example for our society, communities and our young people coming up,” he said; adding: “ the next thing we will have a whole nation of abusive students and pupils.”
The LCC President observed that the Weah led-government has not adequately performed in some sectors, no politician should use the situation to continuously vent out invectives or profanities against the presidency, his family, or his corps of officials.
According to Bishop Brown, the huge difficulties confronting Liberia and its citizens cannot be addressed by politicians publicly using vulgar languages against those spearheading the country, but through civil exchanges and constructive engagements.
LCC’s position shouldn’t be misconstrued
He warned that the LCC’s position should not be misconstrued by anyone in the society but it is intended to for peace to prevail, for the children to have a good up-bringing and good role model.
Bishop Brown point out that the latest statement released is intended to ensure a peaceful political environment in the wake of the numerous challenges.
“The Weah led-government has performing challenge in many areas,” the LCC President explained, “but we don’t address those challenges by continuously and publicly using vulgar languages against the President, his family, or anyone.”
How does that help anyone in Liberia or help to advance our developmental agenda?” Bishop Brown asked.
The Liberia Council of Churches openly rejected the style of politicking by the CPP lawmaker and called on him to desist in the interest of promoting a peaceful political environment.
He cautioned the national executive committee to advise the lawmakers because when one of them succeed in becoming the president will not experience these massive abuses as it is been done to President Weah by their law maker.
With CDC Lawmaker threatening returning back insults, where are we?
Bishop Brown also expressed concern over the Representative of District 13 in Montserrado County, Edward Flomo’s recent threat to retaliate against the CPP leaders, if Rep. Kolubah does not stop his abuses against president Weah.
“Where are we heading as a nation? And is this the way the politicians hope to resolve the problems in the country?” the Council of Churches President asked.
Bishop Brown emphasized that Liberians have suffered over the years for the current level of democracy that currently exists in the country, and as such, it remains binding upon everyone, including those in powers, members of the opposition community among others, to work together to keep the country safe and peaceful.
The Liberia Council of Churches has appealed for a civil, mature and responsible conversation; because people listening to the radio, watching the social media including our children in school want to listen to the issues he raises but not the using the abusive languages against the President.
According to the Bishop, the arguments be mature; it should be about the roads, schools, hospitals, the issues that matter, including livelihood issues and redirect the politics In recent times , religious leaders and foreign dignitaries have proposed a call for the Liberian media to take the lead in bringing an end to the continuous habit of Representative Kolubah.
According to them, the consistent used of profanities and invectives against President Weah by Rep. Kolubah does not only bring shame and disgrace to the Liberian leader alone, but to the entire nation and all Liberians.
The religious leaders and diplomats want owners and managers of media institutions operating in the country to compel Representative Kolubah to address issues at his called press conferences, instead of denigrating the office of the Presidency and tainting Liberia’s image to the outside world.
According to them, media institutions should request their assigned reporters not to hesitate by walking out of press conferences called by the lawmaker.
Failure on his part, Bishop Brown said, the media should subsequently institute a block out on the office of Rep. Kolubah, if he fails to conduct himself in a civil, responsible and mature manner whenever he appears on national radio, television or other platforms to express his grievances or speak to national issues.