Wins Nimba County District D#7 Seat
SOURCE: Liberian Daily Observer Newspaper
PHOTO: Musa H. Bility, Representative-elect, Nimba County Distric #7
ARTICLE BYWILLIAM Q. HARMON/Daily observer
In a society defined by demarcated lines of ethnicity or religion, most people only operate within the narrow confines of these artificial lines, Nvasekie N. Konneh, a Liberian writer and poet, said in an opinion piece recently.
The United States based writer of a famous memoir of the Liberian civil war, The Land of My Father’s Birth, indicated further that even with those confinements, some can be brave or sociable enough to go beyond such lines of social divisions and appeal to people outside of their demographic group. This crossover appeal, he noted, is mostly seen in the entertainment and sports industries, where artists or sports figures can appeal to fans beyond their demographic groups. But can we now add politics to the list? A few think so, and controversial businessman and politician Musa Hassan Bility has made that possible.
The official declaration of Bility by the National Election Commission (NEC) as the winner of District #7 in Nimba County in the October 10 legislative elections is a historic feat in the politics of postwar Nimba County.
In a race overshadowed by tribal politics and contentious claims and counterclaims, Bility, a member of the despised minority Mandingo ethnic group, did not see any chance of success for him in a conservative and tribal society as Nimba is.
But Konneh, probably a soothsayer, predicted Bility’s victory, noting that given the political influence Bility wields in the Liberian political setting today, it’s fair to describe his triumph and success as such a political crossover appeal. Bility is the Chairman of the crisis-prone Liberty Party, and he enjoys favorable company within the political class of the country—but his tribe and religion have little or no appearance within the grassroots settings of the country, especially his native Nimba.
“Bility has never let ethnicity and religion hold him back from advancing socially and politically. For some who may complain about ethnic discrimination, Musa’s success in the broader Liberian political space should be a source of inspiration and motivation, so that they too could venture outside of their ethnic comfort zone to be influencers in different areas of Liberian society,” Konneh said.
Before the war, Nimba County had a huge Mandingo population, which significantly impacted Nimba’s electoral politics. Since the end of the war, the Mandingo population, many believe, has yet to attain its prewar level, and given that the voters are entirely Manos and Gios, coupled with the level of tension that breeds between the Mandingo on the one hand and the two major tribes on the other, everyone knew that it was a herculean task for Bility to triumph.
However, with the incumbent and other candidates being Mano and Gio, it took Bility to act smartly, using massive investment in development in the district to sway the voters to his side—a making the desires and craves for development to overcome tribal sentiment in the district.
Cephas Flanzamaton, former Liberty Party Youth Chairman, described Bility’s victory as a shining example of a servant leader who has gone above and beyond to address the pressing infrastructure needs of his people.
“With the completion of a vital bridge project costing a little over one million United States dollars, Chairman Bility has demonstrated his commitment to serving his community and leading by example,” Flazamanton said.
With an incumbent running for re-election, Bility’s involvement, helped by his development initiatives, overshadowed his main opponent, as the incumbent became confined to playing the ethnic card.
While Bility sold himself to the voters with developmental appeal, his rival, the incumbent Roger S. Domah, in contrast, with support from Senator Prince Johnson and the Unity Party, focused his campaign on tribal politics. Sadly, Domah, who served the district for six years, will now be succeeded by Bility. NEC Chairperson Davidetta Browne-Lansanah on Wednesday, October 18, announced Bility as winner, securing 10,003 votes out of a total valid vote count of 27,897, constituting 35.86 percent.
“Bility embodies the true essence of a good leader,” Flazamaton said. “He understands that leadership is not about personal gain or power but about selflessly dedicating oneself to the welfare of others.”
Bility’s unwavering commitment to the development of his district is evident. He invested a substantial amount of money into the construction of a much-needed bridge and undertook other pivotal development initiatives, including loans to businesswomen. . The bridge, the centerpiece of Bility’s development initiatives in the district, serves as a vital link, connecting isolated communities and providing them with access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and economic opportunities.
Most Mandingoes from Nimba have multiethnic links with Mano and Gio. Musa is one of them. His grandmother, who gave birth to his mother, was a Mano woman from the powerful Dahngbonwein family. Besides that, his mother, Muasia Dulleh Bility, spent most of her time in Nyasin, where Musa shared his childhood experiences, as well as in Saclepea, where he was born on April 6, 1967. As a young man growing up in Saclepea, for Musa, friendship was beyond ethnicity and religion. His friends included Mandingoes, Manos, and Gios.
Bility is a barrier breaker, and his victory at the polls on October 10 is not his only notable feat. He has broken barriers in the past against challenging odds—the Liberia Football Association presidency and Chairman of LP.
When Bility contested the LFA presidency way back, some of his opponents openly stated that they didn’t want a Muslim or Mandingo as president of the organization; he defied the odds by winning by the widest margin of any previous president of the organization.
With LFA being history as far as electoral politics is concerned, Bility went to a LP convention and was overwhelmingly voted, defeating an incumbent and becoming the first Muslim and mandingo chairman of a party that is labeled as a Bassa people party.
Bility said he decided to enter legislative politics out of love for his people, indicating that he did not fear losing in the face of numerous social challenges.
“Elections are like a lottery,” he said in an interview. “You could win or lose, but you will never win or lose if you don’t play.” These statements suggest that he was prepared for anything and everything. He said during the campaign that what he’s invested in Nimba, from being its chief sports patron to the massive road construction he’s carrying on District 7, are done purely from his heart for the love he feels for the county of his birth.
With humility, Bility noted that if God blesses him with the means, he would help his county, and if the people are convinced that he can be their leader, he welcomes their support—promising to be a very consequential legislator if he is elected. Many, especially his paternal kinsmen, are dependent on him and want him to succeed at all costs, as their political future in the county rests on his success.
Veteran media practitioner Samuka V. Konneh described Bility’s victory as a milestone for democracy in Liberia.
“I’ve heard all the preliminary results from the 2023 presidential and legislative elections. However, if Musa Bility wins in Nimba, this is a milestone for our democracy,” Konneh, a man who also has multiethnic links–mother Gio, and father Mandingo—wrote on his social media page a few days ago. “2023 will go down in history.”
He said a Mandingo person can win elections anywhere – Montserrado, Lofa, Bomi, Cape Mt, Bong, Gbarpolu—but winning in Nimba means much more. “It’s a break away from the Never,” he added. “I don’t know his numbers, but certainly I believe more than 60% of those voting for him are not his kinsmen. That’s why his victory is historic.”
“We respect and honor those who challenged all the visible tribal bigotries to vote for a person outside their tribe. This is historic. This is truly historic. It is truly historic. I wish our lawmakers had better thought when they supported the CDC government to illegally remove Justice Kabineh Ja’neh, a respectable Nimbaian.”
Konneh, himself a Nimbaian with multiethnic links—mother Gio and father Mandingo—said Bility now has a big task, as the bar to be set for him would be compared to none.
“Expectations for him will be high. Whether or not another Mandingo person wins again in Nimba depends on what Bility does in Saclepea,” he said. “My winning in Karnplay in 2029 depends on Bility’s performance in Saclepea. That’s why he cannot let his people down. That’s also why we, as a community, cannot let him down. Bility’s win is the most beautiful win in the 2023 elections.”