PHOTO: The Author
ANALYSIS By Dr. M. Blonkanjay Jackson
December 2, 2025
Thinking Thoughts
In my Thinking Thoughts last night, I had a rather rude awakening regarding the vicissitudes of the present political landscape in Liberia. I reflected on how Liberia’s political landscape continues to oscillate between symbolism and struggle, between the visible ruins of past administrations and the anticipated rise of new political chapters.
Few events dramatize this ongoing tension more vividly than the spectacle surrounding the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) and the Unity Party (UP) in their recent battle over political space, dignity, and narrative. Three years after being democratically unseated by the Unity Party, the CDC suffered a symbolic blow with the demolition of its party headquarters—an act widely interpreted as both legal enforcement and political humiliation. Meanwhile, the Unity Party, once evicted from its own Congo Town headquarters, has initiated a grand fundraising effort scheduled for December 6, which some supporters are already calling an “apocalyptic homecoming.”
This evolving drama raises fundamental questions: Is Liberia witnessing a dramatic setback for the CDC, or is the Unity Party engineering a comeback on December 6 that redefines its identity and reclaims political dominance? The answer depends on how one interprets the intersection of political symbolism, party resilience, and public sentiment.
Apocalypse Construct
For the sake of my other Brabbees, the term apocalypse comes from the Greek word apokalypsis, meaning “unveiling,” “revelation,” or “disclosure.” Contrary to its modern association with catastrophe and destruction, its original meaning refers to a moment when hidden truths are revealed, obscured realities become clear, and events take on a new, deeper significance. In biblical and classical literature, an apocalypse exposes the true nature of power, destiny, or the future, often bringing hope, insight, or transformation rather than mere chaos. Thus, an “apocalyptic” moment is not just about dramatic upheaval; it is a point of revelation where the underlying meaning of events is laid bare.
The CDC’s Symbolic Setback: Loss of a Home, Loss of a Narrative
For the CDC, political identity has long been intertwined with material symbolism. Its headquarters, once a hub of mobilization, youth activism, and populist messaging, represented the movement-oriented spirit that carried George Weah to the presidency. The demolition of that headquarters was not merely a physical loss; it represented a rupture in identity, a forced displacement, and a blow to morale.
The building’s destruction was wrapped in debates about legality and governance, but to many observers, the optics were more powerful than the backstory. A dethroned ruling party losing its official home evokes imagery of decline, instability, and political regression. The demolition amplified the narrative that the CDC, once omnipresent and omnipotent, is now struggling to recalibrate its place in national politics.
Moreover, in a political culture where party offices serve as symbols of legitimacy and continuity, the absence of a headquarters weakens a party’s psychological influence. It signals vulnerability. It leaves room for rivals to craft counternarratives about competence, governance, and preparedness. The CDC setback, therefore, is not just infrastructural—it is existential.
UP’s Eviction and Comeback: From Displacement to Opportunity
Ironically, the Unity Party itself had previously endured its own displacement. Evicted from its Congo Town headquarters during a period of financial and political vulnerability, the party found itself symbolically uprooted. Yet this eviction, rather than crippling the party, became an unexpected catalyst for reinvention.
The Unity Party leveraged its exile as a narrative of survival. Instead of collapsing, it reorganized, gained sympathy, sharpened its messaging, and ultimately recaptured state power in a closely contested election. The experience reinforced the party’s long-standing identity as a resilient institution capable of weathering storms, both political and economic.
This background gives the December 6 fundraising launch a deeper meaning. It is not just about constructing a building—it is about reclaiming identity. It is about “coming home” not merely in a geographic sense but also in the broader sense of stability, legitimacy, and institutional pride.
December 6: A Political Resurrection or a Calculated Comeback?
The Unity Party’s December 6 fundraising event is more than a capital campaign; it is a political theater designed to galvanize supporters, attract diaspora engagement, and signal organizational readiness for future contests. By returning to where it was evicted as the children of Israel, whereas the CDC was evicted and did not return but found a new home along the same Tubman Boulevard stretch where CDC’s stronghold once stood, the Unity Party has inserted itself into a symbolic reversal, transforming the site of CDC’s downfall into the foundation of its own renewal.
This maneuver carries “apocalyptic” overtones not in the destructive biblical sense but in the revelatory sense—a moment of unveiling, a turning point where hidden truths become visible. The December 6 event may reveal: The UP’s financial strength, its grassroots mobilization power, ability to control political messaging, and confidence in anchoring itself as the new political center.
It is a calculated comeback that intertwines symbolism with strategy, and if executed effectively, the December 6 homecoming could become a defining moment in post-election Liberian politics—a renewed assertion that the UP not only won the election but now intends to dominate the narrative, occupy symbolic spaces, and consolidate its political legacy.
Two Parties, Two Fates, and One Nation
Ultimately, the “apocalyptic homecoming” metaphor captures the tension between collapse and renewal. While the CDC faces the challenge of rebuilding its political identity without its iconic base, the Unity Party is positioning itself for a literal and figurative rebirth.
The drama is not just about buildings; it is about the future of political morale, public trust, and institutional continuity. Both parties are navigating the pressures of symbolism in a nation where political imagery often shapes electoral outcomes as powerfully as policies.
Liberians, observing from the periphery, understand that these headquarters are more than concrete—they are metaphors for power. The CDC setback and the UP comeback reflect a nation still evolving, still defining its democratic norms, and still grappling with how political homes shape political destinies.
This December 6, the country watches not just a fundraising event, but a political revelation.
About the author
The Rivercess scholar and founder of the Diversified Educators Empowerment Project (DEEP) and Board Chairman o the Professional Educators Association of Liberia. , Dr. M. Blonkanjay Jackson, holds a Master of Education from Harvard University, a Master of Science in Secondary Education (Mathematics) from St. Joseph’s University, and a Doctor of Education degree from Walden University. Dr. Jackson is a Yale University Teachers Initiative Math Fellow and UPENN Physics Fellow. The Rivercess man has lectured on undergraduate and graduate education and statistics courses at several universities, including the University of Liberia, AMEU, and Stela Maris. Dr. Jackson diligently served the government of Liberia for four years and returned to private practice as a Development Specialist and Education Engineer. The Mwalimu-Koh can be reached at 0886 681 315.