HUNDREDS OF TRIBUTES have been and are pouring in for one of Liberia’s finest sons, who succumbed to the cold hands of death on Wednesday, November 20, after months of protracted illness.
THIS SAD EVENT occurred at the late Legal Luminary’s home in Virginia; he was in his 69th year. Family sources had told this newspaper that the deceased spent some time at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, where he was being treated before he left the hospital months ago and was being treated at his home in Virginia.
WHEN NEWS OF the former political leader and former standard bearer and founder of the opposition Liberty Party broke out on Wednesday evening in Monrovia, his fellow Liberians began writing their guts out to a man, who gave his all for his beloved “land of liberty.”
FORMER AND PRESENT Liberian Government’s officials had taken to social media, including Facebook and Twitter and some have been heard on the radio paying tributes to Cllr. Brumskine, whose political deeds are going to be forever remembered in the annals of this nation’s electoral history. No pages of Liberia’s modern political, electoral history are going to be complete if and when the deeds of this astute Liberian are not mentioned.
TOMORROW’S HISTORIANS are going to have hundreds of pages printed with the political, electoral conducts of this learned Counselor, whose political deeds clearly transcended self and encompassed the entire nation he loved so dearly.
PRESIDENT GEORGE Manneh Weah had been leading the tributes to the man, who was one of his toughest former political rivals for the Liberian Presidency in the Presidential and General Elections in 2005, 2011 and 2017.
“COUNSELOR CHARLES BRUMSKINE was a legal luminary whose contributions to our justice system and political sphere will truly be missed,” the President said Wednesday.
HE CONTINUED: “Words are inadequate to express how deeply saddened we all are; over the passing of Counselor Brumskine – an astute statesman and accomplished public servant whose dedication to country remains irrefutable.
“THIS IS NOT ONLY a tough loss for his family, partisans of the Liberty Party and the great people of Grand Bassa County, but for our country as a whole – as Counselor Brumskine impacted many lives and contributed immensely in helping shape our democracy for the better. He was a true trailblazer of civil liberties and a man of impeccable character.
“GONE, but will never be forgotten. His footprints will forever remain indelible in our hearts and his patriotism a benchmark for posterity. As we mourn the passing of this decorated public servant; The Government would like to extend its heartfelt condolences and profound sympathies to the Brumskine family, partisans of the Liberty Party and the great people of Grand Bassa County for the death of their Son, Father and political leader.
“OUR THOUGHTS and prayers also go to the judiciary and all those affected by this great loss.
“YOU WILL TRULY BE missed, Counsellor Brumskine. We bid thee farewell until we meet again. Thanks for all you did for your Country and people –‘For Your Faith has found a resting place.’”
FORMER PRESIDENT Ellen Johnson Sirleaf also posted on Twitter her thoughts about Cllr. Brumskine.
“I JOIN ALL THE political leaders and the people of Liberia to send my deepest regrets and personal sympathy to the family of Charles Brumskine. He will be remembered for his service to the country and tenacity of pursuits. May his soul rest in perfect peace.”
EVEN VICE PRESIDENT Jewel Howard Taylor, too, spoke of how the Counselor’s death is a loss to his country. “His death is not only a great loss for his family, partisans of the Liberty Party and the great people of Grand Bassa County, but for the entire Country. Our thoughts and prayers also go to the judiciary, the Liberia Bar Association and all those broken by this great loss.”
FORMER FINANCE MINISTER and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, too, added his to the many outpouring of grieves and love that his fellow Liberians had been expressing for the loss of the erudite lawyer and astute Liberian politician and statesman.
“HE HAS RUN his earthly race and has transitioned from mortality to immortality. During his earthly sojourn, the erudite statesman contributed immensely to the consolidation of the Liberian democracy and was a towering personality who left large, indelible footprints on the Liberian political landscape over the past three decades.
“I PERSONALLY ADMIRED his integrity, eloquence, legal brilliance, and dogged determination to stay the course even when the road was rugged and the sea was turbulent. The passing of this astute Liberian leader is a truth we wish were a lie; the present we wish were the future; and the future we wish were a mirage.”
EVEN SOME of those who parted ways with him politically, still remember what a statesman Cllr. Brumskine was to this country.
NIMBA COUNTY Representative Larry Yanquoi said of the fallen political icon: “Counselor, I will remember you for your saying to most of our younger colleagues in FRIENDS OF BRUMSKINE ( FOB) earlier on in 2003-2004, that ‘Guys, you are my children, but Larry is my Friend.’ Your said stance, which was the sign of respect for me, clearly distinguished the youths from me as we cruised through the campaign in 2005 and beyond. Though we politically parted ways later on, our respect for each other never withered.”
INDEED, Cllr. Brumskine will be missed by his compatriots. He had left Liberia in June, just few days to the famous June 7 #SavetheState protest organized by the Council of Patriots. The Counselor was hopeful that he would return to Liberia to carry on with the mission of making Liberia a better place for every Liberian and foreign residents within our borders.
HE DIDN’T return physically. He is no more with us in flesh and blood. But his presence will forever be with Liberia in spirit. His deeds for putting Liberia’s democracy at work in the 2017 Presidential Election paid off for the nation and for future national elections which he can no longer take part in.
WE ARE HERE celebrating the life’s journey of an extraordinary Liberian, a warrior, a statesman, a patriot, who embodied so much that he wanted the best for the country he loved so dearly.
CLLR. BRUMSKINE NEVER never doubted the sincerity or the patriotism of other Liberians. He believed that, even though every Liberian had their political ideologies, but they all still have one common denominator—that one banana tree called LIBERIA.
LIKE THE US 44th President, Barack H. Obama, eulogizing his former rival for the US Presidency, Senator John McCain, quoted Ernest Hemmingway’s ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ said: “Today is only one day in all the days that will ever be. But what will happen in all the other days that ever come can depend on what you do today.” Summing up Cllr. Brumskine’s life in one “today”, he lived well for his family, his kinsmen and women in Grand Bassa County and his country, Liberia. What better way we can honor him?
ADIEU CLLR. CHARLES Walker Brumskine, you fought well for the country you loved dearly; rest in peace till we all meet again on that beautiful shore in the great beyond.