Monrovia – The latest controversial endorsement of the preferred candidate of the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Representative Thomas P. Fallah, for the Montserrado County Senatorial seat by a group of religious leaders has sparked out war of words between some religious leaders and renowned Liberian gospel musician, Kanvee Gaines Adams.
The situation has also split the Christian community in Liberia.
Madam, Adams, a former defeated Representative candidate on the ticket of the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC), criticized religious leaders who openly anointed and endorsed the candidacy of Representative Fallah in the ensuing senatorial elections in the country.
Lawmaker Fallah, who is representing the people of electoral district # 5 in the 54th National Legislature, is the choice of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) in the much-publicized mid-term senatorial elections.
The mid-term senatorial election is expected to take place on December 8, 2020, according to the National Elections Commission (NEC).
On Saturday, August 29, a group of religious leaders, including Bishops, Pastors and Deacons, under the banner National Pastor Network of Peace, endorsed Representative Fallah for the senatorial seat in Montserrado County at a ceremony held at the gymnasium in Paynesville, outside Monrovia.
According to them, the decision taken to give support to Representative Fallah is due to his record of undertaking numerous developmental initiatives for the benefit of citizens since his ascendancy to the House of Representatives.
They claimed that the Network comprises of more than 20,000 pastors and other members.
Adams vs. Gaines
They, however, vowed to vigorously canvass throughout the length and breadth of the Montserrado to ensure that the CDC National Executive Committee member, who is serving his third term at the National Legislature, is elected over incumbent Senator Abraham Darius Dillon and the other would-be senatorial candidates.
But in a controversial statement posted on her official social media page recently, Madam Adams claimed that the endorsement from the religious leaders was financially induced.
Her comments were in direct reaction to Bishop Amos Greatness Bah, Founder and Bishop of the Dominion Praise Chapel in Monrovia.
Bishop Bah is reported to be one of the brains behind the planning of the endorsement program of Representative Fallah.
Madam Adams questioned the rationale behind the endorsement of a politician by the religious leaders, including Mr. Bah, who she claims spoke against her candidacy during the 2017 general and presidential elections.
She contested the 2017 general and presidential elections in district # 6, Montserrado County and obtained 1505 votes, amounting to 3.7% of the valid votes cast.
Madam Adams and several others lost to independent candidate Samuel Regen Enders, who accumulated 18,489 or 45.2% of the total valid votes cast.
“Bishop Amos Bah so you are the one anointing someone for the senatorial election after you openly denigrated me for contesting for the same house of parliament that you claimed was evil and full of evils? O, so you the one anointing devils, right?” the renowned Liberian musician wrote on her Facebook page.
She added: “Let me get this clear; this post is in no way an attack on Thomas Fallah’s person, but rather about the double standards of some men of God. I’m sure when you were writing you never thought a day like would come when the same you would be endorsing someone because of brown envelope”.
The comments posted by the renowned Liberian gospel musician has caused stir among members of the Network and the religious community.
Nothing Against Adams, Clergyman Says
In a live podcast on the social media Thursday, September 3, Bishop Bah urged his supporters to refrain from attacking Madam Adams because he has forgiven her.
“I came on line today to tell that world that I love Kanvee Gaines Adams and I have forgiven her. I don’t have anything against her. Nobody should use my situation to attack the woman of God. Nobody should use whatsoever she has said about me to insult or denigrate her on the social media, on television or radio”.
“The Bible said we should love our neighbors as ourselves. I am working by the scriptures. Please leave her alone. If I don’t forgive my sister, God will not forgive me. This woman has been a blessing to Liberia through her music and I am one of those that have been blessed and I still play her music in my house even though she has said what she wanted to say”.
Bishop Bah maintained that he does not hold the Liberian gospel musical ambassador responsible for her outburst against him, noting that, “the enemies are attacking the body of Christ”.
He said men of God should be watchful and mindful of attacks from “enemies” during these times to avoid character assassination.
“Some of you call me fake Pastor, a scam, BM or that but the only thing-my conscious is very, very clear and my children know the type of man of God I am. I am not troubled. I honor the woman of God; I don’t see her as an enemy. The enemy I have is the devil”.
Dignified Woman of God?
Bishop Brown described Madam Adams as a “dignified woman of God who has inspired” citizen and others with her thrilling gospel songs and as such, she must not be insulted by his supporters.
He used the medium to urge his fellow compatriots, including Bishops and Pastors to desist from sharing on the social media derogatory and humiliating videos posted against their colleagues.
“It is not time for us to fight or denigrate each other. If one person makes an error, we need to help to correct it. If the sister (Kanvee) was so angry and maybe came on the air and said things that were not right I think our responsibility is to see what we can do to quiet down things; and not for us Pastors and Bishops to be sharing video of somebody they have denigrated their character to destroy them”.
Bishop Bah, however, denied allegations that he extorted thousands of United States dollars from scores of struggling Liberians under the pretense of sending them to the United States during his stay at the Buduburam refugee camp in Ghana under his “Queen Sheba” program.
He vowed to resign from preaching the gospel if evidence is provided against him.
“I will never preach the gospel in Liberia if anyone brings proof. I will become maybe a security. People live on ‘they say’. The first batch of people that left my church at Buduburam camp and went to America in 2000 were more than 100 persons. When they went to America they were never ungrateful, they were sending me money every week and I became one of the best dressed and clean Pastors in Buduburam camp”.
He blamed the high level of stereotype against his character to “envy and jealousy” among other pastors who referred to him as a “criminal, crook and extortionist”.
‘Go Drink Acid’
Bishop Jermaine Praise Jones is another clergyman who planned and participated in the endorsement ceremony of Rep. Fallah.
Prior to the comments made by Bishop Bah, Bishop Jones previously inflamed the situation in a harsh worded response on his official Facebook page, accusing Madam Adams of “messing around” with her superiors.
“I would love Kanvee to know and understand that the authorities you are messing around with are all your superiors in ministry and life. We stand with Thomas Fallah today and tomorrow so if you know you don’t want to see that in your life, please do me this one favor okay, GO DRINK ACID AND THROW YOUR SELF IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN”.
He maintained that religious leaders who endorsed the CDC lawmaker are at liberty to participate in politics and support any candidate of their choice as per the Constitution, adding that, “we are not forced to stand with you and support you in politics”.
Clergymen ‘Not hungry’
Bishop Jones stated that despite being proponents of the gospel, the National Pastoral Network for Peace comprises of individuals that are also engaged into other ventures.
“We are not hungry people, maybe you have to do your research to know the churches we all oversee and the difference business investments we have, which is registered and incorporated with the Liberian government then you will know how to talk next time you have time to talk”.
Bishop Jones vowed to unleash information on the character of Madam Adams during her stay in Nigeria if she does not desist from assassinating the character of religious leaders who are part of the Network.
“What you are doing we know it more than you and we can practically do better than you. I in particular, bishop Jermaine praise Jones, apart from being a consecrated and licensed bishop, I am a student of information technology at Smythe Institute of Management and Technology. By my IT discipline, I dig out information about people, places and things, and you are one of those people I have a lot of information about from all of your activities in Nigeria (don’t take it for joke) but by my experiences in ministry and my ethical values, I won’t normally do such”.
He continued: “But if you really want war of character assassination then we can give it a try and see who really is clean or dirty. Bishop Amos Greatness Bah, Bishop Dartus Doe and Bishop Jermaine Praise Jones are all ahead of you in ministry and life. We have been through the toughness and roughness of the different storms of life, therefore, this your storm is too weak Kanvee”.
He, however, encouraged Madam Adams to avoid throwing stones because; Bishop Bah is bigger than her.
“Bishop is too big for you; he is not your mate. In life there are three levels of people you must know so you can know how you approach and deal with them for your own safety. Know your SUPERVISOR = PEOPLE ABOVE YOU. Know your SUBORDINATE = people below you. Know your COEQUAL = People who are on the same level with you. Hear this load and clear!”
But Madam Adams sharply reacted by accusing Bishop Jones of having sexual affairs with a minor, and planning to assassinate her character to make her appear as a porn star since in fact, he (Bishop Jones) is a “cyber-criminal”.
Council of Churches Mute
The Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) is a conglomeration of Christian religious leaders in the country.
The group is regarded for easing down tension and playing a mediating role during political confusion between the ruling and opposition political parties.
Despite the escalation of the matter this week, the LCC, headed by Bishop Kortu K. Brown, remains tightlipped on the matter.
Bishop Brown is yet to respond to a text message and phone calls placed to him on the matter up to press time.