MONROVIA – As the haunt to maintain or seek job opportunities in the incoming Unity Party led-government of President-elect Joseph Nyuma Boakai intensifies, former executives of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) have been circumventing their way through by using the church to plea with their political godfather Nimba County Senator Prince Johnson to have mercy on them for their decision taken to endorse the candidacy of outgoing President George Manneh Weah during the October 10 general and presidential elections.
By Obediah Johnson
Senator Johnson is the Founder/General Overseer of the Christ Chapel of Faith Ministry located in Paynesville, outside Monrovia and the Chairman of the Governing Council of the MDR.
The MDR, headed by Senator Jeremiah Koung, is one of the constituent parties which ensured the election of Boakai during the November 14 presidential runoff elections.
The Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Commerce Wilfred Bangura, who is also the former National Vice Chairman for Governmental Affairs of the MDR and Melvin L. Yealu, former Secretary General were spotted attending worship service at the church of Senator Johnson on Sunday, December 10.
Yealu is also an Assistant Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.
In May last year, Bangura, Yealu and Representative Gonpu Kargon were expelled from the MDR for allegedly violating several provisions of the party’s constitution by pledging their support to the re-election of President Weah at the time their party has already taken a decision to endorse Unity Party Standard Bearer Boakai.
Article 14 (a) of the MDR Constitution states that: “No registered member of this party shall owe loyalty to another party or cause another member to pledge allegiance to another party. If any member of this party is found in supporting any party in any form or cause another partisan to pledge support to another party shall constitute a violation and punishable as may be required by law,” the party stated.
Yealu was the Assistant Pastor of Senator Johnson’s church and founder of the ‘Nimba for Weah Movement’ , while Bangura was one of the Elders.
Following their expulsion, the duo suspended their membership with Senator Johnson’s church for unknown reasons. Since then, they have not been seen at the church edifice for more than five months.
But to the utmost surprise of many members and worshippers of the church, Bangura and Yealu, who are on record for accusing Senator Johnson of “taking the MDR as his personal property and selling votes of Nimbaians” showed up early Sunday morning to renew their membership with the church which they once neglected and abandoned for political reasons.
Their presence in service was noticed by members and first-time visitors who trooped at the church to listen to the regular politically charged sermon of Senator Johnson.
They bowed in shame and were embarrassed while being stared at by other members of the church.
Minister Bangura and Yealu reportedly sought for an audience with Senator Johnson after the worship service. They were made to sit for several hours as other guests were being ushered into the office of the Nimba County Senator one after the other.
Suspended membership
Speaking in an interview with FrontPage Africa via telephone on Monday, December 11, Minister Bangura claimed that he went to Senator Johnson’s church to seek the face of God.
He noted that his decision to quit worshipping at the church was to avoid listening to antagonize sermons from Senator Johnson against the government which he is serving as a Minister during the political season.
Minister Bangura disclosed that following the pronouncement of final results from the runoff elections, he has decided to renew his membership with the church.
“That church has been my church for the last seven years. I took a break because of the political tension that was going on. I never wanted to be going to church and Senator Johnson is preaching against the government in his church. After almost a month since the results of the elections have been announced, I decided to go back to my church.”
He justified that the edifice of the Christ Chapel of Faith Ministry is not the headquarters of the MDR, adding that, “I went there to worship God and I didn’t go there for party politics or to man.”
The meeting after service
Minister Bangura claimed to have held a closed door meeting with Senator Johnson even though it was reported that he sat for hours and was denied from meeting the MDR political godfather.
He said the meeting was similar to normal meeting he had with Senator Johnson during his good days at the church.
“Every Sunday, he (Senator Johnson) and I can meet after service and talk. I don’t request to meet with him and people stop me. It’s not possible.”
Minister Bangura claimed that the recent meeting with Senator Johnson centered on the church, personal family issues, and politics.
He alleged that some of those serving in leadership or regularly visit Senator Johnson’s church also have their own churches.
Avoiding misinterpretation
Minister Bangura pointed out that his decision to suspend his membership with Senator Johnson’s church was also intended to avoid being misconstrued by some executives of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and others.
He said worshipping at the politically charged religious church during the heat of the campaign period after endorsing President Weah could have been misinterpreted by others.
“The CDC people were saying that we were scamming; what we saying were not true. I didn’t want to be misunderstood or misinterpreted so I decided to suspend my constant visit (to Senator Johnson’s church) and went to different churches until the political season was over. I decided to slow down from worshipping there.”
Father and spiritual leader
Minister Bangura claimed that Senator Johnson remains “my father and spiritual leader.”
“He was very excited to see me. I have always realized his good attributes. I stated clearly that I was supporting his re-election. I supported the President because he was doing a great job for the country.”
He disclosed that serving in the government of President Weah as a senior official was another factor which prompted his support to the Liberian leader, thereby rejecting the decision of his party to endorse Boakai.
“There was no reason why I couldn’t support is re-election. I am on record for campaigning for Senator Johnson.”
No regrets
Minister Bangura pointed out that he has no regret for his decision to support President Weah during the recent elections.
He claimed that his position was also respected by Senator Johnson and Vice President-elect Koung prior to his expulsion from the MDR.
“I don’t see any crime for us to visit his church; I don’t think this warrants investigation because Yealu and I went there to God. Executive committee members (of the MDR) have their own churches; they don’t go there.”
Not clear of returning
Minister Bangura is on record for threatening to issue a lawsuit against the MDR for his expulsion from the party.
He claimed that his expulsion was illegal.
However, he has failed to institute any lawsuit against the party up to present.
“I am not discussing the MDR. I am not back to the MDR yet and the time will come and we will discuss that. But I still consider myself as a member of the MDR. I have not joined any party including the CDC. I only supported the President.”
Betrayers coming back
Betrayals and backstabbing prior to the conduct of general and presidential elections are normal routines in political arena of Liberia.
Executives and loyalists of many political parties or politicians most often cross over to the “highest bidders” or the ruling party to either maintain their jobs or due to financial inducement.
Many of them are also rewarded to cause instability in their respective parties prior to crossing over.
When the table turns
The turning of tables on the other side makes these new breed of Liberian politicians to engage into undeserved praise singing, sycophancy and bootlicking to win the minds and aspirations of those who have sacrificed and are about to be politically rewarded.
At times, these ‘greedy and unstable politicians’ would engaged into offering huge sum of monies to friends or relatives of incoming ruling party’s executives or officials to maintain or seek employment opportunities.
This negatively contributed to the hiring of many incompetent and unqualified individuals in the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led-government of President Weah.
Others are renewing or strengthening their alliances and friendship with key executives and members of the Unity Party (UP) as guarantee to obtaining or retaining their jobs.
Boakai’s headache
President-elect Boakai has a herculean task in selecting his cabinet to steer the affairs of the country for the next six years.
His first batch of officials to be appointed would clearly show to Liberians and the world at large whether or not his government is serious to tackle corruption, improve the economy, promote good governance and the tenets of democracy, or it would be a replica of previous administrations.
With Ministers Bangura and Yealu now returning to Senator Johnson’s church to “seek God,” many would wonder ‘why now after spending several months away.”
Though God is everywhere, the motive behind the duo returning to listen to a man, who they once levied series of allegations against; to preach the gospel to them remains questionable. Furthermore, their return may not even prevent Senator Johnson from preaching against the government-a claim raised by Minister Bangura as one of his reasons to suspend his membership with the church.
Despite returning as “prodigal sons”, it remains unclear whether or not Senator Johnson would recommend Ministers Bangura and Yealu for appointment in Boakai’s government. Already, their return to the church was a subject for discussion among members following the climax of regular worship service on Sunday.
Recommending and subsequently retaining them on their respective jobs could encourage hundreds of other former leaders and members of the Effort Baptist Church of President-elect Joseph Nyuma Boakai to return to their church to “seek God” after being away for a prolong period of time, anticipating recommendations for appointed positions in government, too.