By Justice R. Clarke
PAYNESVILLE, Aug. 8 (LINA) – From all indications the death of Rep. Munah Pelham-Youngblood deeply pains President George Weah as he continues to reminiscence how a trusted ‘soldier’ the fallen Representative was to him personally, and to his Congress (Coalition) for Democratic Change, CDC.
She was his confidant, the Liberian leader said.
“I may be your President, but today I speak as a grieving father. My conduct today may not be what you expect, because I am overwhelmed with sadness at my irreplaceable loss. My emotions are in control of me right now.
“I may weep, but then I may not. Please forgive me if I do,” President Weah told thousands who attended the funeral of the late Montserrado District #9 lawmaker.
The final goodbye event was took place Saturday at the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville, outside Monrovia.
“My daughter; my friend; my confidant; my striker; my only Number 9; CDC Baby! ‘Sheroe!” were the words of eulogy the President heaped on the youthful, fearless CDC strongwoman and change-driven member of the Legislature that Liberia has lost.
Liberians irrespective of political backgrounds are paying homage to Rep. Pelham-Yongblood, 36, and celebrating her life for the struggle for social change she pushed over the years, if not for standing out as a brave female politician who fought to make the entrenched patriarchal culture within the Liberian democracy a history.
“We have lost one of our best players! On occasions such as this one, when we gather on a national stage, I was always introduced by you, Munah. So it is a sad day for me today, to come and speak and not be introduced by you,” mourned President Weah.
Many, including the President, could not hold back their tears.
As the Liberian leader, however, went on with his eulogy, he recognized that the Almighty God endowed the deceased lawmaker with unusual qualities, skills and virtues that would enable her, in her brief sojourn on earth, to have an indelible impact on the lives of all those who crossed her path — from the young to the old, from rich to the poor, from the healthy to the sick, and from the hungry to the fed.
He recollected a longstanding between the Pelham family and him, adding: “When I played for the Liberia National Team, Munah’s late father Col. Walter Maxwell Pelham Sr. served as our head coach and he took care of all of us. Munah was always around me when I lived on 9th Street in Sinkor and I was blessed to have her live with me briefly in my home after her father died.”
The President continued: “Munah was also very bold. She could even intimidate people sometimes, because she was so outspoken. If you were lazy, you would get strong. She did not bow down for anyone, nor back down from anything.”
He said his daughter was going home to rest.
Meanwhile, he expressed gratitude to the mother of the stateswomen for entrusting Munah to his care.
« She was my daughter and she considered me her father. We had the best relationship ever. I was a good deputy parent for her and she received the same discipline I gave to all my children without exception, » the President stressed.
CDC partisans and political observers say the death of the House chairperson on Executive is indeed irreparable.
The party’s Revolutionary Youth League headed by Monrovia Mayor Jefferson Koijee is also grief-stricken over Munah’s death.
She was known for often leading party militants during political rallies alongside Koijee tirelessly. As a member of the youth league, she would march with supporters from her constituency to venues of the party’s activities with vigor and huge influence.
The Representative was laid to rest at the Congo Town cemetery on the outskirts of the Liberian capital, Monrovia.
