Tribal Politics in Nimba Worries Gongloe -Democracy is about Qualification, Not Bloodline or Tribe

MONROVIA – While many celebrate the fact that the northwestern province of Nimba County is fast becoming the country’s most sprawling political and economic powerhouse, others are worried that the worsening state of tribal politics, or ingrained bitterness and hate based on ethnicity, is a time-bomb that could decimate all the progress underway. A son of the soil, Tiawan Saye Gongloe, also feels the latter way, and is calling for calm and sobriety.
A prominent son of Nimba County, Cllr. Tiawon Saye Gongloe, is calling all citizens of the country to reject division, embrace unity, urging that “We must now issue a collective and urgent call: All Nimbaians, both at home and abroad, must firmly denounce the growing calls for the division of Nimba County.”
The human rights lawyer posits that arguments based on size or population about Nimba are misplaced, for in the United States, small states like Delaware coexist with large, powerful states like Texas, California, and New York—without division.
“These examples show that unity and cooperation, not fragmentation, drive progress,” he said.
In Nimba, Gongloe said, except for Electoral Districts 1, 2, and 8, Dans and Mahs live together across every other distric, and the Dan and Krahn people border Côte d’Ivoire, while the Mah people border Guinea – features that make Nimba strategic, connected, and interdependent, and not a reason for division.
“Any attempt to divide Nimba will weaken it politically and economically,” Gongloe warns in a special statement released this week.
He noted that the path forward for Nimba is unity, merit and progress.
He said: “Nimba is one county—not a tribal federation. We share land, resources, roads, and schools. From the Nimba mountain range in Districts 2 & 3, to the Cocopa plantation in District 8, to the gold, diamonds, cocoa, and coffee from across the county—we rise or fall together. We must recommit to inclusion, unity, competence and progress. Let the best Nimba man or woman win, regardless of tribe, religion, or region. This also applies to Liberia.”
The former presidential contender in the 2023 presidential elections said Liberia must rise above tribal favoritism, must be led by those with vision, integrity, and ability—not those with the “right” ethnic background.
Reflections on Nimba’s Past Harmony
As a son of Nimba County, he said his roots are deeply planted in its soil, beginning school in Ganta, continued in Mehnla, Tappita, and completed high school in Sanniquellie.
“In 1980, I proudly served as President of the Nimba County Students Association at the University of Liberia. These experiences gave me a first-hand understanding of the county’s diversity, strength, and promise—and it is from that deep well of commitment that I write this article,” he recalled. “Growing up, I had the privilege of hearing the voices of Representative Sammy G. Kpan, County Commissioner Alfred N. Johnson, Supervisor of Schools for Lower Nimba David Dwayen, Senator T.Q. Harris, Paramount Chief John N. T. Strother, , and Revenue Commissioner Borbor Thomas in Tappita. In Sanniquellie, I saw the work of Representative Yalama Duayen Dokie, Oldman Charles Boayue, County School Supervisor Timothy Swope, and Labor Commissioner Timothy Swope.”
Gongloe said he knew Paramount Chief Sammy Paye of Berralaye personally because his nephew Christian Yonton was his classmate, and he also knew Paramount Chief Jimmy Dahn, a close friend of his uncle, the late S.S.S Lt. Samuel Mengua – personalities that were not distant figures to him, close to their families and learned by listening.
He said he later, came closer to Jackson F. Doe during the 1985 presidential campaign when the Liberian People’s Party (LPP) was banned.
While working as Executive Assistant to Dr. Amos C. Sawyer, he said he engaged deeply with elders like Harry Yuan, J. Gbamie Sahn, J. Zeegben Collins, Dr. Joseph Saye Guannu, Karmo Soko Sackor, Edward Soko Sackor, and Ambassador Gabriel G. Farngalo.
“I also held rich conversations with Jenkins Wongbe, former head of the Civil Service Agency, who taught me about Nimba politics in the 1960s,” law assistant professor at the University of Liberia continued his reflections of Nimba’s past.
He added: “I love sitting with elders because they give you history you can never read in books. That’s why I visited the late James C. Dennis before his passing to hear stories of Tappita, Zwedru, and Voinjama. My understanding of Nimba and Liberia is shaped by these voices—and by what I’ve learned from the progress made in Ghana, Guinea, Tanzania, and Botswana.
“In 2014, I coauthored an article on Nimba County with Cllr. Zaiye B. Dehkee, I, titled “The Claim of Marginalization of the Mah or the Dan People: A Divisive Political Agenda, Doomed to Fail.” It was published on ThePerspective.org on December 15, 2014. Our purpose was to promote Nimba unity. The fact that the article was written by me, a Mah person, and Cllr. Dehkee, a Dan person, was itself a message to all Nimbaians—that we can and must work together in the interest of Nimba, unimpeded by tribal differences.”
He described his experienced ground both personal and political, which is why he is raising concern about the direction in which tribal politics is leading our beloved Nimba.
Tribal Politics: A Dangerous Shift
In recent elections, tribal identity was used to justify candidacy, he continued. “One campaign team declared: “It’s time for a Dan Senator because there is already a Mah Senator.”
He said though it may sound fair, the mindset is divisive, and suggests that political seats should rotate by tribe—not be earned by competence.
“That weakens democracy, inclusion, and unity,” he stressed. “Worse, some now argue that only Mah or Dan people should alternate power, excluding other ethnic groups like the Mandingoes, Kpelle, Gbi and Doru, Krahn, long-settled Liberians from other counties and women. That logic is dangerous.”
Misrepresenting History
Gongloe asserted that history has been misrepresented because three Dan men have served as Vice Presidents of Liberia: Enoch Dogolea, Moses Blah, and now Jeremiah Koung. Blah even served as President.
He asked: “Should we now say no Dan person should ever be Vice President again?
Should political parties be discouraged from selecting Dan presidential candidates with Dan runningmates or even Dan presidential candidates, considering that Blah was president, although for short time?”
“My answer is no. Democracy chooses based on competence—not tribe,” he continued.
A Legacy of Inclusion
He recalled that in 1985, Mandingo candidate Alhaji Lansanah Kromah won in Dan-dominated Tappita. A Grebo man, James Harris won in Ganta, a Mah dominated part of Nimba, and a Gbi woman, Ellen King, won in Tappita, a Dan stronghold.
“Nimba chose these politicians based on merit—not tribe. We’ve done it before—we can do it again,” he noted.
Democracy Means Choice, Not Exclusion
Look at the U.S.—John F. Kennedy became President, his brother Robert Kennedy and Ted Kennedy elected Senators during is administration. He himself was in the Senate before being elected president. The Bush family produced two Presidents and a Governor.
Democracy is about qualification—not bloodline or tribe.
So if Nimba insists on tribal politics, then let elders sign a formal memorandum of understanding that once one tribe occupies a seat, the others take turns. But that formula would exclude minority tribes, deny women and others from competing Undermine democracy
It is better to stop now and stick to competence, with gender sensitivity and full inclusion.
The Path Forward: Unity, Merit, Progress
“Nimba is one county—not a tribal federation,” he warned, adding; “We share land, resources, roads, and schools. From the Nimba mountain range in Districts 2 & 3, to the Cocopa plantation in District 8, to the gold, diamonds, cocoa, and coffee from across the county—we rise or fall together.”
He called on Nimba citizens to recommit to inclusion, unity, competence and progress.

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