‘NONSENSE!!!’ -Dillon Terms Supt Brandy “One Montserrado Senator” Statement -Quits Interview After Mic Cut Off

MONROVIA – Many who watched the OK FM podcast or listened to the station’s Monday morning talk show were left awestruck with their jaws hanging in amazement at the turn of events that saw Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillion angrily marching out of the studio following a verbal spar with talk show host Clarence Jackson in which the host had attributed a statement to Montserrado County Superintendent Florence Brandy, to the effect that she had once remarked at a program that Saah Joseph was the only senator in  Montserrado County Senator.

“’I hope I am not bringing politics early in the discussion, but did you hear Montserrado County Superintendent Florence Brandy, I think there was a program somewhere and Senator Saah Joseph was presenting something, and she said to him: you are the only senator in Montserrado Did you hear that? How did you feel?” Talk show host Jackson started the conversation.

“I heard it. I didn’t feel bad. Florence is the Superintendent of Momtserrado County. She is a CDCian. She has gone against the Code of Conduct to a senatorial debate between Thomas Fallah and I, to ask me questions as a CDCian. Florence knows that I don’t participate in their thievery of the County Development money. Since I became senator, this County Caucus, with Florence Brandy and Thomas Fallah, will only meet during County Meet and take money and say they’re going to do district mobilization; and I don’t participate in that nonsense and they know that.

“But when the President was doing Montserrado County tour, the program for Montserrado County had me there as senator. I don’t need Florence’s recognition. It only says the kind of government we are running. When the superintendent says only senator is in the county because they can gang up and eat the county money; China Union money – no head no tail; they took overdraft for County Meet and they took $5,000 each to go do county mobilization for the people to go on the field, and I told them I was not going to participate in those nonsense, so, if it comes to that, then the county has one senator.

“In CDC’s head, this county has one senator. And in CDC’s head, this country has a CDC president. All of them think the same way, and that’s the same reason why Monrovia is Miami now,” Senator Dillon responded cheekily.

“Ok, let’s move on. I just wanted to get your response to that. As we move on, I can only plead. I know sometimes it looks very shaky and you want to talk tough, but in as much as I will let you talk tough, choice of words, senator I beg you…” the host stated, as a means of cooling off the already simmering tension in the studio, a situation which many pundits say could have been averted had the interviewer not started with a seemingly combative approach.

At this point, the tough-talking Montserrado Senator who has gained the moniker “The Light” due to his unwavering stance to expose graft within the Legislature, was now visibly incensed. “If something is nonsense, and I can’t say it is nonsense, let’s cut the interview off. When the superintendent of the county says there is only one senator of this county, then it’s pure nonsense.

“Ehn da me brought the superintendent situation up? Will you please come down? Senator Dillon, when you are invited to these kinds of shows. I brought you here to provide education on something, but you always do this,” the host responded.

“We are always having issues on this thing with your microphone. What is the big deal when somebody does nonsense, I can’t say nonsense?” Senator Dillon questioned.

It was at this stage that the host decided to cut off Senator Dillon’s microphone, which left him storming out of the studio, with the host dejectedly remarking to the back of the departing senator: “your mike is off. If you can walk out, no problem, thank you. It was good having you. It’s better you go, Senator Dillon.”

Public Backlash

The Monday, September 26, 2022 walkout of Senator Dillon has also created a storm within the public sphere, and surprisingly, even some veteran journalists are seemingly taking side with the Senator.

“When one does or says something foolish, it’s called “NONSENSE”. In reality, NONSENSE means, “it makes no sense, whatsoever”. What you might consider BEAUTIFUL, I could see it as hideous, based on pure perception or perception bias. Senator Abe Darius Dillon used the word, ”NONSENSE” to describe a statement, and the “talkshow” host, Clarence Jackson got so incensed. Clarence, except your emotions expressed this morning were for another purpose, but the word NONSENSE means, “unintelligible, makes no sense; senseless; meaningless; gibberish” etc…. In fact, instead of copying and pasting, I got a few screenshots from the Web pages of two renowned dictionaries. Please check out their various meanings of “NONSENSE”. Thanks,” remarked veteran broadcast journalist Patrick Okai of UNMIL Radio fame in a social media post.

Commenting also, another Liberian journalist, Siebo Williams, also has a serious issue with the station’s interpretation of the word “nonsense” that saw Senator Dillon’s mic being cut off.

“The word “NONSENSE” is not an insult. SENATOR DARIUS DILLON WAS RIGHT TO WALK OUT OF THAT STUDIO THIS MORNING. A guest rubbishes a statement of somebody as ‘nonsense’ statement but the Talk Show Host gets so furious as though his Guest insulted the person who made the statement that “AS FAR AS SHE WAS CONCERNED MONTSERRADO COUNTY HAS ONLY ONE SENATOR IN SAAH JOSEPH.” So when the other Senator of the County, Abraham Darius Dillon, in reaction says the statement is nonsense, the Talk Show Host gets vexed. NONSENSE means, “unintelligible, makes no sense; senseless; meaningless; gibberish” etc…. But anyway, some of us understand where such a reaction this morning is coming from. In the journalism profession we are told: “You Have No Friends or Foes”, as OBJECTIVITY is very keen in the noble profession. But nowadays, you hear a lot of Talk Show Hosts calling Ministers, Directors, Business Executives, etc., etc. their brothers and friends when they are on air. So, what happens tomorrow if your “Friends” happen to fall on the wrong side of society, will you be able to do a balanced report without being biased or protective of your so-called “Friends”?  Compromised Talk Show Hosts will be found out sooner than later. It is just a matter of time. I have said mine,” Mr. Williams stated emphatically.

All efforts to contact Montserrado County Superintendent Florence Brandy for comment on the statement attributed to her by OK’s Clarence Jackson proved futile up to press time.