The upsurge of riled verbal rage in the country between officials and supporters of the ruling Coalition government and the opposition bloc grew intensity with nearly every segment of the population polarized. Quite paralyzing was the involving of another segment, Liberians deemed disarmed, demobilized and integrated. They are called ex-combatants. Those who had high ranks before their demobilization are referred to as ex-generals. The chilling moment was when the ex-generals called a press conference, making their existence known to a panicking population, and drew verbiage at one of their kinds who serves as the House of Representatives. It was like Liberia was reliving the dark days of war. But as The Analyst reports, the verbal altercation between and amongst ex-generals have ceased due to the intervention of Government and other stakeholders.
What some citizens called disrespected furies of Montserrado District #10 representative Yekeh Kolubah, against President George Weah had been provoking anger and ire across the country particularly amongst those who think the lawmaker was acting unruly against a sitting president.
Individuals calling themselves ex-generals drawn from former warring factions must have shared the anger of the lawmaker’s outrage and insults against President Weah. Last week, they called a press conference to taking issue with the lawmaker, whom they considered one of their own, and called on him desist and face their wrath.
Why the so-called ex-generals have actually expressed their deeply seated anger for the Representative’s stream of verbal attacks against the President, the very fact that they took to the public platform and appeared like there are still in charge of things as they did notoriously for 14 years not only created fear in the public mind but also anger and bitterness.
Others felt their vocal participation in political and security affairs of Liberia gave the wrong impression about their activities having being demobilized and this could scare investors and international stakeholders engaging the government.
Apparently, the government got to work and pester them into issuing an apology for announcing themselves as an organized group.
Earlier during the week, the ex-combatants gave Representative Yekeh Kolubah a 72-hr ultimatum to report to them, or face their wrath. Kolubah also a former rebel general, defied the group of ex-rebel generals.
The verbal exchanges were what intensified fear amongst citizens and stakeholders about insecurity.
But the government through Montserrado County Attorney Edwin Martin last Thursday made a group of the ex-rebel generals to appear and retract their statement.
Their spokesman, Augustine Nagbe, also known as General Power said his group did not mean any harm by their utterances but only wanted to put anyone threatening the peace to their place.
He extended an apology to the public and Rep Kolubah, assuring the public that they would pursue to hostile attitude with Kolubah.
Cllr. Martin had been pursuing Rep Kolubah for false and derogatory statements he had made persistently against President Weah.
They indicate that they and Kolubah have been friends for many years and that the statement they issued earlier was only meant to provide an avenue to warn the lawmaker.
He told Kolubah that he is not above the law and should submit himself to authorities to provide clarity on his statements made on Sunday April 14, 2019.
It has also been reported by Representative Kolubah had also concede to pressure and vowed never to haul insult at President Weah or anyone in the country.
He maintained that while he would not relent to be critical on issues of national concern, he would refrain from inflammatory utterances against President Weah and keep himself in ambit of the law.
Meanwhile, the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) has announced that it is offering to intervene in the unnecessary confrontation between the Government of Liberia and Representative Yekeh Kolubah.
A planned reconciliation meeting is planned for Wednesday, April 24, 2019 at the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.
Meanwhile, the LCC has secured a commitment from Mr Kolubah to henceforth respect the Liberian Presidency as an exalted institution and refrain from making reckless statements while the government on the other hand has agreed to withdraw its initial plan to arrest him.
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