MONROVIA: The young lady had gone to visit Grand Bassa County Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence at her Capitol Hill office through the kind intervention of Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon. It could have been any other ordinary courtesy call from an enamored citizen to her representative; but what seemed rather odd was the uncontrollable outpouring of emotion as the young lady copiously wept when she was introduced to Senator Lawrence. No, she had not gone to see the senator and ask for financial assistance or anything of the sort. “I want to see Senator Lawrence before I die”, was her humble appeal, even though she was not sick. Reciprocating the kind gesture of the young lady who also gave the Senator a beautifully adorned flower, Nyonblee invited her as a special guest to attend her birthday celebration at the Farmington Hotel in Harbel where a fundraiser for the Rescue Mission was held Sunday, July 2, 2023. How typical of a Rescue Mother who places the celebration of own birthday on the backburner to raise funds for a cause many had thought she would have abandoned following the heart wrenching letdown from Ambassador Joseph Boakai’s Vice Standard Bearer pick.
“That period marked one of the biggest blows to the senator because she had worked selflessly to ensure that JNB wins the presidency in October this year. She has also not been ashamed to aspire. Her desire and intent to be picked as running mate to JNB was made known long, long ago; and she worked hard and committed herself to serve JNB. She was always around, sided with him on issues, something that even risked her status and standing in her own political party,” says Mr. Samuel Nagbe, a JNB strategist and confidant.
According to Nagbe, Senator Lawrence remains one of the maverick voices in the Liberian senate, pioneering a new chapter in perception of rivalry in Liberian politics, where people often tear down others once they don’t get what they desire.
“She has remained one of the fiercest voices for social justice, always casting her votes on issues in the interest of the common good, and this has not been withstanding that her gender has always been out numbered a hundredfold in the Liberian Senate,” he maintained.
Despite the disappointment she endured when she was not selected, and amidst the expectations that she would jump ship, Nyonblee has risen from the ashes of rejection, and like the proverbial phoenix, has made the selfless decision to reaffirm her support for the presidency of JNB; a decision that has brought much relief to the JNB campaign.
Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, popularly known as NKK, was graciously adorned the title of “Mother of the Rescue Mission” by JNB rightly so for her selfless decision. Today NKL leads the charge at the side of her rival contender JKK (Jeremiah Kpan Koung) who was eventually preferred as JNB’s running mate; campaigning together across the country.
“This singular action counters the expectation of many, considering the “crab mentality” that “when it is not me, then it cannot be anyone else”. Instead, NKL’s actions can be akin to “since it is not me, stand on my shoulders” to reach there,” Nagbe asserts.
Prior to her birthday celebration yesterday at the Farmington Hotel fundraiser for the Rescue Mission, Nyonblee had been touring the countryside along with Senator Jeremiah Koung to engage the citizens about the Rescue Mission and present to them Ambassador Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s Vice Standard Bearer.
Traversing rough terrains, Nyonblee and Koung have been presenting a completely different picture of opposition unity, contrasting the perception that politics has to always be about backstabbing, backbiting and skullduggery.
“To see those two senators working so closely together is something new in Liberian politics. Nyonblee had serious ambition to become running mate to Mr. Boakai; but he chose Jeremiah Koung instead. She lost her standing with her political party. She was tempted to go as running mate to Mr. Cummings but she refused. We all thought her political career was over when she refused to go with Cummings. To see this lady sacrificing everything for JNB is just phenomenal. I never thought she would be touring the country with the same man who dampened her ambition,” says Jimmie Baryougar from Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
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