A number of women under the aegis of The Concerned Citizens of District of District #10 have categorically condemned Representative Yekeh Kolubah of District #10, Montserrado County whom they said insulted, disrespected and maligned the Acting Minister of Public Works, Mrs. Ruth Coker-Collins while also questioning the silence being exhibited by Senator Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence in the wake of the statement against a fellow female government official and then called on the Alternative National Congress(ANC) of which the lawmaker is a member to distance itself from action of Representative Yekeh Kolubah.
“We have gathered here today to categorically state our position and to show solidarity with the Minister designate of the Ministry of Public Works, Mrs. Ruth Coker Collins who was insulted, disrespected and maligned by ex-rebel general, Yekeh Kolubah now Representative of District 10, Montserrado County.
“For us, the insult rained on Minister Collins is not just about her but an insult against the women of Liberia. Culturally, when you insult a girl child you have insulted all women. So yes, the so-called Rep. Kolubah, as traditionally as he thinks of himself, has insulted the women of Liberia
We condemn his action against our daughter, Ruth Coker Collins and call on him to retract his statement immediately or we will begin moving from houses to house, door to door and one market table to the other on Old Road to canvass against him” the group said in a prepared statement yesterday at the Capitol Building.
The group said Madam Ruth Coker Collins is not just a Minister, she hails from the old road, schooled there and even operated a business there, adding she is one of them and by extension the daughter of a market woman whose humility, decency and upbringing are things they are very proud of and Old Road as a community is very proud of her as well.
“In spite of playing in these markets as a kid and now working in government, we mothers of Old Road are proud that she did not allow these dusts to hold her down, this market sent her to school till she ascended to working with the United Nations as well as serving as President, Female Engineering Society of Liberia amongst other high-profile roles. Old Road has over the years made great sons and daughters except this woman abuser Yekeh Kolubah”, the group noted.
They said they are very ashamed that a Representative they supported and campaigned for will choose to denigrate one of the good daughters of Old Road in the plenary of the House of Representatives, terming it as highly regrettable and unacceptable.
We condemn his action against our daughter, Ruth Coker Collins and call on him to retract his statement immediately or we will begin moving from house to house, door to door and one market table to the other on Old Road to canvas against him.
The women further said while they condemn Representative Kolubah, whom they described as a “woman abuser”, they are taken aback by the conspicuous silence of Senator Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence who herself stays with them on the Old Road. “In a Spoon Talk show recently, Rep Kolubah singled out Sen. Lawrence as being one his advisors that tell him when to speak or not when quizzed on his attack on Minister Collins. His revelation clearly says she was behind his reckless outburst against our daughter”, the women who were visibly outraged said.
They called on Sen. Karnga-Lawrence to go public and condemn the statement made against their daughter and distance herself from it, adding that the people of District #10 are not taking his statement likely, and hope Senator Lawrence will not do same as it was time to stand up for women hand in hand no matter where they stood politically.
“Sen. Karnga-Lawrence’s failure to distance herself, and publicly condemn the woman abuser, Rep. Kolubah, you will be confirming our belief that you are in full support of the public disgrace brought upon us, women of Liberia as indicated on Spoon Talk by Yekeh”, the group further said.
The women also called on the Alternative National Congress (ANC), where the lawmaker is a member to condemn and distance the party from “this woman abuser to prove that it’s a party of respect for women and that which upholds social and cultural values” as well as the Coalition of Political Party Women (COPWILL) and women stakeholders to immediately distance themselves from the action of “this District #10 failed Representative Koluba”
But when contacted, Senator Lawrence speaking through her staffer Daniel Sando expressed shock and dismay that her name was brought up in the issue by the women which should have not happened at all in the first place.
Sando said when the Representative made the derogatory statement, Senator Lawrence personally got in contact with Representative Kolubah and expressed dismay over the reported degrading comments made against Mrs. Collins and urged him to see reason to apologize to which he did on the Spoon FM Radio Station. Senator Lawrence, according to Sando, also reached out to the mother of Madam Collins, whom Senator Lawrence has known over the years to express her displeasure about the utterances of Kolubah and apologized on his behalf.
Senator Lawrence, according to Daniel Sando, expressed surprise at the Concerned Old Road Women describing the action of the women as being politically motivated. Senator Lawrence, according to her staffer said the family of the Acting Minister were not even aware of what the women did, wondering what might have informed their decision to have gone to the Capitol Building to make the position statement and dragging her name in the picture for the wrong reason.