By: E. Geedahgar Garsuah, Sr.
MONROVIA: A group, under the nomenclature, “Boakai Tact Team 2023,” headed by Madame Telia Urey, daughter of key opposition political leader, Benoni Wilfred Urey, has issued a caveat to Liberia’s Nobel Peace Laureate, Leymah Roberta Gbowee, to do away with “deceptive antics.”
In a press release issued in Monrovia on Monday, January 16, 2023, the group expressed its disappointment in Gbowee, who recently called on the UP-Standard Bearer, Joseph Nyumah Baokai, to retire from politics and concentrate on his deteriorating health.
“The JNB Tact Team is appalled by the recent statement made by Leymah Gbowee, asking Vice President Joseph Boakai to step aside from politics due to his health and age. We find the statement to be very disingenuous, coming from a woman who is supposed to be a symbol of peace, dignity, and unity. We advise Madame Gbowee to find a more dignified way to express herself without flagrant and unnecessary disrespect to the former Vice President,” the statement said.
“We would like to admonish Leymah Gbowee that if she would like to enter the political space in the country and position herself as a serious political actor, she should focus on the myriad of issues that the country is currently faced with instead of attacking a reputable statesman to get attention and media coverage,” added Boakai Tact Team 2023.
The group, at the same time, accused Madam Gbowee of being politically compromised, while urging her to use her voice and speak on the barrage of negative happenings in the country.
“We are well aware that Madame Gbowee is doing the political bidding for a certain opposition figure whose chances of winning the presidency are close to zero. We use this medium to warn her to immediately desist from these deceptive antics that have the propensity to destroy her image,” said the statement, signed by Madam Telia Urey.
“We would also like to draw the public’s attention to Madame Gbowee’s silence on the rampant killings and violence that the country has been faced with over the years under the George Weah-led government. It baffles the Tact Team and many other Liberians why Leymah Gbowee has not used her voice to champion these causes, considering her claimed position as a “voice of reason,” the Boakai’s Tact Team 2023 statement intoned.
The Tact Team’s reaction comes in the awake of Madame Gbowee’s recent comment where she urged hierarchies of the former ruling Unity Party (UP) to encourage the Ex-Vice President to step aside from active politic to concentrate on his private family life, owing to his frail health situation.
In the 176 worded post on her official Facebook Page, Madame Gbowee told officials of UP to muster the courage and tell Ambassador Boakai to not participate in the upcoming 2023 General and Legislative elections on the basis of his poor health condition.
Gbowee further requested the UP to reconsider the decision of forming a political alignment with other opposition parties to formulate a formidable opposition ticket for the 2023 elections.
“Unity party, do the right thing! Gbowee indicated.
Gbowee: “Dear unity party officials – including my aunty Dabah Varpilah, in the interest of peace, development, and the future of Liberia, I would like to ask you all kindly allow uncle Joe Boakai to retire from politics and focus on his health. He deserves to spend his golden years interacting with his grandkids, enjoying family time.
“I would also like to take this time to ask you all to reconsider your partnership with other political parties and form a merger that will provide a viable political option for the Liberian people.
The writings are on the wall; my uncle Joe is in no position to contest! Uncle Joe, please be well—I pray God’s blessings upon you.
“Dear unity party, Liberia’s political future, and interest lie and rest squarely in your hands! It is high time we put egos aside and put Liberia and her interest first! Do the right thing.”
However, the latest statement by the tough-talking Liberian Nobel Peace Laureate did not sit well with the Boakai’s Tact Team 2023 who further warned Madame Gbowee to focus her energy on the increase in Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) cases including rape.
The pro-Boakai group maintains that Madame Gbowee’s quietness on the upsurge in mysterious killing across the country should be of a grave concern to the people.
“Madame Gbowee’s attention should instead also be drawn to the numerous rape cases and attacks on women in politics in the country over the past years under the Weah administration. Her silence on these attacks and the overall violence against women should be of deep concern to the world. Sadly, we hear her loudly today launching political attacks on national leaders and doing the usual “politicking,” the statement added.
Furthermore, the advocacy for war and economic crimes in Liberia could use a strong voice like Leymah Gbowee to strengthen its call.
