In the U.S., Sen. Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence treated like a ‘celebrity’ in Minnesota

*Speaks of challenges ahead of Liberia’s 2023 elections

*Urges churches to pray for her country, Liberia

By James Kokulo Fasuekoi|Editor-Publisher

A pictorial by author on Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence’s visit to The Twins Cities of Minnesota from a town hall style exchanges to worship service at Ebenezer Community Church.

Grand Bassa County’s senior senator, Madam Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, on Sunday, climaxed her historic visit here in Minnesota’s beautiful Twins Cities, participating in a worship service at Ebenezer Community Church, Brooklyn Park, where she and entourage, received a warm welcomed from the church’s officials and congregation. This was her second trip to Minnesota, she said.

A daughter of an outstanding Liberian Baptist Minister, Rev. Dr. Abass G. Karnga, Senator Karnga-Lawrence-together with twelve siblings-grew up in church environment and seemed quite comfortable while worshiping with and relating to members of the congregation who showed up for greetings and to get glimpses of her after benediction.

The outspoken senator from the country’s southeastern region was beguiled by her hosts-and treated like a rock star, and indeed, more than one as she’s building on, and also protecting her father’s fine legacy-preserving the family’s good name-which seems lacking today among Liberian officials. 

As soon as she had finished speaking, people soon surrounded her, and each took turns to greet and get a hug as others looked on with keen excitement. Fortunately, she wasn’t in a rush and thus waited patiently, posing with people for a portrait or selfie. They included admirers, known friends and even strangers.  

In one instance a man whose teenage daughter didn’t do well at her first attempt in photographing the father and the senator went back, gave the child his smartphone and ordered her to re-do another set of photographs as he resumed his smile.   

Some waited for the crowd to trickle down in the hope of perhaps, initiating some sort of contact with Mrs. Lawrence, apparently, for purposes of future networking between them in the best interest of the nation.

Earlier, in brief remarks, Mrs. Lawrence gave a hint of the enormity of the crisis facing the country at the moment, something she stated most of civil society’s groups, including the religious community, find themselves embroiled. She avoided giving details.  

“The religious community is shaking in Liberia because of several reasons which I will not talk about here…” she noted.

“[But] we want to ask the church to pray for strength for the religious community… Because, when the religious leaders are strong, the leaders (otherwise, government officials), are guided spiritually.”

Senator Lawrence reasoned that “When the leaders are guided spiritually, the fear of the LORD sets in. And when the fear of the LORD sets in…that’s the beginning of wisdom.”

Spiritual wisdom, in this case, she explained, “brings about good leadership,” which is exactly what Liberia needs today.

Blocks away from the mega Ebenezer Church, the Kutztown (Penn.) University graduate, met a large crowd of Liberians, the night before at the OLM (Organization of Liberians in Minnesota) office gave a briefing on Liberia’s present rulership and security crisis.

She enumerated countless of challenges the nation faces presently and even cited some of her own ugly experiences by those whom she referred to as state’s “thugs” who seemed poised to disrupt the shaky “democracy” obtaining in the country.   

Beginning from the unwarranted attack on her convoy few years ago, by Monrovia City Mayor Jeff Koijee, while she headed to a friend’s political rally in a suburb, to how former district-representative candidate, Telia Urey and her escorts came under heavy attack by supporters of the ruling CDC during a campaign in Logan Town, another suburb in the capital. 

The women’s and children’s rights advocate cast light on the controversial “political figure” and Liberian businessman, Mr. Musa Bility and his alleged murky attempts at unlawfully and single-handedly altering a portion of the Liberty Party’s constitution (the CDC’s main rival), plus the questionable manner the elections commission is treating the matter. 

The Musa Bility issue was followed by issue concerning her affiliation with Lawmaker Edwin Snow, another businessman and why she had think twice about moving further on with his (Snow) in that he reneged earlier promises he had made, she said.       

Mrs. Karnga-Lawrence maintained further that nearly just about every institution in Liberian society has been “compromised” (a word she repeatedly used over half-dozen times), by the power-that-be.

She named some as the Executive and Judiciary branches of government, Religious leaders and even the PRESS, which she observed, ought to stand as a key pallor of democracy.

The general situation in the country, as presented by Senator Lawrence (much of which the audience knew, via the social media) seems beyond grievous. She attributed much of it to pure dishonesty on the part of government and legislative officials, all because of greed plus the pervasive hardship engulfing the entire country.    

Despite such prevailing conditions, she appeared optimistic about the country’s future and urged Liberians who live abroad to form part of the political process, by raising their voices in the fight for the general and common good our society, irrespective of people’s political affiliation.  

Already, she has begun working with lawmakers who hold similar ideologies as she does, networking extensively in order to mitigate some of those “damages” the present regime has done that hurt the country’s image.

Saturday’s meeting at the OLM Office brought together Liberians from all political persuasions including from the ruling CDC. There wasn’t any limit or restriction to ‘questions posed, unlike most previous similar town hall meetings here by Liberian politicians.

In fact, one questioner earlier made it plain that he hadn’t come to cheer off Senator Karnga-Lawrence but to make her “feel uncomfortable” instead and though he didn’t immediately state his party affiliation, it soon became abundantly cleared per his apparent reservation that he might be a “CDCian.”  

“I have come to make you feel uncomfortable, Madam Senator,” he declared, although, quite untraditional” in a Liberian setting in receiving or welcoming a sister or a special guest into your city.

Interestingly, he had barely finished asking his first question when he suddenly bolted into making “accusations” one after the other but failed to substantiate any.

Nevertheless, the gregarious senator, reared in a Christian home, remained calm and cheerful throughout the exercise, often taking notes in order to stay abreast of the questions raised by the audience. In the end responded to every question. At the end, she requested that the guy, “Uncomfortable,” as so named, to repeat his last question but he was nowhere to be found-it caused the audience to burst out into laughter. 

The event was hosted by the Midwest Chapter, Minnesota’s Liberty Party, and with one of its youthful leaders named Alhaji Kromah; they presented Senator Lawrence with a mural of the city of Minneapolis as a token of remembrance during her visit.

About two weeks ago, Senator Lawrence served as the keynote speaker at this year’s general assembly meetings during the national convention of the Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA), held in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Around March, she was awarded by the “Ladies in Business Global Magazine” in Dubai (UAE) for her outstanding works as a strong advocate for Liberian women and nation in general. 

Unlike perhaps most peers in the legislature, this once Pennsylvania resident and a philanthropist, runs a charitable organization in Liberia that procures hospital equipment including beds, and ships them back home for distribution to healthcare centers around the country found in shambles.

Sources close to her foundation informed Global Ekklesia that for years now she’s been sponsoring scores of Liberian students attending foreign colleges, particularly, in Rwanda, East Africa, whose parents can’t not afford their college or university tuition back home because of the harsh economic conditions. 

JESUS IS COMING SOON! ARE YOU READY?  

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