Was M.Tarwoyoubokou Gowah Right About Konobolization? Ever since Michael Gowah wrote a short article a few weeks ago alleging that the Konobo people of Grand Gedeh County are avid sectionalists, I have been putting the pieces together to either corroborate or abrogate his claims. Even if Mr. Gowah is being insensitive to the feelings of these lovely fellow Grand Gedeans, there is seemingly a well-orchestrated pattern of this phenomenon among the Konobos and their fellow Grand Gedeans. Perhaps these fellow Grand Gedeans understand very well the phrase “all politics is local”. It means while people may support or reject an issue on a national basis, they tend to actually vote in ways that impact them locally. The concept is contrary to the notion that most people, somehow, in elections are casting votes to send a message to the highest levels. Instead, the principle predicts that most people will not decide who to vote for in local elections simply as a means to act on feelings about politicians, but that they make decisions based on how they feel local interests are being addressed. This makes a lot of sense especially in democratic communities like that of our current election experience within GGAA. Remember years ago there was barely any opposition in elections within GGAA. David Gborto was elected un-opposed, for example. The Grand Gedeh Associations in the Americas isn’t a political organization, however, although we do practice politics within. Let us keep in mind that GGAA is a non-profit organization that champions and promotes the interests of one group of people in one geographic location. So it bothers my mind that this practice has become so prevalent among the Konobos in this union. We all are from Grand Gedeh County, for God’s sake! No matter how hard we try to convince people about the current administration’s mediocre fiscal behavior and egregious constitutional violations, they will still have supporters. But what is even frightening is that a vast majority of the administration’s loudest supporters come from Konobo District or are somehow somewhere associated with someone or some interest from Konobo District. While this isn’t unconstitutional, it is a dangerous practice because it breeds blind support which in turn undermines patriotism and promotes personal and sectional interests. It brings corruption! I am unable to trace the pedigree of every supporter of this administration, but a vast majority of those that preach the Konobo-Dynasty within GGAA fits the description of people from or associated with Konobo District. So Michael Gowah noticed a salient phenomenon that has been engulfing our union especially in the last four years and amplified especially during the last few months amidst the ensuing elections. Just to remind you, the current president, a Konobonian, has vowed that another Konobonian must succeed him no matter what. That’s Michael Gowah’s “Konobolization!” The problem for the rest of us Grand Gedeans is that there are a lot of Konobo people in the United States. In my opinion there are more Konobos in the US than any other Krahn section. And the fact is without the Konobos there will probably not be a vibrant GGAA, although there may be many who will undoubtedly disagree with my assessment. A considerable majority of them were deposited in the mid-West as well as along the Appalachian Mountains where our next elections are unfortunately scheduled. In South Dakota recently, I was mobbed by the local chairman of the board, a Konobonian, for exercising my right in casting a vote that was against his kinsman. I am still being scolded and threatened to be withdrawn from the national board of directors for casting that vote that temporarily ousted the secretary of the board. He was outraged that our local president (not a Konobo) issued me a clearance. He claimed voting against my fellow board member from the same chapter on board issues disqualifies me from obtaining a clearance for national contests. Then I remembered immediately that Michael Gowah may have a point, after all. Of course, there are a few intrepid mavericks among the sectionalists who supported me and applauded my actions as a member of the national board and if I fail to mention this I might have violated my own standards of gratefulness. These independent and fearless thinkers stressed that representing the same chapter does not necessarily mean one must blindly support a colleague who has been found liable for his own actions. There are numerous examples on the national board to support this trend: Hon. Eric Kohn and Hon. Joe Kweh who are both from Missouri on the Board do not see eye to eye; Hon. Joseph Dueh and Hon. Nora Solo from Pennsylvania are not different; Hon. I. Bull Yonly and Hon. Jeje Jackson are from Florida but they dont vote the same; and so on. Do their chapters threaten to oust them for voting against a fellow board member from the same chapter? But such Konobo personalities like Tailey Belleh, Decontee Yuwor, Mariah Yoway, Gibson Myers, George F. Nayou and a few more need to be patted on the back for being the independent individual also who refuse to go along with their kind for prudent reasons. So if you asked whether the Konobos are sectionalists within the GGAA, I will probably say yes. The sheer rhetoric that Alex Yallah considered to be his response to Michael Gowahs allegations last month cannot be substantiated. For I am a living victim of Konobo sectionalism within GGAA. Paye Jeremiah Shar
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 23:03:48 +0000
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