By Amos Harris
IPNEWS: Local Government Minister Francis S. Nyumalin has expressed confidence that prominent sons of Lofa County currently associated with the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) will eventually return to the ruling political camp, raising questions about the political motivations behind his remarks.
Nyumalin made the statement during a Kpelle Cultural Festival he organized as part of efforts to promote unity and reconciliation among the people of Lofa County following the political divisions that characterized the 2023 elections.
Addressing the gathering, the minister urged supporters not to be overly concerned about the activities of certain Lofa politicians who remain aligned with the CDC, insisting that their current political positions would not last.
“Don’t mind what Koijee and Janga Kowo are doing; they will all come back,” Nyumalin said, referring to CDC figures who continue to play active roles in the opposition party.
The statement appears to reflect a broader political confidence within the ruling establishment that some opposition figures from Lofa could eventually shift their allegiance, particularly as political calculations ahead of future elections begin to take shape.
Nyumalin, a native of Foya, also sought to place his argument within the historical development of the CDC, recalling his encounter with Cole Bangalu in 2005, whom he described as one of the party’s early prominent figures.
“The first gentleman of the CDC was called Bangalu, from Lofa County. In 2005, I came and met Cole Bangalu,” Nyumalin recalled.
He claimed that several Lofa politicians who were once associated with the CDC have since returned to the county’s political fold, describing their movement as a natural reconnection with their home county rather than a rejection by the opposition party.
“They’re all coming back. You know, I can see reports. They’re coming back. They’re all coming back,” the minister asserted.
Nyumalin cited former CDC lawmaker Thomas Fallah, former Minister Moses Y. Kollie and Cole Bangalu among Lofa political figures whom he said have returned to the county’s political environment.
However, his remarks raise questions about whether the cultural event was entirely separate from political organizing, particularly given the timing of the gathering and the emphasis placed on the political affiliations of prominent Lofa personalities.
Although Nyumalin maintained that the festival was not designed as a political program, his direct references to CDC leaders and predictions of their eventual return have given the gathering a clear political dimension.
He argued that Lofa’s political sons should recognize their connection to the county and suggested that their movement away from the CDC should not necessarily be interpreted as expulsion.
“They’re not expelling you. They’re telling you, you don’t belong here. You belong to Lofa. Go home,” he said.
The minister’s comments could further fuel political debate in Lofa, a county that has historically been a significant battleground for competing political interests and remains influential in Liberia’s national political landscape.
While Nyumalin presented his remarks as part of a broader call for reconciliation and unity, critics could interpret them as an attempt to weaken opposition structures in the county by portraying the return of CDC-affiliated politicians as inevitable.
Despite the political undertones, Nyumalin concluded by emphasizing the importance of unity among Lofa residents, saying the cultural gathering was intended to help heal divisions and strengthen relationships among people from the country
“We are happy that Lofa is getting united,” he said, leaving open the question of whether the unity he envisions will also translate into greater political support for the ruling establishment.
