Political Hotfire: Prince Johnson 2017- “Hosanna, Hosanna,” in 2023: “Crucify Him, Crucify Him”

By: Jones Mallay

In the Holy book of Psalm 118:25-26, when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on the back of a Donkey (Onsager), Jesus was met upon arrival by a cheering crowd who waved palm branches and lay cloaks on the ground to honor him and the crowd uttered: “Hosanna, Hosanna” “our King, save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give success!

So, it is in the days of Sen Prince Yormie Johnson, a former warlord (INPFL), founder and standard bearer of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), and President George Weah, former footballer, head of CDC ruling coalition government.

November 7, 2017, during the round-off election between Ambassador Boakia and incumbent Pres. Weah, Prince Johnson openly sounded “Hosanna, Hosanna” to incumbent Pres. Weah. Sen. Johnson later called on all oppositions to reject Ambassador Baokai, a culmination of factors that led to UP’s sudden defeat in 2017.

Sen. Johnson, is today in 2023 proclaiming: “crucify Pres. Weah, crucify Pres. Weah”, and no   sooner calling on all the oppositions again to rally against the removal of Pres. Weah roughly seventh month to the general and presidential elections. Today the Senator is again proclaiming: “Hosanna, Hosanna,” on the former VP Baokia who was once crucified in 2017 by Sen. Jonson in this election circle.

Sen. Johnson’s stance was wrapped in numerous social and economic political accusations and counter-accusations ranging from human rights abuses to poor governance. Ironically, Sen. Johnson’s proclamation, which contained some distasteful political flavors and that may have attracted undue attention in some political circles, cannot be taken seriously for an array of reasons.

But little did the Senator know that he was directly submerged in his utterances concerning past gruesome human rights abuses, extra-judicial killings of innocent Liberians, destruction of properties, raped, and many more, a stanched pillar upon which the US Government may ave positioned an endless sanctioned him.

The Senator’s political utterances did not matter in the past, and it doesn’t matter now. The former warlord is inherently a super political and military chameleon who changes according to the prevailing political circumstances in Liberia, hence, every Liberian ought to be very circumspect in these political seasons, especially the former VP Baokia.

Former VP Boakai should be very cautious with the Senator for six reasons: First, the Senator is widening his troubled net so that he alone will not be crucified shortly for his crimes in the then Liberian civil wars, he is on recruitment mission. Second, the US may sanction all those associating themselves with the former warlord.

Third, VP Baokia’s hard-earned image will soon be tinted and/or destroyed by Senator Johnson’s close affiliation with him very soon. Fourth, according to sources, the US has taken keen notes and records tracking the former war lord’s associates and his connections in building a case in the future starting with their sanctions placed on his nick.

 Fifth, it is dangerous for Liberians to associate themselves with any former warlord in Liberia, Prince Johnson included. Sixth, the more VP Boakia developed closer ties with former Rebel leader Johnson, the more some of his staunch supporters would back-off from him VP Baokia’s. The VP must distance himself from Se, Johnson in all form or manner.

Yes, the former warlord Johnson may have huge followers. He may have a political party, Church, University, estates, farms, and many other luxuries, that would not exempt him from war crime and crime against humanity, nor will his accumulation set him free from war crime no matter what he does or does not do. Enjoy your day Sen. Johnson, one source lamented!