-Over ‘Honorable’ Title
By Jerromie S. Walters
Monrovia, Liberia – A seemingly routine educational visit to the Liberian Capitol devolved into a public dispute on Thursday, pitting Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Roberta Gbowee against the Liberian Senate. The confrontation centered on access for rural children and the use of the official title “Honorable”.
The situation occurred during the 10th edition of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa’s “Peace Through Fair Play” initiative. The program annually brings children from rural counties to Monrovia to observe the country’s democratic institutions in action. This year’s group, comprising children from Gbarpolu, Sinoe, River Gee, and Montserrado counties, had already visited the Supreme Court and received a welcome from Vice President Jeremiah Koung at the Senate.
According to Madam Gbowee, the children were prepared to read a statement to the full Senate. However, she alleges the senators refused to receive them after she declined to address them using the title “Honorable,” a convention she had publicly challenged a day earlier. “I also chose to stay out of their chambers but asked that the children, who came from as far as River Gee and Sinoe counties, be allowed to go in and greet them. It was an absolute no,” Gbowee stated in a video message.
She further challenged the legal basis for the title, saying she consulted lawyers who confirmed that the 1986 Constitution does not mandate the use of “Honorable” for elected officials. “I challenge any senator… who can say that there is this thing written in our laws that we should call them honorable,” she declared, offering a $10,000 personal check to the constituent of any lawmaker who could prove otherwise.
Senate Pushes Back
Hours after the social media post, the Senate’s Public Affairs Department labeled Gbowee’s claims “false and misleading.” The Senate clarified that no formal request for a chamber visit had been made. According to the release, only a letter from Mr. David S. Konneh was received on Tuesday, requesting that the Senate host the children for lunch.
The statement further explained that when the group arrived, senators were in a consultative meeting preparing for the day’s legislative session. The release accused the Nobel Laureate of being “impatient to wait” and then turning to the media with unsubstantiated allegations.
“At no time did Madam Gbowee ever interact with the Leadership of the Senate concerning a request for the children’s visitation,” the statement read. The Senate described Gbowee’s refusal to use the title “Honorable” as “disrespectful to national leaders” and called on her to address any grievances directly with members of the Legislature rather than “using the visitation of young Liberians as a scapegoat”.
The Genesis of a Debate
The disagreement on Thursday was the culmination of a social media exchange that began just a day prior. On Wednesday, Madam Gbowee posted a message arguing that the title ‘Honorable’ must be earned through integrity and service, not automatically conferred by office. “Stop calling those people honorable. Honorable is a title that comes with a lot of responsibilities,” she wrote.
Her comments drew a direct response from Representative Moima Dabah Briggs-Mensah of Bong County. “With due respect, My Noble Laureate, the law confers the title ‘Honorable’ on the office, not on personal opinion,” Representative Mensah stated. “We did not name ourselves; the Republic recognizes the office we hold. We welcome scrutiny, but not the dismissal of constitutional offices or the respect attached to them”.
The public debate over titles also saw the involvement of Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, who noted that while the title is protocol, he has personally discouraged its use since 2019, preferring to be addressed simply as “Senator”. This latest dispute occurs against a backdrop of ongoing tension between the Liberian political establishment and civil society.
The legislative dialogue preceding the controversy featured a presentation by Dr. Robtel Neajai Pailey on her research into Liberia’s citizenship laws. Dr. Pailey’s address was marked by awkward comments from some lawmakers, including a remark referring to her as “one rude small lil girl”.
Dr. Pailey is no stranger to controversy; her 2024 Independence Day oration, in which she criticized U.S.-Liberia relations, prompted a walkout by the U.S. diplomatic delegation.
