-Liberia’s Former Foreign Affairs Minister Reacts to Speaker Koon’s LCC Honor
By Jerromie S. Walters
The Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) ignited a national debate on Friday, May 30, 2025, when it conferred one of its highest honors—induction into the Bishop George D. Brown Hall of Fame—on House Speaker Rt. Hon. Richard Nagbe Koon for what it termed his “exemplary leadership and unwavering commitment to national development and reconciliation.”
The decision has drawn harsh criticism from prominent figures and ordinary citizens alike, with many questioning both the recipient’s worthiness and the appropriateness of religious institutions honoring political figures. Among the most vocal critics is former Foreign Affairs Minister Olubanke King-Akerele, who minced no words in her disapproval.
“It is wrong. He is not supposed to be honored. It’s a disgrace. This is wrong. He gat no business being honored,” King-Akerele asserted, capturing the sentiment of many Liberians who view Speaker Koon’s previous controversial political ascent as disqualifying for such recognition.
Koon’s earlier path to the speakership was mired in controversy. His election on November 21, 2024, following months of bitter infighting within the House of Representatives, was marred by allegations of constitutional violations and procedural irregularities. The leadership crisis erupted on October 17, 2024, when lawmakers initiated moves to oust then-Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa over various allegations.
The political drama reached its zenith when the Supreme Court of Liberia ruled in early December 2024 that actions taken by the self-styled “Majority Bloc”—which included Koon’s supporters—were “ultra vires” if they contravened Articles 33 and 49 of the Constitution. Despite this judicial rebuke, Koon’s faction continued its operations with backing from both the Executive Branch and the Liberian Senate by December 10, 2024.
The constitutional crisis saw 16 of 73 lawmakers suspended—a move that left thousands of constituents without representation and deepened political fractures. The Majority Bloc, under Koon’s leadership, took increasingly aggressive actions including restructuring House leadership, authorizing forceful treatment of legislators, and even ordering the breaking into Rep. Yekeh Kolubah’s vehicle.
The judiciary delivered another blow to Koon’s faction on April 23, 2025, when Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Young emphatically ruled: “Any action or sitting of the majority bloc in which the elected Speaker is not presiding—despite being present and not absent or incapacitated—is unconstitutional.” The Court mandated strict constitutional compliance, but Koon’s bloc persisted until Koffa’s eventual resignation on May 12, 2025.
Meanwhile, Koon secured the speakership proper the following day, defeating Nimba County District #7 Representative Musa Hassan Bility 43-26 in a vote that, while decisive, failed to erase memories of the preceding constitutional crisis. This turbulent history forms the crux of critics’ objections to the LCC honor.
The irony wasn’t lost on observers that former Speaker Koffa—whom the LCC had also slated for recognition—declined the honor, making Koon’s acceptance appear more conspicuous by contrast. The Council proceeded to induct Koon as an “Astute Statesman for National Development” during its 35th General Assembly at the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary in Paynesville.
The four-day assembly, themed “Reconciliation: Acknowledging the Past, Accepting the Present, and Adjusting for the Future with True Healing,” drew over 250 delegates from clergy, women’s groups, youth organizations, and county chapters. The scriptural foundation came from Ephesians 5:14-16, a choice some critics found discordant with honoring a figure associated with political division.
Hon. James Kolleh, Chairman of the House Committee on Rules, Order and Administration, accepted the award on Koon’s behalf, conveying the Speaker’s gratitude and reiterating his commitment to legislative reconciliation and national development through inclusive leadership.
The Bishop George D. Brown Hall of Fame, established in 2023 at the Georgia Patten United Methodist Church, honors individuals making significant contributions to church, state, and society. Koon now joins notable inductees including President Joseph Boakai, Archbishop Gabriel Blamo Jubwe, and the late Dr. Togba Nah Tipoteh—company that critics argue he hasn’t earned.
Pundits say the award’s timing raises questions, noting that when religious institutions wade into political recognition, they risk either sanctifying questionable conduct or becoming instruments of political legitimization. But for Koon’s supporters, they counter that his eventual election through proper channels and his subsequent governance efforts merit recognition.
Throughout the weekend, Social media reactions were polarized, with some praising the LCC for “recognizing leadership” while others accuse it of “blessing constitutional violations.” The Liberia Council of Churches is a national embodiment of Churches of the main line, Pentecostal, Church related Organizations and Institutions that partners with national ecumenical bodies and international including the All African Council of Churches (AACC) and the World Council of Churches.
The Council vision dwells onunifying, witnessing, servicing and advocate premier Christian body of Christ that promotes justice, integrity, respect for human dignity, participatory governance, gender equity, morality, accountability, transparency and support collaboration with other stakeholders for the enhancement of democracy and ensuring of a peaceful society. Its mission is to harness the prospective of Christian churches and organizations for advocacy, joint social actions, accountable voice, mediation, coordination, capacity development and fostering partnership at national and international levels.
