The Liberian Senate hands over the seat of late Senator Prince Yormie Johnson to the people of Nimba County in response to their request.
By Lincoln G. Peters
Monrovia, Liberia, January 31, 2025 – The Liberian Senate has unprecedentedly turned over the senate chair of late Senator Prince Y. Johnson to the people of Nimba County to be placed in a museum in Sanniquellie, Nimba, for exhibition.
According to the senate rule, when a colleague senator passes, the person’s seat is covered with black and grey garments immediately and reserved until after burial, when it will be removed to show or indicate vacancy before alerting the National Elections Commission of the vacancy.
On Thursday, January 30, 2025, the Liberia Senate held a brief memorial service in its chamber to officially turn over the seat of deceased Nimba County Senator Johnson.
The decision of the senate is based on request from the people of Nimba through their current lone Senator, Nyan D. Twayen, Jr., who appealed and requested that the seat of the fallen senator be given to the county to be placed in the museum in Sanniquellie, for his eighteen years of service and also to honor and respect his legacy.
The senate mass choir sang two beautiful songs: “How Can I repay you” and “The Lord is My Shepherd.” Following the musical session, a pastor in the senate led senators into exhortation and prayer, declaring that the chair be removed and brought to the front.
Meanwhile, unprecedentedly, Senate President Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Kangar Lawrence, in a special statement, notes that they will not remove the black garments from the late PYJ’s seat; instead, it will be officially turned over to the people of Nimba, based on their request.
“They are building a resume for the late Senator Prince Johnson, and they are asking the Senate to give the senator a seat so they can be placed in the museum. So, instead of removing the garments and turning the seat over, we will give it to the people of Nimba, while the seat will be placed at the front until the session finishes”, Pro-Tempore Lawrence explains.
For his part, Vice President Jeremiah K. Koung says he is saddened by the vacant seat of his political god-father, adding that may his soul and the souls of all other faithful departed continue to rest in perfect peace.
“Today is a sad day for me, the Honorable Senate, the people of Nimba, and the entire nation as we observe the vacant seat of a fallen doyen of this august body, late Senator Prince Y. Johnson. Before I proceed in my message to you, Honorable Senators, I kindly ask for a moment of silence in honor of this great statesman”, Vice President Koung continues.
Presenting the seat to the people of Nimba County, on behalf of the Liberian Senate, the Chair on Rule, Order and Administration, Maryland County Senator J. Gbleh-bo Brown says the senate is pleased to honor the request of the people of Nimba County.
“The Liberian Senate has now been moved to turn over the seat of former Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson. Once again, our deepest condolences and sympathy to the people of Nimba County”, Senator Brown expresses.
Receiving the chair of the late PYJ, Senator Nyan D. Twayen, Jr., lauds the senate for granting the Nimba people’s request.
“On behalf of the people of Nimba and the President of the Senate, who is also the son of the late senator and our political leader of the county, we will like to express our gratitude to the Liberian Senate for granting our request so that the seat that the fallen Senator occupied for eighteen years can be taken into the museum that we built in Sanniquellie so that it can be exhibited there. Thanks very much”, he concludes.
