As Liberia continues to grow in democratic maturity, our political discourse must also evolve. The recent debate surrounding Vice President Jeremiah Koung’s endorsement of a Gio candidate to replace the late Senator Prince Y. Johnson in Nimba County has sparked important national conversations. While some see this as a call for tribal balance, others believe it reflects a deeper issue that must be addressed: the continued entanglement of our politics with tribal identity.
Let’s be honest—Nimba County is not made up of just two tribes. It is a rich, diverse county with many ethnic groups, each contributing to its cultural and political identity. To suggest that Senate seats should be divided between the Gio and Mano, as though no other groups exist, is not only reductive but potentially exclusionary.
We must ask ourselves: Are we building a democracy where leaders are chosen based on ethnicity, or are we building one where leaders rise because of their vision, competence, and integrity? True progress lies in the latter. The future of Nimba—and Liberia—depends on our ability to shift from tribal considerations to issue-based politics.
Yes, representation matters. But representation should be rooted in the quality of leadership, not the tribe a candidate belongs to. Voters deserve the chance to make informed decisions based on policy, experience, and ideas—not ethnic allegiance.
As leaders and citizens, our role should be to unify—not reinforce divisions. When tribal identity becomes the basis for political endorsement, it risks alienating other groups and weakening our democratic fabric. The more we normalize tribal calculations in politics, the more we delay the dream of a truly inclusive Liberia.
To build a better society, we must move beyond tribal politics. Let us invest in political education, encourage issue-based campaigns, and create space for all Liberians—regardless of background—to participate meaningfully in governance. That is how we build a nation that works for everyone.
It’s not about where you come from—it’s about where you can lead us.
At DN News, we firmly believe that Liberia’s democracy must rise above tribal boundaries. While we respect the historical context of ethnic dynamics in Nimba County, we reject any political approach that centers on tribal balance over merit. Our support is for a system where leadership is earned through competence, character, and vision—not ethnicity. Liberia’s future depends on it.
