By Olando Testimony Zeongar
Liberia’s main opposition Unity Party Standard Bearer, former Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai (JNB), has for the first time publicly commented on rumor concerning his recent sub-regional travel, especially regarding gossips being spread mostly by pro-government supporters and partisans and supporters of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change over his use of a private jet.
Of recent, rumor has been rife that on the first leg of his West African sub-regional tour to Nigeria, JNB used a private jet, which ownership is allegedly linked to a suspected financier of the barbaric rebel group Boko Haram in Nigeria.
Boko Haram is officially known as Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād, an Arabic phrase meaning ’Group of the People of Sunnah for Dawah and Jihad’). The group is an Islamic terrorist organization based in northeastern Nigeria, which is also active in Chad, Niger, and northern Cameroon.
Howbeit, in a meeting with scores of journalists on Christmas Eve this year, the UP Standard Bearer, Ambassador Boakai, responded to those propagating such rumors, as those who only want to create noise where there shouldn’t be any noise.
Boakai, a calm and peaceful man, still remembered for his famous concession speech following the 2017 elections that though he felt cheated, he would not allow his name to be used for a single drop of blood in Liberia, asserted that even the mention of the name Boko Haram frightens him, lest to talk of anything to do with such group.
“I went to Nigeria, you’re talking about Boko Haram – you can call any name, one thing I know, the name Boko Haram itself frightens me,” said Ambassador Boakai, who added that Liberia and Liberians have gone through a lot for anyone or a group of people to think aligning with a militia group such as Boko Haram would be a thing he would be engaged with.
He debunked allegations about his involvement with Boko Haram or anyone associated with the group, saying, “we’ve gone through a lot to start thinking about Boko Haram and things. We’re not involved in that.”
“Just the little crisis that we’ve been through has impacted us so much, then to go think about Boko Haram and all of this – that’s not what we’re looking for, the Unity Party Political Leader emphasized.
The UP Standard Bearer clarified that just like in the past when those who accord him respect and honor gave him jets to travel, on his trip to Nigeria, he got an airplane ride, inferring that his trip was neither at the expense of the Government of Liberia nor was it funded by the Liberian people’s money.
Boakai quipped: “If I ride a private plane that’s government money? Is the government paying for it? Is that using government money? So when you do that’s Boko Haram?
He disclosed that he has friends and people who respect and honor him, indicating that such people have always treated him with kindness, especially regarding lending his private jets to facilitate his travels abroad.
He recalled that in 2014, then Ghanaian president John Mahama sent him a 12-seated plane to take him to Ghana to spend Easter that year with him, also recalling other instances, including when he was given a jet by the Senegalese president; another private jet by former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, aboard which he disclosed that even current Minister of Information, Ledgerhood Rennie flew along with him from Niger to Uganda.
“I went to South Africa, they gave a plane to fly me to Cape Town to see [Cyril] Ramaphosa,” the Unity Party man added, pointing out that “simply because I don’t have it doesn’t mean people don’t respect me, and people don’t have friends.”
“So, anywhere I go, people respect me, people honor me. So, when people know you; they respect you, they honor you, you enjoy it,” JNB stated.
