With authorities and organizers of the 2023-2024 National County Sports Meet (NCSM) officially declaring River Gee County winners of the football competition, a prominent son of the County, Jacob N.B. Parley is calling on fellow kinsmen to use the victory to revive unity among River Gee citizens across the globe.
The former member of the River Gee for County Publicity Committee observed that with God being at the top of all praises, one other reason that paved the way for the County’s victory at the end of the 2023-2024 NCSM is unity among the people, especially political actors and their likes.
Mr. Parley wants stakeholders of the County, particularly the River Gee Legislative Caucus puts things in place for a well-coordinated and executed celebration program for the County’s victory over Lofa County during the final of the 2023-2-24 National County Sports Meet.
He said the first phase of the program, which could be a mini gathering should be used to present the trophy to River Gee citizens residing in Montserrado County and parts adjacent.
Mr. Parley said the suggestion is necessary because River Gee citizens, resident in Montserrado County and adjoining communities, mainly women and the youth might not be in a comfortable financial position to travel back home for the occasion.
Mr. Parley, also named in 2016 by the River Gee Legislative Caucus as Publicity Committee Chairman for the 2016 National Independence Day program of which River Gee was selected as one of the host counties added that the second phase of the celebration should take place in Fish Town, River Gee County, where majority of the citizens are based.
The veteran Liberian journalist said the home-based grand celebration being proposed by him should take several shapes, including dedication of the trophy, the football and kickball teams, coaching staff, sponsors of the 2023-2024 County Meet to God at a religious festival presided over by religious leaders of the county and climaxed with a traditional dance (Tukulorh) which depicts and reflects the ever-appealing culture of the Grebo people.
According to Mr. Parley, any group that will oversee the festivities should reflect professional and gender balance as part of efforts to revive River Gee unity, regardless of where a would be member of the celebration committee resides in the county or in Monrovia.
Journalist Parley also wants the celebration used as a forum to pay special tribute to River Gee citizens at home and abroad for their immense contributions during the rocky journey and struggle to make River Gee a county in 2000.
He named some of those who made tremendous sacrifices for the creation of the county in 2000 but are unfortunately resting in the great beyond as Senator J. Nathanial Williams, popularly known as the founding father of River Gee County, Cllr. Fredrick Doe Cheru, Cllr. Payne N. Gibson, Senator Isaac Nyenekartoh Johnson, UL Associate Professor David S.T. Johnson.
The experienced Liberian print and broadcast journalist also named others as fearless female advocate, Rev. Esther Farnnoh Dickson, oldman Payeme Weah,Representative Jerome Tarty Tipayson, Peter F. Jah, etc.
He thanked members of the Steering Committee and other prominent Liberians, not from River Gee, but saw it befitting to support the County during the just ended 2023-2024 National County Sports Meet.
The prominent River Gee citizen also hailed Youth and Sports Minister, Cllr. Jeror Cole Bangalu and others who conducted the affairs of the competition.
Journalist Parley observed that had the organizers not taken disciplinary actions at certain point of the games, the exercise would have lost its true national flavor through unprofessional practices, including violence.
