By S. Matthew M. Quoi, Jr.
GANTA, Nimba County – The Special Aide to Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung, Edwin G. Korden, says the Vice President has no interest in competing for the honorary title of “Godfather of Nimba,” dismissing suggestions that he is engaged in a contest over the symbolic designation.
According to Korden, Vice President Koung has never regarded himself as being in competition with anyone for the title and has no intention of pursuing it.
“Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung has absolutely no problem with anyone being referred to as the ‘Godfather’ of Nimba,” Korden said.
“He is not in contest of ‘godfathership’ with anyone and does not intend to contest it at any time,” he added.
Korden argued that leadership should be judged by service and impact rather than honorary titles.
“What cannot be disputed is that the true measure of leadership is not the title one claims, but the impact one leaves on the lives of the people,” he said.
He stated that since entering active politics in 2011, Koung has focused on empowering young Liberians, creating opportunities, and mentoring future leaders instead of pursuing symbolic recognition.
According to Korden, the Vice President’s political career has been guided by public service, development, and nation-building.
He also noted that Koung’s constitutional responsibilities as Liberia’s Vice President extend beyond the political interests of any single county.
“Why would someone occupying the second-highest constitutional office in the country reduce his political aspirations to merely being regarded as the ‘Godfather’ of one county?” asked,
He added that individuals who have made meaningful contributions to society deserve recognition when they are earned through service and sacrifice.
“If calling another leader, the ‘Godfather of Nimba’ brings satisfaction to that individual or their supporters, so be it,” he said, adding that a leader’s legacy ultimately matters more than any honorary title.
Korden’s remarks come amid public debate following the decision by some elders of Zor-Zualay in Nimba County Electoral District No. 3 to confer the honorary title of “Godfather of Nimba” on Senator Samuel G. Kogar.
The recognition followed funeral rites for the late Senator Prince Yormie Johnson, during which Kogar reportedly performed a traditional act that some supporters interpreted as symbolically inheriting the late senator’s political influence.
The development has generated mixed reactions across Nimba County. While some residents support Kogar’s recognition, others contend that Vice President Koung, as the highest-ranking elected official from the county and a longtime political ally of the late Senator Johnson, should be regarded as the county’s leading political figure.
