It was a dramatic and sad scene in Grand Bassa County over the weekend when the Daughter of the late . Charles Walker Brumskine had to cut her acceptance speech for nearly six to seven minutes to regain her conscience.
Cllr. Charlyne Brumskine, the oldest child of the founding Father of Liberty Party, a party which is now conflicted with two factions, was on the stage accepting her preferment as the running mate to Alexander Benedict Cummings of the Alternative National Congress, (ANC), and the Collaborating Political Parties of Liberia, (CPP).
She started her acceptance speech without observing a moment of silence for her late father, Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine, fought with all he had to build and maintain the Liberty Party for years.
Charlyne had gone very deep in her acceptance remarks when she lost control of what she was saying; she then called for a water break and drank.
It was in no time when she could no longer continue her speech at the moment and became speechless.
She was taken to the back of the stage where water was administered to her by Stalwarts of the Liberty Party.
While she was being looked at, Lewis Brown of the ANC mounted the stage and kept talking so as to make time for the return of Charlyne to the stage.
Brown said, Charlyne told the gathering that," I admit that I am not a career politician."
According to her, there were many who believed that since she was just entering the body politics of Liberia for the first time, it was important that she starts first by contesting for a representative or senatorial seat instead of becoming vice running mate.
She was not moved by all of these discouragements she received.
She told the gathering that Liberians should not be more concerned about who has served more in government, but a person who has served in different capacities.
Charlyne pointed out that although she has not served in government, but she is serving the only Law School of Liberia that is providing legal knowledge to Liberians.
She has a law firm that is providing legal services to both national and international individuals.
After saying these words, she said, "your please let me drink water."
"She will be back shortly," a stalwart started narrating a story from the Bible.
Not long when the music started playing in the background that introduced Lewis Brown.
Brown said, "I do not know about you but this is an emotional moment. Listening to Charlyne is like listening to Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine and that moment has caught up with her."
Brown added, "People say the ghost or the spirit of our parents always guards us and sometimes in these moments, we feel it. She is feeling it right now Bassa land you need to stand with Charlyne right now, she is feeling the presence of her father right now."
He said, "Bassa Land all will be well. I told a journalist today that Bassa land has fallen. The CPP is on its way to victory all those who are asking for the constituency, ask the Bassa land for the constituency.
Looking in the direction of Charlyne at the back of the stage, Brown said, "It is well, Charlyne; people of Bassa, it is well. You gave us a wonderful partner.
He ended by saying, Bassa Land, your daughter." When she returned, she said "I got a bit emotional and lightheaded. I want us to take a moment of silence to recall the memorial of Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine, please.
When she said those words, she continued her acceptance statement.
Many who graced the occasion said the first daughter of the late Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine was disrespectful to her father by not recognizing him at first with a moment of silence something they said led to her going off track during her speech.
On the other hand, others held the view that it was a strong display of traditional performance giving a disapproval of Cllr. Brumskine becomes the running mate to Mr. Cummings.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Some citizens from Bassa said had Cllr. Brumskine has been alive, he and Mr. Alexander Cummings would not have even been close, nor to speak of his daughter going as running mate.
"This entire marriage was engineered by Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. They are gradually destroying Liberty Party. This is a master game plan which she has fallen into" Sylvester Collins a resident of Buchanan said.
Whatever people think, Cllr. Charlyne Brumskine has wholeheartedly accepted the challenge of becoming the running mate to Mr. Cummings in the upcoming October 10, 2023, Presidential and Legislative Elections.
In Liberian politics now, Ambassador Joseph Boakai and Jeremiah K. Koung are referred to as rescue one and rescue two while Mr. Cummings and Cllr. Brumskine are called fixer one and fixer two.
All these efforts are intended to unseat the Government of George M. Weah who is seeking a second term bid from the people of Liberia.
