Born in 1959, the late Senator Kupee served the Lofa County Legislative Caucus from the 52nd to the 53rd Legislature.
By Lincoln G. Peters
Monrovia, November 13, 2024: Past and current members of the Liberian Senate, along with other government officials, bid farewell to former Lofa County Senator Sumo Kupee on Tuesday, November 12, 2024.
Sympathizers gathered at the Capitol's Rotunda to bid farewell to Kupee, a former Senate Committee Chair on Ways, Means, Finance, and Budget.
The late Kupee served the Lofa County Legislative Caucus from the 52nd to the 53rd Legislature.
He made an impeccable impact on the budget committee as well as on other bills.
Mr. Kupee was born on December 20, 1959, and died on October 21, 2024, at his Brewerville residence outside Monrovia.
During the program commemorating the Lying in State of the late senator, members of the 55th Liberian Senate, along with family members, friends, and sympathizers, assembled at the Capitol.
Dressed in dominant black and white, they marched with the body of the deceased while the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) musical band played.
Meanwhile, members of the 55th House of Representatives were not seen at the program.
Nobody showed up when the Master of Ceremony called the House of Representatives to deliver a tribute.
Rev. Sagaciou A. Jallah, Acting Chaplin General at the Liberian Senate, said the absence of the spirit from the body is best known to God.
However, he argued that life is sometimes short due to lifestyle, sins, and perception.
But he urged that the congregation exhibit the spirit of obedience and honor God.
He further urged them to impact society positively because those things are the performance results of lives.
Delivering the tribute on behalf of the 55th Liberian Senate, President Pro-tempore Nyonblee Kangar-Lawrence tearfully reflected on the life and contribution of the fallen senator.
Madam Karnga-Lawrence described him as a great asset to Lofa and Liberia.
Pro Tempore Lawrence added that when the Legislature recently had issues about budget alteration, ex-Senator Kupee took time off to advise and help guide her throughout that process.
According to her, he was not just their colleague but a professor, mentor, and advisor.
She recounted that during her period of orientation at the Senate, Senator Kupee's
office was where she went for knowledge.
"The Senate is deeply saddened by the death of former Senator Kupee. Our hearts break many times we gather in this rotunda to [bid] farewell to one of our colleagues," she said.
"Senator Kupee was just here a few months ago. Today, we are here to say farewell to this man who impacted lives."
Pro-Tempore Karnga-Lawrence stated that the Senate will dearly miss him.
To the family, church, and people of Lofa, she expressed the Senate's deep sympathy.
Speaking on behalf of the Lofa County Legislative Caucus, Senator Joseph Jallah said that to pay a tribute to a great man is difficult.
Senator Jallah noted that the death of the ex-senator is difficult to explore.
He termed the ex-senator as a man of tremendous energy, whether in the class or deliberating on bills.
He assured that the Caucus would stand for the country and the people of Lofa for which he fought.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Jallah indicated that Kupee had left a very big shoe behind.
"Besides knowing Senator Kupee from the University of Liberia, where he was a professor of Economics, and I was a lecturer in Liberian society, when he became senator, he added value and drew intellectual scope to lawmaking," Sen. Jallah said.
"As a professor of economics, he displayed that in his daily work. He was a man of all time, tribes, including our county."
"We have come to see him off under this difficult situation."
Paying tribute to the 52nd and 53rd Legislatures, Margibi County former Senator Clarice Davis Jah lamented that the late Senator Kupee was an intellectual who understood economics and budget.
She said he used his skills to improve policies and decisions that improved the living conditions of the Liberian people.
"When I try to do my best and the world misunderstands, stand by me. Have our sympathy. This man opened his arms to everyone that passed his way."
