“National Blow”

-Liberians Described Death of Rep. Munah Pelham Youngblood

By Reuben Sei Waylaun: r.waylaun@newrepublicliberia.com

Liberians and foreign partners were in total sadness on Wednesday July 8, 2020, when the death news of one of the vocal and dependable female lawmakers, Representative Munah Pelham-Youngblood came out.

Thousands of Liberians trooped at her residence and her images flooded Facebook as they described as a ‘national blow’.

Some people automatically changed their profiles with her photo as they were in empathy and sympathy.

Some mourners and diehard partisans of her ‘beloved Coalition for Democratic Change’ (CDC) who couldn’t hold back their tears said her mission was ‘incomplete’ because she didn’t enjoy the government she fought for with everything to bring to power.

They described her as vocal, articulate, progressive, loyal and a real nationalist whose mission of seeing a well functional nation under CDC government led by George Weah was ‘incomplete’

Prior to her demise, she was sick and travelled out of Liberia for treatment. She visited the United States of America and India undergoing treatment for an unidentified sickness.

Upon hearing the news of her demise, CDC Chairman Mulbah Morlu wrote on his Facebook page “We’re devastated by the news of Hon. Pelham’s untimely death; the CDC has lost a Revolutionary Lioness, an accomplished ideological partisan that has sprawled an indelible mark on the horizons of our popular struggle.”

The late Representative Youngblood became the youngest lawmaker in Liberia in 2011 when she was elected at age just 27. She was reelected in 2017 for second term in office.

According to Liberians who took on their social media pages to express their shock, they said the late Montserrado County electoral district nine lawmaker will be remembered for her loyalty to her party CDC, her articulation, her vocal stance on issues, and her legislative floor fighting spirit which increased her popularity even in the opposition community.

Her death has created a huge vacuum for females at the Legislature which also follows the death of Senator Geraldine Doe-Sherriff, another former member of the CDC.

Now, the Legislature has just eight female lawmakers with the Liberian Senate only accounting for one. 

Recently, another member of the House of Representatives, Sinoe County district two Representative Jay Nagbe Sloh died and his remains still in the mortuary.

About the Late Rep. Youngblood:

She was elected in 2011 general elections and has been a lawmaker for Montserrado County electoral district nine prior to her demise.

The late Rep. Youngblood was born on September 22, 1983 in Monrovia. She was a small business owner and retired African super-model, actress, beauty queen, and public speaker.

She was elected as the youngest member to the Republic of Liberia 53rd Legislature House of Representatives at the age 27, defeating 20 candidates in the 2011 elections and defeating 13 candidates as the incumbent in 2017 elections now serving in the 54th Legislature.

Rep. Youngblood served as the House of Representatives: Chair on Executive, Chair on World Bank/IMF Parliamentary Network Liberia Chapter, Good Governance, Member on Youth & Sports, Member on Public Accounts & Expenditure, Member on Gender Social Welfare and Children’s Protection, Member on Maritime and Concession & Investment, Co-chair on International Affair Women Legislative Caucus of Liberia and – the Secretary General of the current ruling party Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) Legislative Caucus.

She was a 1999-2000 graduate of St. Michael’s Catholic High School. Her passion to lead with service to humanity and the nation became apparent when she obtained the student leader position at the University of Liberia, where she served as the standard bearer during the senior class election in 2009. 

Over the years, she has earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mass Communications/Sociology from the University of Liberia in 2009.

She graduated with Honors and Distinction from the IBB graduate school of International Studies at the University of Liberia, where she obtained a Master’s Degree in International Relations with emphasis in International Politics.