MONROVIA, Liberia — Former Monrovia Mayor and National Secretary General of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Jefferson T. Koijee, has expressed profound sorrow over the death of United States Senator Lindsey Graham, describing the late American lawmaker as an inspiring leader whose commitment to democracy and international partnerships left a lasting impression on him. Senator Graham died on Saturday following what his office described as a “brief and sudden illness.” He was 71.
In a condolence statement issued Sunday, Koijee extended sympathy to Graham’s family and the American people, saying he awoke to the news of the senator’s passing with deep sadness.
“On behalf of myself and everyone at the Congress for Democratic Change, I want to extend our deepest condolences to his family and to the American people during this incredibly painful time,” Koijee said.
Reflecting on a previous visit to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Koijee recounted meeting Senator Graham in his Senate office, describing the encounter as one that significantly influenced his own understanding of public service and leadership.
“I still think back to the day I met him in his office on Capitol Hill. It wasn’t a long meeting, but it stayed with me,” Koijee said. “As a young leader coming from Liberia, I didn’t expect a U.S. Senator of his stature to speak with such warmth and genuine curiosity about where I came from and what I was trying to build for my country.”
According to Koijee, the conversation encouraged him to think differently about leadership and public responsibility.
He praised Graham’s international outlook, noting that the senator viewed America’s relationships with countries of all sizes as important to advancing democratic values and freedom around the world.
“What struck me most about Senator Graham was that he never treated the world as divided into places that mattered and places that didn’t,” Koijee stated. “He believed deeply that America’s strength and its friendships—even with a country as small as Liberia—were part of the same story: standing up for freedom wherever it was tested.”
Koijee described Graham as one of America’s most dedicated public servants and said the world had lost a leader willing to engage difficult issues with conviction.
“America has lost one of its most dedicated public servants. The world has lost a voice that didn’t shy away from hard conversations. And I have lost someone who, in a single meeting, reminded me why I chose this path in the first place,” he said.
He concluded by offering prayers to Graham’s family and to the people of South Carolina and the United States.
“May his memory be a lasting blessing, and may the example he set continue to guide those of us still finding our way in public life,” Koijee added.
Senator Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, served in the U.S. Senate since 2003 after previously serving in the House of Representatives. Known for his influential role on foreign policy and judicial matters, he remained one of the most prominent figures in American politics until his death.
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