The Liberia Institute for “Growing “ Patriotism (LIGP) and the Angie Brooks International Centre for Women’s Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security (ABIC) have launched a Compendium of the Presidencies of the Republic of Liberia.
The compendium was launched on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, at an official ceremony held at the National Museum on Broad Street, Monrovia. The compendium is essentially what constitutes “KNOWLEDGE BUILDING” and knowledge sharing”. Its primary purpose is to present biographical material on the presidents of Liberia through a narrative that would help inform and engage the readers to understand the reality of some of the major issues during the presidential administrations over time.
The objectives of the Compendium are to inform the citizenry about past presidents of the nation over time, provide quick facts in an easy-to-read format to facilitate readers’ digestion, to better informed on the various presidencies, contribute to the growing development and promotion of patriotism among the citizenry such that they can better appreciate the struggles of nation-building, to ignite curiosity for further scholarly research and interest to stimulate the next generation to be better informed and appreciate the nation and its historicity and challenges thereto.
Giving the background and conceptualization of the compendium at the launching ceremony, Hon. Olubanke King-Akerele, Executive Director for LIGP and Chair of the Board of ABIC said the book launch is the first edition and it spotlights seventeen of Liberia’s five presidencies.
According to Hon. Akerele, they are working on the second edition of the Compendium which catalogs former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Samuel K. Doe, and George M. Weah. Hon. Akerele also used the occasion to appreciate ABIC and other Liberian researchers and historians including academics who contributed their knowledge to the development of the book.
“This Compendium is essentially what constitutes knowledge sharing and the primary purpose of this book is to present biographical materials on the presidents of Liberia through a narrative that would help inform and engage the reader to understand the reality of some of the major issues during the presidential administration over time,” she said.
For her part, former President Ellen-Johnson Sirleaf officially launched the Compendium and applauded Hon. Akerele for her continuous work to be able to bring recognition to so many people in the society, past, current, and future.
“Now, I am here for the job that I have been asked to do. Sometimes you can come to these things and go like that, you got to say something and so I had all my big speech ready now to come and talk about what they think about us today but that is not why I am here for so that want I will save it for the right occasion because I always say sometimes not what you say but how you say it, when you say it and where you say it; that is a message to everybody,” former President Sirleaf said.
According to her, she was pleased to be able to launch the Compendium and most especially happy because the launching ceremony took place at the National Museum.
She described the Museum as a work in progress emphasizing that much needs to be done at the National Museum to bring it up to the level and place where all Liberians can be able to appreciate their history and culture.
“We are so happy today when we see the students coming through this premises, citizens of all persuasions coming through but we look to Minister Piah now to carry out his word to find all these historical places and make them better,” she added.
She continued: To all of you it is my honor to recognize all of those who share their knowledge, insight, and effort to produce this. To the many of you who took the time to be able to write about our leaders, to tell more about them, and to show what they represent to us; I honor every one of you who did this and in so honoring you, you all honor them and we also honor them, every single one of them for what they have done. May we all use this occasion to be able to bring ourselves to the commitment of being able to see our country for what it is, for the good sides with the challenges no doubt but for the things that others do that we recognize and honor them. We point out where we find the fights and challenges that can be corrected but I think as one nation. We are one tribe, one people engaging that one process of building a nation that we all can be proud of, we all can feel that we own it that it belongs to us and we can sing its praise and challenge its achievement while we find a way to recognize what can we take responsibility every one of us to be able to work for its betterment; I hereby launch this compendium and I urged you because we are not finish with the whole job now, we got to buy some of these things. The compendium is now fully launched for you to read, buy, enjoy, and share it, it is hereby launched.
The launching ceremony was graced by past and present officials of government including students Liberian researchers in the country and the Diaspora, and teachers amongst others.
