Leaders of the Grand Gedeh Youth Organization,

Current and former Liberian Government officials present,

Fellow invites,

Fellow Liberians,

Foreign friends,

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen:

I bring you greetings from the Union of Liberian Association in the

Americas, the Social Services Commission of which I serve as Executive Director of Social Services, The Committee to elect Dr. Mariah Y. Seton, President of ULAA, he 5000 Liberians and friends Movement and the Federation of Liberian County  Association in the Americas.

First of all, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the leadership of the Grand Gedeh Youth Organization for organizing this important program, and for inviting me.

Introduction

While I recognize and respect the fact that every Liberian holds a particular view of the late President Samuel Kanyon Doe, I equally know that the history of our country is incomplete without mentioning his contributions to the country. Coming to power at age 29, the late President Doe is an example of what you, the youth, can do to shape the destiny of your country. 

Yes, it is true that the late President Doe, like any of us, was a human being. As such, he made mistakes because he was not infallible. However, he made a lot of positive contributions to the development of our country, and we should not ignore those contributions. For example, the multiparty democracy we enjoy today was effected by him.

For the first time in our history, Liberia paraded soccer stars, such as George Oppong Weah, James Salinsa Debah, Mass Saar Jr, Joe Nagbe, Christopher Wreh, and many others on the international stage. Doe launched the Green Revolution Program which was intended to make Liberia self-sufficient in food production, an initial stage that could eventually lead us to food self-sufficiency if succeeding governments build on where Doe ended. I am told that there are officials of the late Doe?s government here tonight, like  Honorable Bai Mason Gbala, who can do justice to the late President in terms of  his achievements, but I just thought I should make these few comments before  turning to the topic you have assigned me ?

The Role of the Youth in the Reconstruction of Post-war Liberia.

I am certain that in times to come, our country will come to realize how critical the role of the youth is in the process of reconstructing our country following a very ugly civil war in which the very youth were both victims and participants against their will.

Our country faces many problems and challenges. But it also has the advantage of many opportunities to achieve the common objective we all pursue of transforming itself into a common homeland that we can all be proud of. 

To transform those opportunities and possibilities into a positive reality requires that all of us, the Americo-Liberians and native Liberians, the young and the old, act together for the realization of the goal of a better life for all. 

It is from this that your program tonight derives its importance. I hope that by the time you conclude this program, you and the youth of other Liberian political sub-divisions will have agreed on the steps you will take together to contribute to the historic objective of rebuilding Liberia. 

To do this, you will have to undertake a frank and open assessment of the major elements that characterize our society, encompassing both the positives and the negatives. You will then have to address the question of what the correct policy responses should be to all of these factors. Having decided this important issue, obviously you will have to determine the joint program of action in which you will engage, and encourage the youth of our country to participate in, to ensure the success of the vision you will have elaborated together.

In this relatively short address, I will therefore try to make a contribution to your discussions by speaking on some of the issues I believe your discussions with other Liberian youth should consider.

I will therefore proceed to speak my mind and will say some things that might be discomfiting to some of us. I must however assure you that I am not, in any way, trying to be controversial.

I will speak as honestly as I can because of the respect I have for you and the youth of our country and because I am convinced that we will not do the right things unless we speak and act in an honest manner.

The first point I would like to make is that, in reality, we have not as yet developed a sense of common nationhood. We are all Liberians by nationality and according to the Identity Documents and passports we carry. 

But in our social psychology, our instincts and our perception of ourselves, we see ourselves as distinct elements of an agglomeration of different tribal and ethnic groups whose interests we believe might very well be mutually exclusive. 

As a result and an expression of this, we entertain differing and different perceptions of one another and what it means to be Liberians. Consequently, we respond differently to various events and developments in our country, including processes brought about as a result of the civil war and even actions of our government.

Accordingly, we provide different answers to the question - what is it that I need to do as a Liberian to contribute to the building of a new Liberian society! 

As a result of all of this, when we are challenged to develop and adhere to a new level of patriotism, there is no immediate mass response because the common and unifying answer to the question - what shall I be patriotic about - has not been easy to come by.

What is clear is that we cannot say that we are committed to nation building and, at the same time, seek to marginalize the youth section of our population.

You have chosen a very eloquent topic to express what you feel and think? The Role of the Youth in the Reconstruction of Post-war Liberia!

It  is precisely because tomorrow belongs to you that you must determine what tomorrow should look like. You  will therefore have to decide what you - the youth of our country - must do,  itself to ensure that we reconstruct our country, our common heritage, into an  entity that will be entirely different from what previous generations made it to  be. I am convinced that this requires that you yourselves make certain determinations. 

1.    You all Liberian youth should refuse to perpetuate war tendencies that previous generations, might have sought to implant into your minds and, instead, focus on your education.

2.    You, I mean all Liberian youth - will work hard to ensure that you actually interact with one another, across the tribal lines, to engage in a common action to bring about the social changes that are necessary in the rebuilding of our country.

3.    You should agree that tolerance of different views and acceptance of different dialects and cultures among yourselves are fundamental to the success of your common struggle to fashion yourselves into a joint force for the birth of a new Liberia.

4.    You should work to build a strong spirit of solidarity and comradeship among all Liberian youths to enhance your capacity to defeat those forces in our society that want to continue to use you for their selfish political, social, and economic gains.

5.    You should base your program of action on the actual challenges facing the youth and people of our country, including such issues as tribalism and sexism, education and training, employment, crime and substance abuse, sports culture. 

For many years, our country has been an outcast among other nations because of the war. But precisely because of our experience, we have the possibility to make an important contribution to the African and worldwide struggle to overcome problems war, tribalism, corruption, and illiteracy. 

In this regard, I would like to remind you, the youth of the Republic of Liberia, our dear country, to take seriously your role as the future leaders of the country.

Whether you succeed in achieving this goal in your own interest and in the interest of Liberia as a whole, will depend on what you - the youth of the country? Do now and in the future. I sincerely believe that you will not fail us.

Tonight, we meet on the 57th birth anniversary of our 20th president, to pay tribute to his contributions to our country. Indeed, he contributed his quota to the advancement of Liberia as the youngest leader of our country. He has past on the torch to you all to continue where he stopped. You must also correct what ever mistakes he may have made.  Please ensure that you do not disappoint him and/or your country.

In the same way that his sacrifices brought us many of the good things we celebrate today, such as participatory democracy, so should you be convinced that your sacrifices will help us to overcome the legacy of the past and ensure that, indeed, tomorrow belongs to all our people, both young and old.

Again, congratulations for this program, thanks for inviting me, and happy birthday to Dr. Samuel Kanyon Doe.

Thank you.