Iowa, USA – Professor Sukui Malakpa recently made the remarks at the launching of the Joseph Boakai Movement – USA, in Des Moines Iowa, the United States.
The Joseph N. Boakai Movement is a political action committee and Volunteer Liberians working purposely to support financially, morally, and through messaging to elect Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, the next President of the Republic of Liberia.
The program was attended by cross-section of Liberians, friends of VP Boakai, and Liberian community associations in Des Moines, Iowa and the Diaspora.
The Iowa Chapter of Joseph N. Boakai Movement is headed by, Mr. Gbote Tayor.
During his speech as guest speaker of the occasion, Professor Malakpa lamented on Liberia’s journey from the April 12, 1980 coup d‘état until present, and reminded Liberians about the Merits of the coup d‘état.
He said that coup d‘état changed Liberia in various ways. He said as a result, in December 1989, Liberia was plunged into one of the bloodiest civil wars in the history of Africa.
Eventually, in 2005, Liberians elected its first female president and the first female president of Africa and Honorable Joseph Nyuma Boakai as her Vice President.
He said as the 39th Vice President of Liberia, Boakai has remained her loyal and most effective vice president.
Professor Malakpa said the Sirleaf and Boakai’s administration came into power at a difficult time in the history of Liberia after more than a decade of civil war, including the unprecedented and divesting Ebola pandemic, and yet they have kept the peace and striven tirelessly for the nation to keep the peace.
“Yes you I know that much needs to be done. This is why the stakes regarding Liberia’s next election could not be higher.”, he said.
He said while is true that the Sirlief and Boakai administration has not been anywhere perfect in addressing the nation’s myriads of problems, it has made tireless effort towards that end.
He said it is therefore important and indeed actively compelling that whatever progress has been made be treasured, promoted and perpetuated, and not derailed or reversed.
He said “this is why Liberia’s next election is indescribably pivotal.” He said the next election is pivotal because it speaks directly to the future of Liberia.
He said after all we have endured as a people, after all we have endured as nation, Liberia needs and deserves a steady and experienced hands in leadership, one that can build on whatever progress that has been made.
He said the future of our country cannot be placed in the hands of armatures, opportunists and people who do not understand the intricacies of national leadership.
He said Liberia cannot to gamble its future and risk a vital light. He said this is why we should support the future of Liberia, by supporting Vice President Boakai’s candidacy for president.
He said Vice President Boakai has the skill and experience to move Liberia forward. He said VP Boakai believes in the oneness of Gods’ children and universalism of His children.
His vision for Liberia surpasses just a nation filled with sky scrapers, although such buildings and similar signs of modernity are not an anathema.
VP Boakai’s envisages Liberia as a respected African-value based nation with skilled human resources as well as a determined, democratic, efficient, effective, committed, inclusive, literate, industrious and proud people.
Professor Malakpa is an author, and a full time Vision and Special Education professor at the University of Toledo, Ohio, USA.
He also frequently speaks to civic and political organizations. He served as visiting professor to the University of Zululand in South Africa and Cuttington University in Liberia.
He recently authored the biography of Vice President Joseph Boakai “From Foya to the Capitol”, a must-read book for Liberians and people worldwide.