Liberia: “The Older Generation of Liberians is Too Hateful and Selfish – Bishop Kortu Brown Tells Students in Rural Montserrado

Brewerville – The current generation of Liberian leaders has been described as “hateful and selfish,” rendering them incapable of transforming the country. This candid assessment was made by Bishop Kortu K. Brown, pastor of the New Water in the Desert Assembly, during a one-day training and awareness workshop on Forgiveness Education held at the Mother Tegeste Stewart Apostolic Pentecostal School in Brewerville.

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By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]

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The workshop, held under the theme “The Place of Forgiveness Education in Renewing Communities and Promoting Reconciliation in Liberia,” was aimed at introducing students to the concepts and importance of forgiveness as a tool for community renewal, reconciliation, and sustained peace. It brought together students and teachers from 25 primary and secondary schools in rural Montserrado County.

Senator Nathaniel F. McGill, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, served as keynote speaker.

In his remarks, Bishop Brown emphasized the need to institutionalize forgiveness education in schools. Drawing from 2 Kings 22:1-2, he noted the biblical example of King Josiah, who became king at the age of eight and “did what was right in the sight of the Lord.” He urged Liberia’s leaders to emulate such examples by promoting righteousness in governance, upholding good values, and ensuring consistency in their actions.

The former president of the Liberian Council of Churches reminded the students that they live in a country still struggling to “do the right thing”—whether it be prioritizing reconciliation, the rule of law, good governance, or fiscal discipline.

“Maybe it will be your generation that will change this country,” Bishop Brown said. “Because the way we see our leaders fighting amongst themselves all the time, we don’t think they can make it.” He criticized what he called excessive hate and selfishness among older generations, citing the recent political standoff over the Speaker’s position in the House of Representatives as a blatant disregard for the rule of law and the Constitution.

The Forgiveness Education program was developed by the International Forgiveness Institute (IFI) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, after over 25 years of research on the moral virtue of forgiveness. Their studies have shown that practicing forgiveness leads to reduced anger, depression, and anxiety, while fostering hope and inner peace—thereby increasing the likelihood of peaceful interactions within communities.

The IFI maintains that educating a majority of students in the art of forgiveness will foster more peaceful communities in the long term, as these students grow into adults and apply those values in their families, workplaces, and broader society.

Church Aid Inc. (CAI), in partnership with IFI, is promoting the implementation of Forgiveness Education in all 15 counties of Liberia. The program is supported by IFI-developed Teachers’ Guides and Curricula, tailored for Kindergarten through Grade 12, based on research from the University of Wisconsin lab.

Bishop Brown concluded by calling on the Legislature’s education committees, the Ministry of Education, religious institutions, local communities, and all education stakeholders to support CAI and IFI in institutionalizing forgiveness education in Liberia.

“If we are serious about achieving reconciliation and peace in Liberia,” Bishop Brown stressed, “then forgiveness education must become a national priority.”