By Bill W. Cooper
The youthful political leader of the Liberia National Union (LINU), Clarence Moniba, over the weekend, delivered a powerful remark at the 2024 graduating class of the Musa Bility School of Professional Journalism (MBSPJ) in Paynesville.
Mr. Moniba, who was honored by the MBSPJ for his peace messages during the entire 2023 presidential, urged the graduating journalists to set standards for aspiring and emerging Liberian journalists and to uphold the principles of integrity, honesty, and professionalism in their work.
Receiving his award, Moniba thanked the school administration for the honor and thereby congratulated the graduates on their achievement, emphasizing the importance of their role in the Liberian society aim at preserving the country’s peace.
He, at the same time, highlighted the crucial role that journalists play in a democratic society, serving as watchdogs and holding those in power accountable, calling on the graduates to ensure accurate, ethical and unbiased information to the public.
He urged the graduating journalists to be courageous and to stand up for the truth, even in the face of adversity and emphasized the importance of journalists in promoting transparency and accountability in government and in giving voice to the voiceless in society.
Sharing his own experiences as a politician and former public official, he encouraged the graduates to learn from their own experiences and to continue to grow and develop as journalists.
He also stressed the need the for journalists to constantly strive to improve their skills and knowledge amidst some challenges facing journalists in Liberia, including threats to press freedom and the dangers that journalists often face in their line of work.
According to him, it is also key that the graduating journalists begin to set the standard for their fellow Liberians as journalists, and to be a shining example of integrity, honesty, and professionalism in their work.
He further reminded them of the important role that journalists play in society, and the impact that their work can have on the lives of their fellow citizens, with an encouragement to be fearless in their pursuit of the truth, and to always strive to uphold the highest standards of journalism.
