By Bill W. Cooper
A land tenure specialist, Richelieu O. Burphy has admonished graduates of the Harriet E. Parkinson High School about the critical role that the younger generation has to play in the rebuilding process of Liberia.
He said for almost 200 years, Liberia continues to struggle with basic and fundamental issues like lack of electricity, lack of safe drinking water, lack of adequate public transportation among others, and said these and other issues are due to the lack of leadership, patriotism and nationalism.
“Today, as you stand on the brink of adulthood, I urge you to cultivate a spirit of patriotism and nationalism because these values are not just abstract concepts; they are the bedrock upon which we can build a better Liberia,” Burphy maintained.
However, his powerful message to the graduates further resonated with the ideals of national pride and responsibility, resulting into a rousing hand of applause from both the students and those in attendance.
The ceremony, held Sunday, November 18, 2024, in Nimba County, at the Christian Bible Church was attended by students, parents, government officials, educators, and community leaders, all eager to hear Burphy’s insights on the importance of patriotism and nationalism in shaping the future of Liberia.
Burphy who is also an, activist, advocate and analyst, known for his passionate advocacy for social justice and youth empowerment, address came at a time the country is struggling with series of issues, including economic instability, political division, and social unrest.
Serving as the occasion guest speaker, Burphy also emphasized that the take of unity within communities, coupled with the national anthem, is about taking action to improve the country, noting, “It is about standing up for justice, equality, and rights of every Liberian.”
He maintained, “So, graduates, as you go into the larger society, you will meet some of these problems but how you respond to them would require good attitude, integrity, self-discipline with a sense of patriotism and nationalism.
“Because some of the everyday problems out there include crowded prison cells due to high number of pretrial detainees, and those of you who want to become lawyers will have to face them.
There are also still lack of essential drugs in our hospitals, clinics, and our people are still dying from curable diseases, and those wanting to go in the medical field will have to also face them,” he narrated.
Burphy further indicated that roads across the country are deplorable, thus affecting normal agricultural activities as such, they will also be needed in the engineering field but should at all times, see the country above self-interest.
He has at the same time highlighted the importance of education in nurturing these values, urging the graduates to use their knowledge and skills to contribute positively to society, and added, “You are the future leaders of this country and Liberia depends on you.”
Meanwhile, Burphy also criticized the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) of not doing much to ensure that the continuous conflicts affecting the region are addressed and resolved once and for all.
He pointed out, “Do not depend on ECOWAS because they themselves are having problems to the extent that member states in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have all left the community and ECOWAS is not able to bring them back to the union.”
“They do not have the morals to tell us about unity and integration in our National Legislature. In fact, Liberia as the oldest country in the community, led by all of you should be the one leading the union and teaching about unity and integration,” he added.
