Why I Used The Word “LEGACIZING” In The Article About The Fallen Founder And Proprietor of Jimmy Jolocon High School

By Atty Philip N. Wesseh (PNW)

Few days ago after attending the funeral of veteran educator Emmanuel Doe Weiah, founder and proprietor of the Jimmy Jolocon High School, I wrote a piece, eulogizing him and at the same time stating the need to keep his legacy in the field of education that he labored for over the years.

In that piece, entitled, “LEGACIZING PA-WEIAH’s DREAM.”I used the word, “LEGACIZING” as a verb from the Noun, LEGACY. Unsurprisingly, few readers, rightly so, raised issue about the use of the word because they said they religiously, painstakingly and vigorously searched dictionaries, but did not see the word.

Noticeably, I used the word with quotation marks. As it is said, “are to set off and represent exact language (either spoken or written) that has come from somebody else which it indicates. Sometimes it is referred to as borrowed words, in that if it is not indicated, the writer or speaker risks being charged with intellectual theft or plagiarism. Also, quotation marks are used to indicate unfamiliar words, or one created, as I did with “LEGACIZING,” which I created.

Yes, to avoid circumlocution, it is true that the word is not in dictionaries. I created it by adding the Suffix, “IZE.” Suffix, as it is known is an affix occurring at the end of a word of phrase, thus giving it a different meaning. Also, it is said to be a letter or group of letters occurring at the end of a word or phrase. Conversely, Prefix, is that which occurs before a word or phrase, thus giving it a different meaning.

In all fairness, because the English language is flexible, new words can be created based on prefixes and suffixes and may be used and subsequently accepted. Such creation of new words could be based on events by an individual or group.

According to research, “LËGACY comes from the Latin verb, legare “to appoint by a last will, send as an ambassador.” Originally, the noun meant “ambassador” or “envoy” but soon shifted to mean the money and property a person leaves behind in his will.”

In that article, I added the “Suffix”IZE” to mean that the work started by “PA WEIAH” as he was affectionately called, should live on. As we are told in English, the suffix. “ize” is used to form verbs with the meaning “to make; cause to become.”

I recall when I was News Editor many years ago, I created two new words based on Prefix and Suffix from the word, “MEANWHILE” which is frequently used by reporters in the newsroom. The two words are “DE-MEANWHILIZE” or “MEANWEHILIZE.” They cannot be found in any dictionary.

I used them interchangeably in the newsroom. To de-meanwhile is to take the second part of the story as the main story because of its greater news value, while on the hand, meanwhilze is to make the first part to be the second part, because sometimes that story may have two or three different angles. But at times may form part of a single story based on reasons.

And so in the context in which I used “LEGACIZE,” it simply suggests that everything should be done for this school to continue to live on excellence. That is, the death of this committed, dedicated and hardworking fallen educator should not go in vain or oblivion. Let his dream live on.

“The school was founded in 1981 by Mr. Emmanuel D. Weiah, an educator and is situated in the township of Gardnersville, a suburb of Monrovia, Liberia. Presently, the school is situated on two acres of land adjacent to the St. Michael Catholic School. The school has a-48 member staff and a two-storey building comprising of 30 classrooms.

The school currently has an enrollment of approximately 2,700 students and it is presently the defending champion of the National Education Debate, sponsored by the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Liberia.
The school is also the defending champion of the National Quizzing program that was organized by the Ministry of Education, in which many schools participated in Liberia, and is rated highly as compared to most schools operating in Liberia.

Information says the school ranks among the first four schools in Liberia with an outstanding academic performance on the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). Jimmy Jolocon is considered one of the best schools with brilliant students that the Ministry of Education can boast of in Liberia.

Indeed, in view of the accomplishments and achievements of the school and its standing among educational institutions, let all of these accolades be legacized, so that the dream, of “PA WEIAH” in the field of education would continue.

I Rest My Case.