Ex-LFA SG Challenges Lott Carey Graduates to Lead in AI Era

Lead Consultant of EDDEIN Consultancy Services and former Secretary General of the Liberian Football Association (LFA), Dr. George Wah Williams, has challenged graduates of the Lott Carey Baptist Mission School to prepare for a rapidly changing world by embracing strategic vision, innovation, adaptability, collaboration and self-reliance.

Delivering the keynote address at the school’s 102nd Convocation, held under the theme “Portrait of a Lion Graduate in an AI-Paced Developmental Environment,” Dr. Williams urged the graduates to look beyond their academic certificates and see themselves as emerging leaders with a responsibility to contribute to Liberia’s development.

“The world you are entering is changing faster than ever before,” Williams told the graduates, pointing to the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and its growing impact on workplaces, businesses and education.

He said success in the emerging environment would depend not simply on what graduates already know, but on their ability to anticipate change, continuously learn and apply knowledge to real-world problems.

At the center of his message was strategic visioning, which he described as a defining characteristic of a “Lion Graduate.”

“Strategic visioning means you do not simply react to the world—you anticipate it,” Williams said.

He challenged graduates to consider what skills would be required in the coming years and identify problems facing their communities, Liberia and Africa that they could help solve.

The former LFA official also warned young people entering the workforce to distinguish meaningful knowledge from the enormous volume of information generated and circulated through digital platforms.

He said the AI-driven environment presents both challenges and opportunities, requiring graduates to become critical thinkers rather than passive consumers of technology.

Williams placed strong emphasis on collaboration, drawing from the structure of a lion pride to demonstrate the importance of teamwork, mentorship and shared responsibility.

He argued that major advances in medicine, technology, education and other fields are increasingly being achieved through networks of people working together rather than through isolated individual efforts.

Against this backdrop, he called on Lott Carey alumni in Liberia and abroad to deepen their engagement with the institution by providing mentorship, professional networks, financial resources and other forms of support to younger students.

He similarly urged parents and the wider community to regard education as a shared national responsibility and a long-term investment in Liberia’s future.

Williams challenged educational institutions to keep pace with technological and economic changes by continuously reviewing their curricula.

He cautioned school authorities against assuming that adding more courses or increasing the volume of information automatically produces better-educated students.

Instead, he advocated an education system that is more focused, practical and relevant to the realities graduates will encounter outside the classroom.

He called for greater emphasis on critical thinking, entrepreneurship, project-based learning and the responsible use of artificial intelligence, while encouraging educators to equip students with the ability to “learn, unlearn and relearn.”

According to Williams, modern education should not merely teach students what to know, but prepare them to acquire new knowledge throughout their lives as technology and society evolve.

His address also broadened into Liberia’s development challenges, particularly the need to translate national resources and economic gains into tangible improvements in citizens’ lives.

Williams referenced Liberia’s reported achievement of surpassing US$1 billion in domestic revenue, describing the milestone as significant while stressing that increased government revenue must ultimately translate into investments that improve citizens’ lives and prospects.

He called for stronger national investment in education, healthcare, vocational training, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities, particularly given Liberia’s youthful population.

The development consultant said economic growth must be accompanied by sustainable pathways that enable young Liberians to become productive participants in the economy rather than remain dependent on limited formal employment opportunities.

He also called for continued innovation within government and public institutions, urging policymakers to focus on measurable improvements in education, healthcare, employment and institutional performance.

Returning to the graduates, Williams urged them to view artificial intelligence not simply as a threat to employment but as a tool that can be harnessed for innovation, entrepreneurship and problem-solving.

He said graduates must be prepared to create opportunities rather than wait for opportunities to be handed to them.

“The Lion Graduate is self-sustaining, courageous and committed to protecting and empowering the next generation,” he said.

Williams challenged the graduates to develop the courage to take initiative, solve problems and continuously adapt to technological and economic changes while maintaining integrity and a commitment to service.

He said Liberia’s future would depend significantly on whether its young people are prepared to become creators, entrepreneurs and problem-solvers in an economy increasingly shaped by technology.

In his concluding message, Williams urged the graduates to leave Lott Carey carrying the strategic focus of a lion, the collaborative spirit of a pride and the adaptability required to navigate unfamiliar terrain.

He challenged them to become “builders, creators, entrepreneurs and problem-solvers” who do not wait for permission before pursuing solutions to challenges confronting their communities.

“Liberia needs you. Africa needs you. The world needs you,” Williams told the graduates.

He congratulated the Class of the 102nd Convocation and commended the administration, faculty, parents, alumni and wider Lott Carey community for their role in guiding the graduates through their educational journey.