In a profound and penetrating address at the official celebration of Liberia’s 178th Independence Day, Presidential Special Envoy Emmett L. Dunn issued a bold and direct message to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to not suspend corrupt and incompetent government officials but rather fire them.
Delivering the keynote speech at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion in Monrovia under the theme “One People, One Destiny: Healing the Past, Building the Future,” Dunn challenged President Boakai to lead with urgency, courage, and decisiveness, describing Liberia’s current state as one that demands immediate action, not political hesitation.
“Mr. President, my 26 is on YOU!” Dunn exclaimed, drawing cheers from the audience. “Lead boldly, transparently, and justly. Challenge the old order. Empower the next generation. Fire and not suspend. Enforce the laws. And surround yourself with people of competence and conscience.”
The orator’s message struck a chord across the nation and drew multiple ovations in the hall because it resonated not merely as a ceremonial address. It resonated widely held public sentiments in favor of deep systemic change. Dunn’s blunt directive — “Don’t suspend. Fire them” — was a challenge to President Boakai to distinguish his leadership from the past by holding public officials fully accountable for corruption and incompetence.
And, as if to remind the President about his 2017 presidential campaign remark that, under the Sirleaf administration, in which he served as Vice President, they “squandered opportunities”, Dunn’s remark hit home. “Now is your time,” the Orator warned. “Tomorrow is not promised. A second term is not guaranteed. Act now. Clean up this mess now.”
The speech went far beyond addressing the presidency alone. Dunn called for a national recommitment to unity, justice, and development, urging all branches of government and every citizen to rise above tribalism, partisanship, and personal gain.
“To the Honorable Speaker, the Honorable Pro Tempore, and Her Honor, the Chief Justice—the fight against corruption is yours as well as the President’s,” Dunn declared.
“Liberia cannot move forward if our loyalties lie in self-interest, tribalism, or party politics. We must put country first—above personalities, above politics, above profit,” he added.
Dunn however recognized early strides made by the Boakai administration, including progress in road development, education, healthcare, and anti-corruption measures.
He praised the President’s strengthening of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), the recent MOU with the Financial Intelligence Agency, and improvements in rural healthcare and electricity supply. He also commended the President’s global leadership following Liberia’s election to the UN Security Council.
“Your government has begun to lay a foundation for national transformation,” he said. “And for that, we are grateful.”
Yet, he was quick to caution against complacency, stressing that the road ahead remains long and difficult.
“Corruption is still deeply embedded in our institutions, and it will take more than policy to uproot it. It will take moral courage and political will from the highest offices to the lowest,” Dunn warned.
He listed drug abuse, youth unemployment, gender inequality, and poor education infrastructure as urgent national threats that must be addressed collectively.
“We must not settle for improvement—we must push for transformation,” Dunn insisted.
A Son of the Soil
With raw emotion and humility, Dunn recounted his own journey—from selling bread in Joe Bar Market as a child raised by a single mother, to now standing on Liberia’s highest ceremonial platform.
“I come to this platform not as one born into prestige, but as a son of humble beginnings,” he said. “It was there, in Joe Bar market, among everyday Liberians, that I learned the values of hard work, compassion, and community.”
His story, he said, is evidence that Liberia’s future must be built on inclusion and opportunity for all—not just the elite.
“This Is Not a Celebration—It’s a Summons”
At the heart of Dunn’s speech was a call to national awakening. He urged Liberians to treat this Independence Day not as a ritual of speeches and parades, but as a turning point in the country’s long and painful history.
“We have seen what disunity can do. Now we must choose what unity can build,” Dunn said.
“Let us walk forward, together, with courage, with character, and with a single, unshakable conviction: Liberia must come first. Always. And for all.
