Monrovia – Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has called on Liberians to embrace a renewed sense of patriotism and civic responsibility during the official launch of the Compendium of the Presidencies of the Republic of Liberia.
By Victoria G. Wesseh, [email protected]
The event took place at the National Museum in Monrovia and drew participation from national stakeholders, civil society leaders, educators, and students.
Delivering the keynote address, Sirleaf emphasized the importance of the compendium as a tool for national reflection and youth education. “This compendium is not just a record of our leaders,” she said. “It is a mirror for national reflection and a call to every Liberian to ask: What have I done for my country, and what can I do better?”
She praised the work as a patriotic endeavor that preserves national memory and fosters civic consciousness across generations, noting that the education of young people in Liberia must include a deeper understanding of the country’s leadership legacy.
In a deeply personal portion of her remarks, Sirleaf recounted her administration’s response to the deadly Ebola outbreak that struck Liberia between 2014 and 2015. She admitted that the early days of the epidemic were marked by confusion and fear.
“We didn’t know what it was. We had never experienced a disease of that intensity,” she said, explaining that her government initially responded by halting movement across the country to contain the virus. “People were dying along the way,” she recalled, adding that military intervention was used to prevent cross-border travel and isolate affected communities.
Sirleaf acknowledged the unintended consequences of those measures, referencing a tragic incident in New Kru Town where lives were lost due to public resistance and miscommunication.
“There was resistance, and it showed us we needed a different solution,” she said. Despite the dire predictions from international health agencies, including one that warned of a million potential deaths, she explained, “we pushed back, but we eventually had to accept the scale of the crisis.”
Her testimony, which appears in her new book Stepping Up to the Plate: Liberia’s Untold Ebola Story, was launched alongside the compendium.
The Compendium of the Presidencies is an initiative of the Liberian Institute for Growing Patriotism (LIGP). It seeks to instill national pride through historical education and civic engagement. Volume I chronicles Liberia’s first 17 presidents, while Volume II is scheduled for release in early 2025.
LIGP Chairperson Madam Olubanke King-Akerele described the project as “a product of collective memory and a patriotic duty.” She stressed the importance of preserving Liberia’s leadership narratives with honesty and integrity. “We owe it to future generations to tell our stories truthfully and to plant the seeds of patriotism,” she said.
The event also featured highlights of LIGP’s other national initiatives, including the Judge Emma Shannon Walser Medal for Rule of Law, Good Governance and Patriotism, Ma Mary’s Place in honor of women elders, and the Rosaline Toweh Transient Hub for Women in Crisis.
In her closing remarks, Sirleaf issued a direct challenge to the younger generation of Liberians. “Let this compendium be your starting point. Learn from it, question it, and be inspired by it. But most importantly—act,” she urged. “Liberia will only become what we make it together.”
The compendium features detailed biographies of Liberian presidents, analysis of leadership trends, civic education content, and narratives on national symbols and institutions.
