Boakai Calls for Unity Before SONA -Prayer Breakfast Sets National Reflection Tone

MONROVIA – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. on Friday called on Liberians to embrace national unity, describing it as the country’s most vital tool for development and long-term stability.

The President made the appeal while delivering remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast held at the Paynesville City Hall, an event organized by the Christian Community of Liberia ahead of his Annual Message to the National Legislature.

President Boakai said gathering in prayer before the State of the Nation Address was not only symbolic but essential for fostering a shared national spirit at a time when Liberia faces economic pressures and political differences.

“Unity does not mean the absence of differences,” President Boakai said. “We have differences, and we should. But when we are united, we can come together, resolve issues, and move the country forward.”

He credited Liberia’s survival through periods of conflict, misunderstanding, and hardship to divine grace, noting that the country’s resilience has been sustained by faith and collective resolve.

“It is because of God that Liberia has been able to withstand some of the most difficult moments in our national history,” the President stated.

President Boakai also commended the organizers of the Prayer Breakfast for their foresight and thanked religious leaders and prayer partners for continually interceding for the nation and its leadership. He stressed that moral reflection and spiritual grounding must complement political leadership and governance.

Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who also addressed the gathering, expressed gratitude for Liberia’s journey and leadership, acknowledging both the nation’s progress and its unfinished work.

“When we reflect on all that we have been through—who we are, what we have done, and what we have not done—we can only say thanks to God,” Madam Sirleaf said. “Thanks to God for our lives and for our leadership.”

She emphasized that Liberia’s future depends on the collective responsibility of its citizens, urging Liberians to remain committed to unity and national purpose.

Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Richard Nagbe Koon, proposed that the final Friday preceding the Annual Message be formally observed each year as a National Day of Prayer, allowing leaders and citizens time for reflection and spiritual preparation.

Senate Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence echoed similar sentiments, calling on national leaders to ensure that Liberia continues to move in alignment with divine guidance. She also expressed the hope that future Prayer Breakfasts would include all former leaders and senior officials as a visible demonstration of national cohesion.

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, His Honor Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay, praised the initiative and urged continued prayers for the judiciary. He said judges across the country require wisdom and guidance as they carry out their constitutional responsibility to uphold justice and the rule of law.

The National Prayer Breakfast brought together current and former government officials, members of the clergy, and civil society representatives in a unified call for peace, humility, and national renewal as Liberia prepares for the President’s Annual Message.