Live, Share, Embrace Reconciliation -Boakai Says It’s ‘Not Handed Down’ from Generation to Generation

MONROVIA – Despite the sustained criticisms that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has chosen to make amends with the dead, or amongst families of the nation’s ex-presidents and ex-officials who suffered political killings, giving them decent reburials which entailed colossal state funding, instead of reaching out to his political opponents, the president remains unbending in his determination to step up national reconciliation his own way. Last weekend, the he attended another big function intended to promote his reconciliation agenda held on the theme, ‘National Reconciliation, Healing and Unity Program” in Monrovia. At the program, President Boakai made a clarion call to fellow citizens, urging them to live, share and embrace reconciliation since it is not something that can be naturally handed down from one generation to another. The Analyst reports.  

The Chief Executive of the nation, Joseph Nyuma Boakai, has called on all citizens to reactivate their presence, their voices, and their participation in the ongoing reconciliation programs taking place in the country.

He said in each citizen’s voice is necessary and welcomed “because reconciliation cannot be handed down; it must be lived, shared, and embraced by all of us”.

In his remarks at the Liberia’s National Reconciliation, Healing, and Unity Program held at the EJS Ministerial Complex, Congo Town, Monrovia, last Saturday, July 5, 2025, the president said “for too long, many of our fellow citizens have carried their pains in silence, with little space for dialogue or closure. This event creates that space.”

By acknowledging the past together, he said, “we begin the journey of national restoration together,” indicating that the occasion of the Reconciliation, Healing and Unity Program, “is open to the public, ensuring that no Liberian is left behind in the process of remembrance and reconciliation”.

“Your presence, your voice, and your participation are not only welcomed, but they are also essential,” he stressed, “Because reconciliation cannot be handed down, it must be lived, shared, and embraced by all of us.”

“We gather here to reflect deeply on the soul of our country; not only to remember but to recommit to reconciliation, to healing, and to a Liberia where unity, dignity, and justice are not just ideals, but lived realities,” the President added. “At its core, today’s program offers a platform for Liberians, from every county, every background, and every walk of life, to come together, confront our shared difficult past, and begin to build a future rooted in truth, justice, and compassion.”

As if to proffer defense against those criticizing his former presidents’ reburial program, Boakai said: “This event follows the national recognition and honoring of two former presidents of Liberia, William R. Tolbert Jr. and Samuel K. Doe, whose tragic deaths reflect a painful era in our history. By honoring their memory, we acknowledge an entire generation of loss and national trauma. And it was not just about two men. It is about a nation that lost its way and is still fighting to find its soul.”

The president recalled that since the guns were silenced in 2003, Liberia has walked a long, hard road; a determined journey.

He emphasized: “We have endeavored to rebuild from ashes and ruins. We have rebuilt roads and schools. But our greatest task has been rebuilding trust, restoring faith, and to reconnect communities.

Basically, rebuilding ourselves and reconnecting to the values and traits that those around us and the world know Liberians to be. This is why today’s event matters.”

He called on Liberians to pause and remember the countless sons and daughters who never returned home; mothers who buried children too soon; the family members who still search for answers; the children who grew up in refugee camps, makeshift school buildings and in communities where they only came out to play when the guns were temporarily silenced.

“Some will say move on and let by-gone be by-gone,” he opined. “But how does a child forget the brutal execution of his parents and then forcibly conscripted to bear arms? We were even forced to sing the Lord’s song in strange lands. You will agree with me that there is hardly a Liberian family that has not been touched by the pain, the violence, and the injustice that have haunted our nation.”

Boakai noted that from the cruel shadow of slavery, to the struggles of Liberia’s founding and the deep foundational problems of our country, and the anarchy that consumed our land during the years of civil war, “we have all lost something, a loved one, a home, a sense of safety, and a dream”.

These wounds are not distant memories, he further said. “They live with us. Of course, the horror stories may have shaped us in one way or another, but they must not define us! Instead, these painful memories must guide how we live and how we heal.”

He then apologized on behalf of the Liberian state, saying: “I offer a formal apology on behalf of the State—To every victim of our civil conflict, to every family broken, to every dream shattered, we say: WE ARE SORRY. The State could have done better but was used as agency. But we are here now, and we must do everything we can to make sure that it never fails you again!”

According to him, the apology must be followed by action, reaffirming commitment to implementing key recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

He averred: “We will revive the National History Project to rewrite a comprehensive and inclusive history of Liberia that reflects our diversity; establish a National Memorial to honor the victims of our conflict including the over two hundred and fifty thousand who departed and to guarantee it never happens again and to preserve the TRC archives as a testament to our national conscience and collective memory.”

He reminded Liberians that reconciliation is not an event; it is a mindset, a journey, a shared responsibility.

“Let us make reconciliation not a slogan, but a standard by which we govern and live,” said the president. “We must also take this moment to review our national compass for reconciliation and healing.”

He recalled that in 2012, Liberia launched the Strategic Roadmap for National Healing, Peacebuilding, and Reconciliation, an 18-year framework extending to 2030 – a bold, visionary commitment to long-term healing and transformation.

The Roadmap identified three core strategic outcomes, he enumerated. “Transforming mindsets, Rebuilding relationships, and Rebuilding social, political, and economic institutions. We are now five years from the conclusion of this national roadmap. Five years left to fulfill a generational promise. We should no longer hesitate. It is now time for bold, and coordinated action.”

He called on government ministries, agencies, and the civil society, development partners, and the private sector to align their efforts in support of the roadmap’s goals.

“Let us review progress made and push forward with urgency,” he stressed, quoting the American Civil Rights leader, Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., who once said: “Remember that peace is not just the absence of war. It is the presence of justice.” Peace is an opportunity shared. Peace is the voices that are heard.”

“Let us build that peace together. We owe it to those we lost. We owe it to those who survived. We owe it to our children. We owe it to our future. Above all, we owe it to ourselves!” The Chief Executive concluded.