-President Warns Against Corruption, Division, and Indiscipline as He Links Faith to Governance
MONROVIA, LIBERIA — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai on Monday, May 25, delivered one of his strongest moral and spiritual appeals since assuming office, using Liberia’s first National Prayer Breakfast to call for integrity, discipline, patriotism, and collective national responsibility amid ongoing efforts to rebuild the country.
Speaking before clergy, government officials, foreign evangelists, diplomats, private sector representatives, and members of the public at the EJS Ministerial Complex in Oldest Congo Town, President Boakai framed Liberia’s political and economic future as inseparable from faith, morality, and responsible leadership.
“This gathering is far more than a ceremonial breakfast,” the President declared. “It is a moment of national reflection.”
The National Prayer Breakfast, organized in collaboration with the Evangelical Seminary of West Africa and religious leaders from across Liberia, marked one of the largest faith-centered gatherings hosted by the Boakai administration since taking office.
“Unless the Lord Builds the House”
At the center of the President’s message was a strong biblical warning that national progress without moral foundations would ultimately fail.
Quoting Psalm 127, Boakai reminded the audience:
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”
The Liberian leader argued that Liberia’s survival through civil wars, political instability, economic collapse, and years of uncertainty was possible largely because Liberians never abandoned faith in God.
“Indeed, ours is a nation that has survived because our people never stopped believing,” he stated.
Boakai said prayer and spirituality have historically shaped Liberia’s identity since the founding of the Republic and remain essential to the country’s future.
“As we mark 179 years of independence, Liberia is not where it should be,” the President admitted. “But still, we have much to be proud of.”
A Political Defense of His Administration
While deeply religious in tone, the speech also served as a clear political defense of the President’s administration and its development agenda.
He pointed to ongoing infrastructure projects, institutional reforms, democratic stability, and Liberia’s recent election to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council as evidence that the country is gradually regaining international confidence.
“That achievement is not merely symbolic,” Boakai said regarding Liberia’s Security Council election. “It reflects renewed trust in our country, our democratic stability, and our voice in global affairs.”
He insisted that Liberia is making “deliberate progress” despite economic and governance challenges.
The President also linked national development directly to his administration’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, stressing that his government remains committed to expanding roads, electricity, water access, governance reforms, and economic opportunities across the country.
Strong Warning Against Corruption and Division
One of the strongest moments of the address came when Boakai warned that Liberia cannot expect divine blessings while simultaneously embracing corruption, dishonesty, indiscipline, and political division.
“We cannot seek divine favor while tolerating division, corruption, dishonesty, and indifference,” he cautioned.
The President argued that prayer alone is meaningless if national conduct does not reflect moral responsibility.
“A praying nation must also be a responsible nation,” Boakai declared. “A faithful people must also be disciplined people.”
He further stressed that public service should be viewed as stewardship rather than personal privilege.
“Faith must shape conduct. Prayer must shape decisions. Patriotism must shape sacrifice,” he added.
Political observers viewed the comments as a direct reflection of the administration’s ongoing anti-corruption messaging and broader attempts to portray Boakai as a morally grounded leader focused on national renewal.
Calls for National Unity and Shared Responsibility
President Boakai also appealed for greater national unity at a time when Liberia remains politically polarized following the 2023 elections and amid continuing debates over governance, corruption, and reconciliation.
He emphasized that rebuilding Liberia cannot be left solely to government.
“The Church has a role. The Mosque has a role. The private sector has a role. Families have a role. Communities have a role. Every Liberian has a role,” he declared.
The President described the prayer breakfast as a model of what Liberia should aspire to become — a country where people from different sectors gather “not for politics, not for personal interest, but for the common good of Liberia.”
“Liberia’s Greatest Days Are Still Ahead”
Closing his address, Boakai urged Liberians to renew both their spiritual covenant with God and their patriotic commitment to country.
“Let us ask not only for blessings,” he said, “but for the wisdom and courage to be worthy stewards of those blessings.”
He concluded on an optimistic note:
“With faith, unity, discipline, and hard work, Liberia’s greatest days are still ahead.”
For many attendees, the President’s remarks represented more than a religious speech — they reflected an effort to define the moral and political tone of his presidency at a critical moment in Liberia’s national journey.
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