-Finance Minister Says Booker Washington Institute Shaped His Character, Career, and Commitment to National Service as School Recognizes Distinguished Alumni at 97th Founders Day Celebration
KAKATA, Margibi County – An emotional Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, Liberia’s Minister of Finance and Development Planning, returned to the institution that helped shape his life on Saturday, June 27, 2026, declaring that whatever success he and others have achieved in public service is rooted in the discipline, values and education he received at the Booker T. Washington Institute (BWI).
Speaking after receiving one of the institution’s coveted “Tiger Awards” during BWI’s 97th Founders Day celebration, Ngafuan delivered a deeply personal tribute to his alma mater, praising the institution for producing generations of disciplined, patriotic and industrious Liberians while calling on alumni to invest more deliberately in its future.
“This is home,” Ngafuan told the gathering. “We were made at BWI.”
Those four words captured the emotion of a ceremony that celebrated not only the institution’s remarkable 97-year legacy but also the countless lives it has transformed since opening its doors in 1929.
Held under the theme, “Honoring Our Founders, Celebrating Our Legacy Towards the Centenary,” the celebration attracted President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., cabinet ministers, lawmakers, diplomats, development partners, alumni from Liberia and the diaspora, students and faculty members, as BWI honored distinguished graduates whose professional achievements have brought pride to the institution and the nation.
Among this year’s honorees, Ngafuan’s recognition stood out as a tribute to one of Liberia’s most accomplished public servants, who has served in several senior government positions, including Director of the Budget, Minister of Finance (only), Minister of Foreign Affairs and now Minister of Finance and Development Planning.
Another individual whose honor stood tall and still stands is Dr. (LHD) Kenneth Yarkpawolo Best. Mr. Best, who was referred to as “Super Tiger”, graduated from BWI in 1959, 30 years before Ngafuan walked out of BWI in 1989. The soon-to-be nonagenarian is Liberia’s oldest practicing journalist, who is the founder and owner of Liberia’s oldest independent newspaper– Daily Observer, which was setup nearly five decades ago.
An Honor That Carries Deep Meaning
Receiving the prestigious Tiger Award, Ngafuan described the recognition as one of the most meaningful honors of his professional life because it came from the institution that laid the foundation for everything he has become.
Unlike many awards presented by organizations or governments, he said, recognition from one’s alma mater carries a unique significance because it reflects the judgment of an institution that witnessed one’s formative years.
“I am deeply humbled,” he said. “There are many awards one may receive in life, but being honored by the institution that helped shape your character and prepared you for life’s journey is truly special.”
The Finance Minister recalled his years as a student at BWI, describing them as challenging but transformative.
He credited the institution not simply with teaching technical skills but with instilling discipline, responsibility, integrity and a strong work ethic—qualities he said have guided him throughout his public service career.
“BWI Produces Builders”
Ngafuan rejected the notion that BWI should be viewed merely as another educational institution.
Instead, he described it as a national institution whose graduates have quietly contributed to building Liberia across virtually every sector of society.
“BWI produces builders,” he said. “It produces people who solve problems. It produces people who understand the dignity of work.”
He noted that thousands of BWI graduates continue to distinguish themselves as engineers, technicians, entrepreneurs, educators, agricultural specialists, mechanics, public servants and business leaders both in Liberia and abroad.
According to him, the institution’s greatest legacy is not its physical infrastructure but the quality of citizens it has produced over nearly a century.
Praise for Principal Dr. Nancy T. Freeman
A significant portion of Ngafuan’s remarks focused on the leadership of Principal Dr. Nancy T. Freeman, whom he credited with guiding BWI through an important period of renewal.
He praised her administration for restoring confidence in the institution while expanding academic programs, strengthening international partnerships and improving campus infrastructure.
The Finance Minister said the transformation taking place at BWI demonstrates what visionary leadership can accomplish when supported by committed faculty, alumni and development partners.
He encouraged Liberians everywhere to rally behind Dr. Freeman’s efforts as the institution prepares to celebrate its centennial in 2029.
Boakai’s Commitment to BWI
Ngafuan also commended President Boakai for what he described as the administration’s renewed commitment to technical and vocational education.
He said the President’s decision to personally attend the Founders Day celebration sent a powerful message about the importance government attaches to institutions like BWI.
According to him, Liberia’s development aspirations cannot be achieved without strengthening technical education and investing in young people equipped with practical skills.
The Finance Minister expressed confidence that the government’s education agenda would create new opportunities for institutions such as BWI to play an even greater role in national development.
A Call to Fellow Alumni
While celebrating the institution’s achievements, Ngafuan challenged fellow alumni to move beyond nostalgia and become active partners in BWI’s continued transformation.
He urged graduates to contribute financially, mentor students, support scholarship programs and leverage their professional networks to expand opportunities for the next generation.
“Our responsibility did not end the day we graduated,” he told fellow alumni.
“If BWI invested in us, then we must invest in BWI.”
He said alumni have both a moral obligation and a practical responsibility to help preserve the institution’s legacy while positioning it for even greater success during its second century.
The Significance of the Tiger Award
The Tiger Award represents one of Booker Washington Institute’s highest honors, recognizing alumni whose professional accomplishments, leadership and service have reflected positively on the institution.
Recipients are selected not only for career success but also for demonstrating the values that BWI has sought to instill in its students for nearly a century—discipline, integrity, excellence, innovation and service.
For many alumni, receiving the Tiger Award symbolizes a lifelong bond with an institution that has shaped generations of Liberian leaders.
As applause filled the auditorium, Ngafuan reflected on that enduring connection.
Long after graduation, he suggested, one never truly leaves Booker Washington Institute.
Instead, BWI continues to live in the character, discipline and service of every graduate it sends into the world. And, this was echoed by Principal Dr. Freeman that Dr. Best is still actively in touch with the institution after 67 years.
For Ngafuan, Saturday’s recognition was therefore more than a personal honor.
It was a homecoming—one that reaffirmed his belief that Liberia’s future will continue to be built by institutions that combine education with character, technical excellence and an unwavering commitment to national service.
For breaking news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive reports from Liberia and around the world, follow The Liberian Post on Facebook (https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576017166570) and X, formerly Twitter (https://x.com/LiberianPost).
