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By Stephen G. Fellajuah
MONROVIA, Liberia, July 24, 2026 — Former Deputy Foreign Minister B. Elias Shoniyin has urged Liberians to use the country’s 179th Independence Day celebration as an opportunity to reflect on its history, confront present challenges and recommit to building a more united and prosperous nation.
In an Independence Day message, Shoniyin said Liberia’s independence was achieved through courage, sacrifice, diplomacy and faith, noting that the country’s journey toward international recognition was neither easy nor guaranteed.
He recalled that Liberia’s first president, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, spent months abroad seeking international recognition and support for the newly established republic.
“The freedom we celebrate today was not inherited lightly; it was earned through courage, sacrifice, diplomacy, and unwavering faith,” Shoniyin said.
He described Liberia’s national history as one of “remarkable promise and painful contradiction,” marked by periods of progress and influence as well as political exclusion, economic hardship, corruption, civil conflict, institutional decline and national trauma.
Shoniyin said that although Liberia once served as a center of African leadership, diplomacy and education, the country must also acknowledge the difficult chapters that have shaped its development.
“Even as we celebrate today, the scars of the past remain visible. The memories of war, division, and injustice still live in our national consciousness,” he said.
He cited the reburial of former President William R. Tolbert Jr. and 13 officials killed following the 1980 military coup, along with former President Samuel Kanyon Doe, as significant acts of remembrance carrying broader implications for reconciliation and national healing.
According to Shoniyin, genuine reconciliation requires Liberians to confront painful truths, acknowledge historical wrongs and pursue healing sincerely.
The former diplomat also highlighted continuing socioeconomic challenges, including poverty, unemployment, rising living costs, inadequate healthcare and limited opportunities.
He said many young Liberians remain uncertain about their future, while some citizens feel excluded from the opportunities and aspirations associated with the “Liberian dream.”
Despite those challenges, Shoniyin expressed optimism about ongoing efforts to restore public confidence, strengthen governance, promote accountability, rebuild state institutions and advance sustainable development.
He pointed to initiatives involving public-sector integrity, infrastructure rehabilitation, economic revitalization, youth empowerment, institutional reform and stronger cooperation with international partners as signs of progress.
Shoniyin stressed that Liberia’s transformation cannot be achieved by the government alone, saying nation-building requires contributions from public officials, the private sector, civil society, religious institutions, women, young people, the diaspora and other citizens.
He urged Liberians to embrace unity, integrity and public service while rejecting division, corruption, selfish interests and narrow political agendas.
