The Liberian Institute For “Growing” Patriotism (LIGP), in collaboration with the Cuttington University Junior College on Wednesday, December 6, 2023 launched the Rev. Emmanuel Z. Bowier,  sustaining Liberia ‘s Peace Through Community Engagement for Conflict Prevention and Peace Building,  with an initial funding of $500 United States Dollars from Cuttington University and $500 United States Dollars from Executive Director OluBanke King-Akerele.

The program which was held on the campus of the Cuttington University Junior College in Kakata, Margibi County, brought together executives of the (LIGP), faculty and students of the Cuttington University Junior College, executives of the Booker Washington Institute (BWI), youth groups, volunteers, and other personalities.

In her welcoming statement at the program, Dr. Romelle H. Horton, President of the Cuttington University warmly affirmed that the program came at a most opportune time which she said will further strengthen the importance of the sustenance of peace in the country.  

According to her, Liberia is so blessed that this generation was able to usher in a new administration peacefully. She further asserted that the sustainability of the peace of Liberia is upon the shoulders of every Liberian, and that only way to do so is to continually talk about peace, adding that the launching of the program is a significant step toward achieving that objective.

Giving a brief overview of the institution, Olubanke King-Akerele, Executive Director of the Liberian Institute For “Growing” Patriotism (LIGP) explained that the institution was organized in 2013 with the purpose of producing Liberia’s home-grown peace builders. 

She  named  Cllr. Yvette Chesson-Wureh , herself and Rev. J. Emmanuel Z. Bowier and the founding members of the institution  followed by thanking  Dr. Horton and the faculty of the Cuttington University for their advancement of the cause of sustaining Liberia’s peace.

She  recognized the young  people    passionately, referring to them as the future of the country, and charged them to prepare themselves for leadership.

Olubanke King-Akerele  explained that the significance of the program is to honor the legacy of the late Rev. J. Emmanuel Z. Bowier, who she said was a board member of the (LIGP).

“Reverend Bowier was a God sent, a giant, but the Nation did not know how to maximize that man”, she added.

 Furthermore, she asserted that we 

She further explained that they have had too many empty talks, but  it is now time to operationalize  their  quest for sustaining peace in Liberia by engaging the communities and encouraging all to avoid provocative talks that have the propensity to undermine the peace they all  cherish so much.

In response, Mr. Princeton M. Bowier, son of the late Rev. Bowier appreciated the initiative taken by the two institutions to honor the legacy of his father, promising to narrate the event to his family. He revealed that through his many interactions with his father, he came to understand that  his father was truly a man of peace.

In another remark, Mr. Shem S.D. Saywrayne Jr., an AMEU graduate and volunteer Assistant to the programme, encouraged the youth of Liberia to prioritize volunteerism.

He along with other  representatives of many youth groups, and the (BWI) pledged support to buttress the efforts of the (LIGP) and the Cuttington University Junior College.