Speech Delivered By Dr. Samora P.Z. Wolokolie At CDC Headquarters on Occasion Marking The Opening of Academic Meet The Challenge In Honor of President George Weah's 55th Birthday Anniversary

Fellow comrades of the intellectual class, I bring you greetings and thank you for being here today. We have assembled today for a noble cause. A cause that would see you display your academic abilities.

I am Samora P.Z. Wolokolie. I currently serve our party (CDC) as the National Deputy Secretary General for Administration and the Liberian people as Deputy Minister of Fiscal Affairs at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. It is an honor to be here, and I am exceedingly grateful to the Revolutionary National Youth League of our party for affording me the distinguished opportunity to give brief remarks in the capacity as Keynote Speaker. I see this invitation as an opportunity to speak to you in such a way that would arouse your academic sensitivities. I am pleased to be speaking to you today. I hope that you would feel as excited as I am to be part of this great moment. I would also like to encourage the organizers of this program to make this a regular event. This would go a long way in sharpening the intellectual ability of our students across districts.

Ladies and gentlemen: Today, at this place and at this moment, we will witness young men and women of high academic standing do battle intellectually. Today, we will witness young men and women who have burned the midnight candles display their academic supremacy. On this day, on this very stage, we will witness why education is the bedrock of any functioning society. In this regard, let's congratulate the scholars from the various participating districts. The road that leads to academic success is usually a rocky one. To attain success, one has to be determined, committed and hardworking. Success doesn’t come on a silver platter. We are excited that most of you have recognized the importance of academic excellence. The scholars that will be locking horns here today are a microcosm of the new breed of students that are ready to excel to higher heights.

At this juncture, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank our party’s revolutionary Youth League for organizing this academic challenge competition and for your farsightedness in including this event as part of activities marking the 55th birthday anniversary of the President of Liberia, H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah. This event espouses the President’s vision of ensuring that young people are provided the opportunity and space to pursue their educational goals. The Government of Liberia is unambiguously and unflinchingly committed to providing quality education to all who seek it, and you can rest assured that those of you who are determined to excel, would be provided the opportunity and means to do so.

To you, our academic gladiators, I salute you for gaining the trust and confidence of your colleagues to represent them here today. At home, your parents and relatives are glued to their radios to hear you make them proud. On campuses, your colleagues and school administrators and instructional staff are all listening to hear you display what you have learned and acquired over the years. I urge you to do your very best and to stay within the rules governing the competition. Be a resilient, but fair competitor.

Today, and in my capacity as your keynote speaker and as a former quicker of the 90s, I would like to speak to you briefly on the importance of staying in school and completing your education. It is my hope and expectation that what I would say would motivate you to do those things that would ensure a productive future. One of the compelling reasons why it is important to stay in school and complete is because in today’s society it is a mandate. Dropping out of school is an academic travesty that has countless repercussions. High school or college dropouts deprive themselves of opportunities. It is better to be prepared and ready while awaiting an opportunity, then to have opportunities and not be ready or capable. I urge you today to stay the course despite the difficulties and challenges. Never give up - never quit. Light will always be at the end of the tunnel for those who are ready and able. Do not allow your current situation to discourage you. Treat every hardship and disappointment as a stepping stone to pursue your ambition to its logical conclusion.

Ladies and gentlemen: Before closing, I like to dare our scholars to dream big. Optimize your goals and aspirations. Never settle for less. Go for the best. In doing so, I urge you to keep your goals as realistic and achievable as possible. Dreaming big does not mean dreaming aimlessly. The actions you take today would determine whether you are on the right trajectory to achieve your goals. Success does not come easily. Your tenacity and gravel must be brought to bear in any given challenge. And so, at this juncture, I wish each participating district good luck and best wishes as you do battle for academic supremacy. I embrace the opportunity to speak to you today, and we look forward to having the academic challenges where scholars of high academic standings will display their strength without any reservation.

Over the past 3 years, the Revolutionary Youth League has transformed itself from a potent political force that serves as the bastion of the CDC into a reservoir of intellectuals of high academic standing. Men and women of the indomitable Youth League have gone on to achieve higher education. Some are today providing leadership at both the national and local levels. I must admit, we are proud of the steadfastness of the Youth League and we have explicit confidence in their ability to remain the uncompromising gatekeepers that they have always demonstrated to be.

Today's district quizzing contest is a further manifestation of the Youth League's desire promote academic excellence in our society.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen: the political history of Liberia, our land of nativity, cannot be told without reference to the Revolutionary National Youth League of the CDC. This Youth league, our youth League remains the foundation on which our party stands. I salute you, revolutionary militants, men and women of unmatched courage and farsightedness. Keep up the good works......the future of our noble party and our country rest squarely on your shoulders. Viva, viva, viva Revolutionary National Youth League. Viva!

I thank you.