The statue of Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was unveiled was unveiled in Owerri, Imo State last Friday.
Sirleaf had earlier being conferred a chieftaincy title of Ada Di Oha Mma by the Chairman of Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Samuel Ohiri.
Earlier, while speaking to students of Rochas Foundation , Mrs Sirleaf said that Education is the most effective way to fight poverty in Africa and also ensure the Unity of Africa, adding that if most Children of Africa have access to quality education the problem of the Continent is solved.
He added that with the determination the Students from the African Countries would end up being in Positions to fight poverty, eradicate injustice in their Countries and preach the Unity of Africa.
Her words “when I see this smiling children, I recollect what happened in my country 15years ago, when kids of their ages, children like them were not able to go to School because there were no Schools. Children like them were conscripted into the army when they had guns bigger than them. Those children did not have the comfort of life and water as been provided by this foundation to the indigent children of Africa”.
She stated “I have travelled to every part of the world and I have travelled all over Africa, I have never experienced something like this. I have seen leaders of Africa build Schools, roads, give scholarships, and so on, in all of these things, I have not seen any of them go beyond the ordinary by gathering indigent children of Africa from all of our countries, bring them together in our family, sharing together, I thank you. There is no other better way to fight poverty and preach unity than this”.
She Continued “These children now live on the pursuit of excellence. Excellence is not getting what you want to be but getting the best of what you want to be and this is what this foundation is offering to the children”.
Mrs. Sirleaf also said that she represents the women of Africa who continued to work to ensure that they have greater participation, greater equality and greater empowerment in all the spheres of our national and international endeavours, because if women are involved, the economy, the welfare and State of the nations will be better.
She further explained that the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Board of Trustees Chairman of the Rochas Foundation College of Africa was the forerunner of the Processes of the peace achieved in Liberia, describing the students as the hope of the future of Africa.
Governor Rochas Okorocha in his speech said, the foundation he started about twenty years ago with ten Rochas Foundation Colleges across the nation and with more than fifteen thousand Students is like a miracle, adding that it is a spiritual Contract between him and his God.
According to him “what I do today is not a dramatization of affluence as I am not amongst the richest in Africa, Rochas foundation is a dramatization of sacrifice. This may as well be the Africa we are looking for, I do know that this institution will grow beyond me and my generation. This may be the beginning of the unity we all crave for in Africa. These children now see themselves as one family”.
L:R: Wife of Imo State Governor, Nneoma Rochas Okorocha, Liberia President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha At The Unveiling Of Sirleaf Statue In Owerri
