Africa-Press – Liberia. The keynote speaker at the 49th graduation ceremony of Tappeh Memorial High School, Hon. Bob Yeanuah Kartoe, has challenged graduates to live purpose-driven lives, describing purpose as the light that guides individuals, communities, and nations.
Speaking on the theme “Find Your Purpose” in Tappita, the Deputy Director-General for Administration at the National Food Assistance Agency said a life anchored in purpose makes one a beacon in society and a meaningful contributor to national development.
Hon. Kartoe acknowledged that life beyond the classroom presents limitless opportunities and choices, but urged graduates to deliberately prioritize the right direction, identity, and purpose if they hope to positively impact Liberia.
He praised the 49th graduating class for naming itself the “Class of Tier Leh Ko Ka (We Are the Light),” noting that the slogan reflects the students’ ambition to become catalysts for change in their respective communities.
“The singular most important purpose of light is to make vision possible—to enable us to see,” he said. “Members of the Class of Tier Leh Ko Ka, find your purpose individually. Ask yourself: Am I the source that produces the light? Am I the medium through which the light travels? Or am I the light bulb that makes seeing possible?”
The keynote speaker stressed that purpose goes beyond theory, insisting it must translate into service and impact.
“Your very existence is wrapped up in the things you are here to fulfill,” he added. “Whatever career path you choose, remember that the struggles along the way are meant to shape you for your purpose.”
Drawing from his own life, Hon. Kartoe recounted the hardships he endured as an ordinary Liberian student who rose to national prominence. He urged the graduates not to retreat in the face of adversity, noting that his own journey was marked by struggle, discomfort, resentment, and discouragement—but never defeat.
“Education was not guaranteed for me; it was a daily battle,” he recalled. “To stay in school, I plaited mats, cut palm, joined Kuu, worked at People Farms, sold sausages, changed ‘tear-tear’ money, and did whatever honest work I could find. After high school, I became a ‘gold boy’ in Grand Gedeh, sold gasoline, and kept pushing forward.”
Despite the hardships, he said, he never surrendered his future to circumstance.
“At no point was the journey smooth. But at every point, I made a decision: I would not surrender my future to my circumstances,” he emphasized.
Hon. Kartoe advised graduates seeking purpose to begin with God and self-reflection; pay attention to pain and struggle; identify their gifts and strengths; serve and explore different paths; take the harder road when necessary; listen to wise counsel; align choices with meaning—not just money—and trust the process toward a fulfilled life.
In a related message, he commended parents, guardians, teachers, and administrators of Tappeh Memorial High School for their sacrifices in “shaping futures they may never fully see,” noting that history would remember their contributions.
He described the values instilled by the school as a “seed planted in the future of this nation,” adding that Liberia’s progress ultimately depends on the strength of its classrooms.
The 49th graduation ceremony, held Friday in Tappita City, drew officials of the Government of Liberia, foreign partners, representatives of the Nimba County and Tappita District Education Offices, sister schools, local and district administrators, parents, and other stakeholders.
For More News And Analysis About Liberia Follow Africa-Press
