-Dr. Whapoe urges students to change the condition
Opposition Vision for Liberia Transformation Party (VOLT) Political Leader Dr. Jeremiah Z. Whapoe has challenged Bong County Students Association at the United Methodist University on Ashmum Street to look inside them leaders and change the condition that has made philanthropy a phenomenon in Liberia and begging for survival eventually a lifestyle.
“If you agree with me that the beauty of a pencil is the graphite that emerge from the inside, then agree with me and look inside you as a leader and change this condition that has made philanthropy a phenomenon in your country and begging for survival has eventually become a lifestyle,” Dr. Whapoe said Friday, 21 May on the university campus on Ashmum Street.
Serving as Guest Speaker, Dr. Whapoe said although some of your wealth as a leader might been owned at the expense of the poor, thereby trashing them into unbearable life circumstance as in the case of Liberia, what he is truly against is the condition that makes philanthropy necessary.
Speaking at the program on the topic “The Pencil Leadership: an indelible impact,” Dr. Whapoe suggested that “It doesn’t matter who becomes your leader or which tribe in Liberia leads, but what matters to the Liberian people is how well your leadership does [leave] positive imprint on the minds of the people.”
Further to that , Dr. Whapoe contended that it is not about how long you stayed in leadership position, whether 6yrs, 12 years, 18 years or even 24 years. However, Dr. Whapoe noted that what matters is how well you are leading, how you will lead, or how well you have led, saying the size of your pencil does not determine your level of education, but how well you write your name.
“Liberian leaders, write [your] name on the mind of the Liberian people and write it well so they can know that the pencil is in the master’s hand,” he continued.
The VOLT political leader who is also a Research Fellow at the University of Liberia Graduate School and at Mother Pattern College of Health Sciences noted that he is not too sure how many of here have devoted time to acquire discipline in Leadership, but what he knows for sure is that leaders’ focus need to be sharpened and live to the point just like a pencil.
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He stated that leaders, like the pencil, you just can’t be in anybody’s hand, adding that it must be a capable person because if you are held by the fingers of one who has nothing in his or her head, but air, you are going to write foolishness.
“Hence, in the hand of a master, everything is possible. Fellow students, and potential leaders of our beloved land of liberty, what really matters in a pencil is not the beauty of the wooden exterior, but the graphite inside,” he cautioned the students. “So always pay attention to what is happening inside you. As a leader, make sure that inside you is characterized by utilitarianism,” Dr. Whapoe said.
The VOLT political leader said he is told that no one is perfect, that is why pencils have been made with erasers. He said without question, the students are going to make some marks, saying you would rather forget but the loving God almighty gives you the ability to wipe the slate clean.
“Students, I have come here today as an encouragement, do not waste your time to look for better pencil, what I can tell you is learn how to write better. You will write better when the pencil is well pruned,” said Dr. Whapoe.
He cautioned that whenever your pencil is dull, sharpen it, and whenever your pencil is sharp, use it until it gets dull, because this is the only way one can know that the pencil is being used. Following his speech, Dr. Whapoe announced LD$20,000 as his contribution toward the Bong County Students Association’s scholarship fund drive. By Winston W. Parley
