Liberia: Pres. Boakai devotes 80th birthday to raising money for his JNB Foundation
By James Kokulo Fasuekoi|Editor-Publisher
Two weeks ago, Nov. 19, Global Ekklesia reported Liberia’s 26th president, Amb. Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. would devote his 80th birthday toward raising money to help run his JNB Foundation; that happened Saturday, Nov. 30th, in Monrovia, as he Pres. Boakai praised his foundation’s current staff while encouraging his friends and donors to help donate funds to accelerate the team’s work.
There were two separate, but unique occasions set up for the celebration of President Boakai’s 80th birthday, which came a day after late President Tubman’s natal day. One was an entire day affair, quite casual and opened to the public at his Rehab residence. It included jazz and traditional performances, visitation as well as giving gifts to the president.
The second portion of the celebration was staged at the EJS Ministerial Complex, a multipurpose building situated in Congo Town which hosts most of the government’s departments. This dinner was attended only by special invitees including local and foreign dignitaries the president’s birthday’s committee had identified for financial donation.
The fundraising for the JNB Foundation lasted till midnight, although President Boakai earlier excused himself to get home early after what seems a hectic day, leaving his wife Kartumu Boakai to continue the exercise together with Mrs. Linda Karim-Creevey, the foundation’s Ambassador at Large, and also friend to President Boakai.
At the time of this writing the total amount of money raised wasn’t yet announced as Ambassador Linda Karim-Creevey and her Birthday Committee were still at work, trying to put pieces together in order to determine the exact amount raised. The foundation’s Executive Director Hon. Jackson K. George, responding to a text from this writer, seemed hopeful the committee could give a figure today, Tuesday, following a meeting.
President Boakai was born November 30, 1944, exactly 80 years ago, in the Lofa northwestern town of Worsonga near Foya Kamala, Liberia. He’s a family man and a Christian too. He married Mrs. Kartumu Yatta-Boakai (now First Lady of Liberia) 1972, when he was 28, while both attended the University of Liberia.
For their dinner ball, the First Gentleman and First Lady wore soothing evening attire, each with soft shoes, comfortable enough to let them stay longer and move freely. Mrs. Boakai wore a silver-blue dress, embedded with gold-like flowery designs plus a matching headwrap while Amb. Boakai sported an elegant sky-blue garb that bore the initial “JNB,” placed inches above left chest pocket, with his signature “kerchief” hat.
A Soft-speaking individual, Pres. Boakai has come to be known for his numerous philanthropic endeavors. His foundation, founded in 2018, is solely committed to assisting urban and rural community residents. The foundation occasionally helps major hospitals in the country, providing them with badly needed medical equipment such as EKGs, dental instruments and incubators valued at millions of U.S. Dollars.
ALL PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAMES KOKULO FASUEKOI
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Related articles on Pres. Joseph N. Boakai, Sr. by Global Ekklesia:
Liberia to induct a devout Christian president into office next January – (globalekklesia.com)