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 The chairman , officers, and members of The Lutheran Training Institute Student Association of America (LUTISAA), friends of LUTISAA, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

 

I am very honored by your invitation to speak during your seventh annual convention. In fact, I am a little jealous because , as a student of Zorzor Lutheran School, LTI was my dream high school. On the other hand, I am grateful for my many relatives who attended LTI, including my sister Nowu, Uncle Yanquoi, my brothers Beyan Paye and Wennie Duyenku, my niece Kolu, Nephew George Samah, Gowala (may he rest in peace), fokpa Dolo, and many others.

 

I understand your conference theme is LUTISAA at the Crossroads. Under this rubric, I will address my topic, REAWAKENING A FALLEN ALMA MATER: THE DAUNTING CHALLENGE OF LUTISAA.

 

After the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and prior to His ascension, He commissioned His disciples in Matthew 28: 18-20:

 

18 “… All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

19: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

20: teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."

 

In effecting this divine commission, the followers of Jesus were initially called people of The Way”. Later, they were known as Christians and coalesced into a catholic (or world-wide) church. When this church was established formally in Rome as The Catholic Church, it had its problems—schisms and irregularities. When the church offered to sell indulgences, a priest and professor named Dr. Martin Luther wrote his ninety-five theses opposing this practice. After refusing to recant, he was excommunicated and threatened with death. His followers became known as Lutherans, a name he vehemently resented as he merely wanted to reform The Catholic Church, not break away from it.

 

The Lutheran resistance and reformation triggered the protestant movement. The purpose of the Lutheran Church was (and I hope still is) to carry out the Lord’s divine commission. To this end, missionaries from Germany and Austria went to different parts of the world. Scandinavia was a favorite spot so much so that to this day, only Lutherans can be citizens of Iceland.

 

North America was not omitted from this missionary pursuit. The first Lutheran missionary to North America was Carl Muhlenberg. Many years later, Pastor Morris Officer became a product of this pursuit.  He attended Wittenberg University in Ohio, served as pastor of First Lutheran Church in Springfield, OH before leaving for Liberia in 1860. He was therefore the first Lutheran missionary to Liberia. He spent a year in Liberia and returned to the States to campaign for the new church in West Africa. Pastor David A. Day and his wife Emily were the first missionaries who spent many years in Liberia. 

 

Pastor Officer established his mission along the St. Paul River and called the mission Muhlenberg, after Carl Muhlenberg. His first students were recaptives returned to Monrovia from slave ships. The first schools established were the E. V. Day Girls School and the Muhlenberg Boys School; these were later merged into the Lutheran Training Institute, LTI. In 1958, LTI was moved from Muhlenberg to Salayea, Western Province, now Lofa County. There was therefore a Divine Hand across the ages—from Palestine to Rome, to Germany, to the United States, to Liberia and eventually to Salayea. In other words, the founding of LTI was not fortuitous for with God, nothing happens by chance.

 

LTI was blessed with competent and committed administrators and teachers: Dr. Henry Kwekwe, M. Flomo Juasemai, Miss Lillian Batholamei (Miss LB), Dr. Bansa, Dr. Takyi, the Bowers, and many others. Through these great people, LTI produced Liberia’s first ophthalmologist (Dr. Traub) and his brother, a general surgeon, Dr. Gwenigale, Liberia’s first heart-transplant surgeon, Dr. Jerome Ngaingana, a future bishop (Ron Diggs), political leaders, and many many more, including great athletes. A former coach of Liberia’s national football squad, The Lone Star (Kadala Kromah) is an LTI alumnus.

 

Indeed, one takes a risk in naming only a few of the great men and women LTI has produced but, it goes without saying that the greatest product of LTI is you. Sadly, however, because of our senseless civil war, that great institution lies in ruins today.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, imagine with me for a moment. We are leaving Monrovia headed up country; we are due north northwest. We pass Kakata, Totota and turn left at the Gbanga gas station. We pass through Belefanai, Gbalatua, and down the hill to St. Paul Bridge. We gladly cross into Lofa County. After passing Gorlu and a few small towns, we are in Salayea. Immediately thereafter, approximately 176 miles after we started, we are greeted by a big sign: LUTHERAN TRAINING INSTITUTE. There we are on the beautiful campus of LTI, with its modern buildings and a modern science complex. The students are well dressed, the campus clean, the rules strict, and the lesson tough but these are the things that produce great men and women.

 

Once, LTI provided theological training for Liberian pastors. In my days at Zorzor, there were only five Lutheran elementary schools in Liberia: Zorzor, Totota, Belefanai, KP and St. Peter’s. Later, Belefanai and KP closed down but, like me, graduates from these schools longed for LTI.   Before the 1990 war, however, eighty Lutheran schools were feeding into LTI along with many other schools around the country, the sub-region and the world. LTI was among the top five high schools in the country.

 

 Today, it is very sad to note that LTI is a fallen institution. All that is left is a slim resemblance of its past and even that is swallowed up by bushes. You, her pride and products must lift her up from the dust and restore her pride, redouble her contribution to Liberia, Africa and the world.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, let’s not be nostalgic or sentimental about this; LTI has given you the three R’s: reading, writing and arithmetic. She has taught you to read and now, you read to learn. She has given you roots, and now, you decide how firmly you want to build upon that foundation. LTI has given you wings and now, you determine how high you want to fly. LTI gave you a title (high school graduate) without which you could not have gone any further in your pursuit of education. LTI gave you a character and served as an alma mater to be proud of. By being a graduate of LTI, you are automatically in the company of great men and women. Indeed, you should be very proud.   

 

I have no doubt you are most grateful for what you got from LTI; otherwise, you would not be here. If you are truly grateful, I challenge you today to give back six R’s in return for the three R’s and more that you got: Resurrection, Reconstruction, Restoration, Rejuvenation, Reproduction, and Resilience. I also pray that other Liberian alumni associations give these six R’s back to their respective alma maters.

 

Resurrection:  The spirit, hope and future of LTI are dead. You, her proud products, must resurrect them. You must raise that great school from the dust, reawaken her pride, and repolish her greatness. You are her last chance; please do not let LTI, Liberia and the world down.

 

Reconstruction: Resurrecting LTI includes physical reconstruction. Let us see the modern science complex, auditorium, dormitories, classrooms and other edifices spring up anew. There is nothing more laudable than LUTISAA sending representatives to sweat in the hot Liberian sun to rebuild the campus as a fraction of what LTI gave you. You can do it if you have the will.

 

Restoration: LTI is not just buildings; you must restore her reputation, quality, fame, etc.. You can do this by ensuring she has the kind of teachers and school supplies you enjoyed. You must restore the strict guidelines you endured but which made you the strong people you are.

 

 

Rejuvenation: Restoration must transcend the status quo to embrace rejuvenation; the institution must be given additional vigor, new approaches to instruction, etc.. This is the essence of innovation, improvisation, and realistic planning to embrace the reality of the time while meeting the numerous needs.

 

Reproduction: LTI has produced many great people including you; you must now ensure that, following resurrection, reconstruction and rejuvenation, the institution produces diverse human resources to serve the nation’s varied needs. Agriculture, technical and mechanical areas can be added without extensive expenditure. The German company, GTZ has already demonstrated that vocational training is likely to be successful at LTI. Thus, as the needs of Liberia vary, through realistic planning, LTI must vary its approaches to diversify her products. You educated men and women can help in this process.

 

Resilience: The Liberian people have demonstrated incredible resilience. Yet, all of us must make LTI, other institutions and communities resilient (more than ever) to the effects of the senseless war to which LTI and the nation fell prey. It is difficult, if not impossible, to rationalize the massive mind-boggling destruction of lives and properties; LTI and all academic, social, cultural and political institutions must foster resilience and promote prevention of senseless wars.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, I am fully cognizant of the magnitude of the challenges I offer here; it will take huge sums of money, time, skill and materials to achieve them. However, I am convinced (and hope you are too) that with will and commitment, these are doable. These goals can be accomplished if you give LTI your emotional and prayful support, your time, skill, and money.

 

 Your desire to reawaken and restore LTI will embrace success if you embark upon vigorous and judicious fund raising activities. Grant writing is another means because with some luck, you might get a million or more dollars through grants. To this end, you need to incorporate LUTISAA and establish some credibility.   

 

Mr. Chairman, officers and members of LUTISAA, let me be candid with you. Regardless of your commitment, you will achieve nothing with divisiveness. You will go nowhere when everyone fights for recognition and credit. Nothing will be accomplished when each individual asserts that only his or her voice should and must be heard.

 

You therefore need unity and group commitment. You need to focus on LTI as the goal. You need to put aside personal egos, individual differences, and detracting comments so that LTI eventually wins. 

 

Whatever you do, do not let the crossroad stop you. Begin now and lift up that great name, the name of LTI. Yes, stand up and shine for the school that gave you all her best. Stand up! Stand up! Stand up for LTI!