On Friday, May 9, 2024, the Dean of the School of Global Affairs and Policy, Cuttington University Graduate School, B. Elias Shoniyin, addressed the 6th Annual Youth Global Leadership Summit at the YMCA auditorium, and inspired the youth to build character, integrity and influence, observing that in order to be “groomed for the throne” one must first understand the “King’s Code—the moral and ethical foundation for leadership and influence”.
The Youth Global Summit is an annually organized forum that prepares youths, mainly high school students, for the future.
For this year, the forum was held under the theme, “Groomed for the Throne”, with five speakers: B. Elias Shoniyin, Dean, Cuttington Graduate School; Augustine K. Kou, Founder/CEO, Payless Banna Innovations; Rev. Bruno A. Garnett, HOD, Bryant College, AMEU; Rev. John T. Kollie, Pastor, Trinity Healing Temple; and Pastor Sarah Jallah Gueh, Co-Pastor, Living Stream Tabernacle-Liberia.
Topics covered at this year’s event included leadership and servanthood, entrepreneurial mindset: turning ideas to action, success and wellbeing, and the king’s code: character and integrity.
Addressing the youth on the topic, “The King’s Code: Character and Integrity”, Shoniyin explained that there are three pillars of this code: character, integrity and influence.
Speaking on the first pillar, character, Shoniyin said, “Character is who you are when no one is watching.” He underscored that a crown does not make a king—character does. “It was once said that ‘Your gifts can take you to the top, but only your character will keep you there.’ Integrity is not about perfection—it’s about consistency, honesty, and the courage to do what is right even under pressure.
“Let me ask you: Can people trust your word? Do you speak the truth when it’s inconvenient? Do you return the extra change when the market woman miscalculates? Do you return to the owner when you borrow from someone? Remember this: reputation is what people think you are; character is who you really are.”
On the second pillar, integrity, Shoniyin noted that integrity is the courage to stand alone even if no one else does. “In Liberia, we often say, ‘That person is not easy to bend oh.’ That’s integrity,” he said.
“Integrity means saying ‘no’ to shortcuts and doing the wrong thing even when it promises quick success. In a country where cutting corners is often excused with, ‘Everyone is doing it,’ you must be the exception. You may not get rich overnight, but you will sleep in peace and rise with dignity, pride, and respect.
“If you’re ever unsure whether something is right, ask yourself: Would I still do this if it were printed on the front page of FrontPage Africa newspaper tomorrow morning?” he stated.
On the third pillar, influence, Shoniyin continued, “Your crown is measured by the lives you impact. It’s not about how large the house you build, or how expensive your car; it’s about the lives you touch in your everyday life.”
According to him, leadership is not about titles; it is about transformation. “You don’t need a big office to influence people—you just need a big heart and a bold vision,” he added.
He then provided a guide for the youths to follow in developing the “King’s Code” in real life, which include starting small, being financially accountable, guiding one’s digital identity, reading widely, and surrounding oneself with truth-tellers.
“My friends, every king was once a child. Every great leader was once an ordinary young person—just like you—sitting in an auditorium, listening to a speech, daring to believe that their life could mean something,” he inspirationally motivated the gathering.
He urged them to rise up each day with intentions, to walk with purpose, to lead with conviction, and to build the Liberia that future generations will thank them for. “And may you never forget: the crown is not the goal—it’s the responsibility,” he observed.
