Thousands of students and parents of public schools in Margibi County on Saturday, September 24, 2022 organized a well-planned appreciation and honoring program for former Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel Farlo McGill, in recognition of his efforts in placing students from the county on the President George Manneh Weah scholarship program, which enabled them to enroll in public schools this academic year.
As early as 8:00 a.m., momentum to the memorable event was far in readiness as people started trooping into the campus of the Booker Washington Institute, where the elaborate program was held, causing vehicular and human hiccups in the process that lasted for a better part of the day as the program proceeded. Traditional singers and dancers, coupled with banner and placard carriers, flooded the streets and communities and turned the often quiet Kakata City, Margibi County, into a sort of carnival normally held in Liberia on special occasions. There were several campaign posters bearing the photos of President Weah with Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor and McGill, which projected them as their choices come 2023.
Reporters who covered the talk-of-the-town event said that the massive awareness and publicity put into the preparatory stage did the magic as promos and jingoes ran on Radio Margibi 103 FM helped to mobilize the people and put the entire county into a frenzy mood, thereby having a profound impact on the outcome of the program. Some of the jingoes, as said on the radio, variously referred to McGill as “One of the sons”, “One of the fathers”, “One of our faces”, “Our celebrated son”, etc.
Early signs of McGill personally turning out for the program emerged on Friday, September 23, 2022 when some of his friends and associates, as well as prominent sons and daughters of Margibi County, started converging in Kakata, taking up accommodation in some hotels as preparation for being a part of the big event taking place the next day. Then, all of a sudden, the next morning advanced party to the event started trooping into the city in their numbers.
Despite the downpour of rain, the participants defied all odds to make the occasion successful. The moment the people were waiting for came when McGill, in a long convoy of his entourage, arrived and was well received by the mammoth crowd at the entry point into the city. After he had disembarked from the vehicle that brought him from Monrovia up to the venue of the program on BWI campus, the crowd marched along with him amid singing, dancing, battle cries and sloganeering.
Welcoming McGill and his entourage to the county, the Mayor of Kakata City said the county was excited to play host to the appreciation and honoring program of the former Minister of State for Presidential Affairs for the outstanding role he played in the Presidential Scholarship Program, and said that the citizens and residents, especially the parents and students, will continue to be grateful for the initiative, describing it as the first of its kind in the county. He wished the participants a happy stay in the city.
Giving the overview of the fund drive, Harry Tarnue, Principal of the Booker Washington Institute (BWI), said the program, which was launched on October 5, 2021 on the campus of BWI, was unprecedented and first of its kind in the county, and gave detailed information about all the activities as was compiled by the committee tasked with the implementation.
“I want to remind you that almost exactly one year ago we gathered at this particular venue to witness the launch of the biggest support to the cause of education in Margibi County.
“This report is transparent and shows the roadmap of how public funds can be judicially used for the good of the people”, Tarnue said, providing the basis of the report.
He said the total amount received for the fund drive came to L$15,950,000.00 and US$105,000.00, which was used to pay the school fees at 36 public schools throughout the 5 electoral districts of the county. He said only Duazon Public School did not benefit from the scheme according to the report received from the field.
“This fund drive represents a significant achievement towards providing support to quality education, especially for both parents and students who have had challenges in meeting the cost of education. And for this we want to thank the former Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel Farlo McGill, for spearheading this presidential fund drive by President George Manneh Weah,” Tarnue said.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries of the scholarship program, Yongor Kollie of the Lango Lippaye High School, who appeared very excited to have benefited from the exercise, said she and her colleagues along with their parents were happy for the opportunity it afforded them to enroll for the academic year without any financial cost to them and their parents.
“We the students and parents assembled here today have come to express our gratitude to Mr. Nathaniel Farlo McGill for the immense contribution to our academic sojourn.
“We the students and parents can vividly recall that we were financially challenged in payment of tuition and fees, and you stepped in to alleviate the challenge. Your support has enabled us to achieve our objective.
“Therefore, we are grateful to all of those who assisted you to assist us,” an elated Yongor said on behalf of her colleagues and parents.
In a short statement, a representative of the rural women of Margibi said, “We are here today to tell our son, ‘Thank you for our children. God bless you,’.” The group later presented a gown to McGill.
Several other groups later took the stage to pour encomiums on the former Chief of Staff to the President, including the Margibi County chapter of the ruling CDC, represented by Johnny Johnson.
“The program today is the manifestation that Margibi deserves good things. It is a county without discrimination. President Weah, through Mr. McGill, is the first person to award scholarship of such to the people of this county,” he said.
Remarks also came from a group called Team Liberia for the Re-election of Weah in 2023, whose leader said that the group presently operates in 6 counties: Bong, Nimba, Rivercess, Grand Bassa, Montserrado and Margibi, and in coming days it will be launched in the rest of the country.
She said the scholarship program is one of the many projects President Weah has executed successfully, and for which they are craving for his re-election.
A representative of the traditional council of the county showered praises on McGill, describing him as their worthy son who has brought pride to them. He prayed that God will continue to bless him in whatever endeavor he engages in.
A special recognition was given to the Superintendent of Grand Bassa County, Janjay Baikpeh, who came all the way from Buchanan. He said his presence at the occasion was to show support to McGill, who has been in the forefront of the worthy development initiatives in the country. He also, like others, thanked McGill for being supportive of the project that was initiated by the President.
The Lord Mayor of Bopolu City, Gbarpolu County, also extolled McGill and encouraged him to continue doing his best for the people of Liberia.
The celebrant, Nathaniel F. McGill, rising up to respond to all the praises showered on him had to wait for an appreciable time because the several battle cries, sloganeering and cheers kept him from doing so.
McGill, beyond imagination, showed how passionate he was towards the program. He mentioned the importance of the initiative and how committed President Weah is to the provision of quality education in the country
“As you are aware, this President has made education a priority, consistent with the Constitution that the government is responsible to provide equal access to education and government is under obligation to provide education to our citizens.
“I want to thank you for appreciating me. The appreciation also goes to all those who made contributions to the scholarship program.”
McGill continued, “I want to assure you that this government will not relent. There is big news for all the public schools. Good news is coming for you. The government is making sure that the scholarship will not be abandoned, that the scholarship will continue so that you will attain your education.
“Our parents never had the opportunity. It is now time that we give you the opportunity.
“And I want to thank the people of Margibi for giving me the opportunity to be part of what they are doing,” McGill said humbly.
“Greater things are there for Margibi. Greater things are in the future for Margibi. As citizens of Margibi, we will unite the county. This county will never again be divided. This county will remain. We the citizens and residents will work for the greater good of the county.
McGill, being appreciative to the people, said he was thankful to them for defying the rain to be at the program, stating that he could not imagine the number of people who turned out to make the day memorable, and adding that he is not going out of the county but will remain here.
As the program came to an end, parents and students spoken to separately said for a long time McGill’s generosity will remain evergreen in their mind.