Joseph Nyumah Boakai, the twenty sixth and present President of Liberia, has a distinguished profession spanning over 40 years in public service. Born on November 30, 1944, within the distant village of Worsonga, Foya District, Lofa County,
Boakai’s journey to the presidency is marked by humble beginnings. Rising up in a rural setting, he attended major and excessive colleges in Sierra Leone and Liberia, finally graduating from the Faculty of West Africa (CWA), a prestigious secondary college in Monrovia. To finance his schooling, he labored numerous jobs, together with as a janitor and within the CWA’s Enterprise Workplace. He later earned a bachelor’s diploma in enterprise administration from the College of Liberia in 1972 and likewise pursued research at Kansas State College in the US.
Joseph Boakai is married to Katumu Boakai, and their union has been blessed with 4 youngsters (three sons and one daughter).
Boakai’s in depth skilled profession started in the private and non-private sectors. From 1973 to 1982, he served in numerous capacities on the Liberia Produce Advertising Company (LPMC), rising to develop into its Managing Director. His work at LPMC centered on empowering farmers by enhancing their incomes via reforms in cocoa, espresso, and oil palm manufacturing. He then served because the Minister of Agriculture from 1983 to 1985 beneath President Samuel Doe, the place he was answerable for nationwide agricultural coverage and oversight of quite a few agricultural improvement initiatives. In 1992, he additionally served because the Managing Director of the Liberia Petroleum Refinery Firm (LPRC).
His political prominence grew considerably when he was chosen because the working mate to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf within the 2005 presidential elections on the Unity Celebration ticket. Following their victory, Boakai served because the twenty ninth Vice President of Liberia for 12 years, from 2006 to 2018. Throughout his tenure as Vice President, he was additionally the President of the Liberian Senate and carried out supervisory capabilities over a number of authorities establishments and businesses. He performed an important position in Liberia’s post-civil battle restoration efforts.
After his vice-presidency, Boakai contested the 2017 presidential election however misplaced in a runoff to George Weah. Undeterred, he declared his intention to run once more and, in a hard-fought election, emerged victorious within the 2023 presidential runoff in opposition to incumbent George Weah. He assumed workplace as President on January 22, 2024. All through his profession, Boakai has been identified for his fame for integrity and honesty, typically emphasizing the significance of combating corruption for Liberia’s improvement.