MONROVIA – Newly inaugurated President of the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY), Ernest Duku Jallah, has pledged to reposition the organization as a leading force for youth empowerment, promising to prioritize dialogue over protest while advocating for bold reforms to address youth unemployment, drug abuse and political exclusion.
By Francis G. Boayue
Speaking during his inauguration at Monrovia City Hall on Friday, June 26, Mr. Jallah said his election was not a personal achievement but a reflection of the struggles faced by thousands of young Liberians battling unemployment, poverty, and limited opportunities despite their qualifications and determination.
“Our generation is not failing because it lacks talent or commitment,” Mr. Jallah declared.
“We are being held back because we are out-organized and excluded from decision-making.”
Drawing on the stories of unemployed graduates, struggling entrepreneurs and young political activists, Mr. Jallah argued that Liberia’s youth have consistently demonstrated competence but continue to face barriers to employment, entrepreneurship and public leadership.
The new FLY president announced an ambitious agenda centered on institutional engagement rather than street protests.
Among his key proposals are the establishment of a National Youth City—described as a “Silicon Valley for youth innovation”—the creation of a Youth Legislative Caucus, an Inter-Party Youth Council, a Youth Delegation to the United Nations and the launch of a Future Leaders Initiative to support academically gifted students.
Mr. Jallah also called for the government to declare youth unemployment a national emergency and develop a school-to-work transition program to improve employment prospects for graduates.
He pledged to work with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to establish youth farms nationwide as part of efforts to combat drug abuse through job creation.
Emphasizing the importance of collaboration, Mr. Jallah pointed out that FLY would pursue constructive engagement with government institutions while advocating for increased youth participation in national development.
“Young people do not need to be told to wait,” he said. “They need opportunities, inclusion, and trust.”
Reflecting on his own upbringing, Mr. Jallah recounted growing up under difficult circumstances in Paynesville and working as a street vendor in Red Light Market before rising to national youth leadership.
He said those experiences taught him resilience and innovation, qualities he intends to bring to the Federation.
He urged young Liberians to reject tribalism, hatred, and political division in favor of dialogue and cooperation. “The future we seek will not be built by confrontation,” he intimated. “It will be built by conversation, cooperation and trust.”
Delivering the keynote address under the theme:, “Strengthening Youth Leadership for National Transformation,” Atty. Siaffa Bahn Kemokai II described the Federation of Liberian Youth as a resilient institution that has survived decades of national challenges by choosing law over conflict.
Using the analogy of a storm-damaged cotton tree restored through collective effort, Atty. Kemokai said FLY’s recent leadership dispute demonstrated the importance of resolving disagreements through legal and democratic means rather than violence.
He praised all parties involved in the organization’s contested election for accepting the outcome of the judicial process and called on the government to fully recognize and engage the Federation’s duly elected leadership.
Atty. Kemokai further urged national leaders to serve as “bridges, not barriers” to youth development and cautioned against political interference in youth organizations.
He also challenged the new leadership to transform FLY from a pressure group into a sustainable institution capable of generating innovation, investment and enterprise, while renewing calls for the construction of the Federation’s first permanent national headquarters.
The inauguration marked the official induction of FLY’s new leadership following months of legal and electoral disputes, with speakers emphasizing unity, institutional independence and stronger partnerships with government and development partners to advance youth development across Liberia.
