Monrovia — The former President of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC), Bishop Kortu Brown, has been described as "mean, lazy and selfish" public officials serving in the Unity Party led-Government of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
Bishop Brown is the Founder and General Overseer of the New Water in the Desert Apostolic Pentecostal Church in Brewerville, outside Monrovia.
He observed that these negative attributes of public officials, which are not unique to those presently steering the governance of Liberia alone, continue to contribute to increasing hunger and poverty amongst ordinary Liberians.
The renowned Liberian Clergyman made these comments when he delivered a sermon at a thanksgiving service organized for prospective graduates of the Mother Tegeste Stewart High School held at his Church edifice on Sunday, August 31, 2025.
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Bishop Brown maintained that past and present governments in Liberia continue to pay keen focus on buying expensive vehicles for public officials instead of putting into place innovations to address the challenges citizens are faced with.
"It's not that Liberia can't lift us out of hunger and poverty; but part of the challenge we faced is because we have lazy men leading us. Lazy people like comfort. They don't want to suffer or for anything to bother them. How can you become a government official and don't want to face any difficulties but just want to ride comfortable cars? How can you be a government official when you are very mean? How can you run a government with so many mean and selfish people?"
He further observed that many elected public officials, especially lawmakers, are more concentrated on improving their living conditions, instead of finding solutions to challenges confronting those who elected them.
'More time on social media'
He pointed out that instead of addressing challenges confronting the ordinary citizens, many public officials are spending time on social media trying to convince the citizenry that they are working better than those who were in power.
Bishop Brown said these officials are also spending more time on pleasure instead of executing their assigned tasks and responsibilities in an effective and efficient manner.
He indicated that the posting of pleasantries and flamboyant lifestyles by public officials on social media has no positive impact on the lives of ordinary Liberians.
He maintained that these posts do not address the daily hardship and find solutions to the barrage of challenges the citizens are encountering.
Bishop Brown, however, cautioned against deceits among elected and appointed public officials.
"If you make social media posts, does it mean children are in school or things are not hard? You are even too lazy to think. When a new government takes over they will not think about providing scholarships to the over 35,000 students who took the WASSCE. The first thing is-they start buying new cars."
He said both the government, parents and citizens can be held liable for the growing wave of laziness which is contributing to hardship amongst the citizenry.
He stressed that lack of proper training and discipline are contributing factors for laziness amongst citizens.
"Too many lazy men in Liberia; young people, some of whom graduated from high schools and even college do not go anywhere because they are lazy. For some people, it's their parents making them lazy. Many families in Liberia have already set up their children to fail."
Limited opportunities
Bishop Brown pointed out that Liberia remains a country with limited opportunities.
He added that the country has turned to a state where job opportunities are awarded based upon friendship and connections.
He said the merit system to provide job opportunities for qualified and competent high school and university graduates is presently lacking in the country.
"See this country-when you graduate from high school, where is the office that you can go to apply for a scholarship to go to university? Why are we doing that to ourselves-because we're too lazy to think?"
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He said despite these challenges, citizens must be strong to fight for their share of the limited opportunities.
Bishop Brown, however, urged the prospective graduates to be God fearing, courageous, hardworking and determine if they must succeed in the future.
He stressed that with "hard work" and disengaging from making foolish decisions and learning to say no" to negative and unwholesome practices", Liberians can address many of the problems faced with.
"I agree that people are supposed to help you. But the first responsibility is to care for yourself. Despite all the challenges that you will face, don't give up. Foreigners will not build Liberia. If young people in Liberia do not rise up and be strong, I fear for our communities, families and country. Be determined to make progress in Liberia so that your generation cannot be selfish or angry as our generation."
He encouraged them to avoid having babies early due to increasing challenges in the country.
