Rabbi Joe Gbaba to Receive LAMCO Family Reunion Recognition for Five Decades of Cultural Service
LIBERIA – Just weeks after being conferred with Liberia’s Distinction in the Order of the Star of Africa with the Grade of Commander by His Excellency President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., renowned Liberian playwright, theatre director, educator, and cultural icon Dr. Rabbi Prince Joseph Tomoonh-Garlodeyh Gbaba, Sr. is set to receive yet another prestigious recognition—this time from the former residents of LAMCO Yekepa during the LAMCO Family Reunion on Saturday 8th, August 2026.
The recognition celebrates Dr. Gbaba’s outstanding contributions to Liberia’s cultural heritage and pays tribute to the community where his remarkable journey in theatre first began more than five decades ago.
The recognition and honoring ceremony is being hosted by former residents of LAMCO Yekepa, the community where Dr. Gbaba’s theatre career began. It was in Yekepa, while attending Archbishop Carroll High School, that he wrote, directed, produced, and acted in his first stage play, Life Story of Kekula, which premiered at the Open Door Theatre in 1974. The honor is especially meaningful because it comes from members of his very first audience—individuals who witnessed and encouraged the beginning of a journey that has now spanned 52 years of dedicated service to Liberia through theatre, education, cultural preservation, and peacebuilding.
The LAMCO Family Reunion recognition comes on the heels of another historic milestone. During Liberia’s 179th Independence Day celebrations, His Excellency President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. conferred upon Dr. Gbaba Liberia’s Distinction in the Order of the Star of Africa with the Grade of Commander, one of the Republic’s highest national honors, in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the preservation of Liberian culture, education, literature, and national development.
Together, the two honors represent both national recognition and community appreciation—one bestowed by the Republic of Liberia and the other by the very people who first witnessed and encouraged the birth of his life’s calling.
Describing the significance of the moment, Dr. Gbaba said the recognition extends beyond a personal achievement. “This occasion signals a national reawakening. It is a symbol of my calling to unite all Liberians across every spectrum of our national life through arts, culture, education, and peace-building. This honor belongs to every Liberian who believes in national unity, reconciliation, and the preservation of our cultural heritage.”
Dr. Gbaba also extends heartfelt appreciation to the LAMCO Family Reunion Organization and the former residents of LAMCO Yekepa for recognizing his lifelong service. “I sincerely thank the LAMCO Family Reunion Organization and the former residents of LAMCO Yekepa for this distinguished honor. It means a great deal to my mission of promoting peace, national unity, and preserving Liberia’s cultural heritage. To be recognized by those who first believed in my work more than five decades ago is both humbling and inspiring” also reaffirming his willingness to collaborate with the Government of Liberia in advancing national initiatives focused on rebuilding the country’s cultural foundation.
According to him, his priority moving forward will be to support efforts aimed at:
1. Promoting National Unity by using theatre, education, and the performing arts to bridge ethnic, political, religious, and social divides.
2. Revamping Liberia’s Cultural Activities by preserving and promoting both Indigenous and Settlers’ traditions, including Liberian languages, history, music, dance, literature, customs, and cultural heritage, while advancing the establishment of Liberia’s first School of Performing and Visual Arts through Dehkontee Artists Theatre, Inc. (DATI).
As part of the Golden Jubilee celebration, DATI has launched a fundraising campaign to construct Liberia’s first School of Performing and Visual Arts, an institution envisioned to preserve and institutionalize Liberian culture while training future generations of artists, educators, researchers, and cultural ambassadors.
The LAMCO Family Reunion honor is expected to bring together former residents of Yekepa, classmates, friends, and admirers to celebrate the legacy of a man whose life’s work has inspired generations and whose vision continues to shape Liberia’s cultural identity.
