When I first approached Irene about the idea to construct the first school of the performing and
visual arts in Liberia, she readily bought the idea. She said, “Uncle Joe, I am with you a hundred
percent because we need an institution where our history and cultural values can be preserved,
taught, and promoted.” Therefore, Irene stepping up as the first Grand Matron of the Tripartite
Anniversary comes as no surprise from my Bong County sister whose patriotic zeal reminds me
of the gallantry of the historic Madam Suakoko of Bong County from where Irene hails.
Like Madam Suakoko, Irene would like her name to be written in the pages of Liberian history
and, one of the incentives one gets by donating to the DATI/Rabbi Joe Gbaba Tripartite
Anniversary Fundraiser as a Grand Patron or Grand Matron is that your name will be written
on the cornerstone of the completed building of the first school of the performing arts in Liberia