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Banjul, The Gambia, October 14, 2025 – First Lady Kartumu Yarta Boakai has challenged her fellow African First Ladies, urging them to transcend ceremonial roles and become the "moral spine of leadership" and "architects of possibility" for the continent.
In a compelling address as guest of honor at Merck Foundation 12th Africa-Asia Luminary in Banjul, on Tuesday, Mrs. Boakai reframed the role of a First Lady from a symbolic position to a force for tangible, systemic change.
She articulated a vision where First Ladies act as "the first responders to suffering," directly addressing the deepest challenges within their nations.
Challenging and inspiring her counterparts, Mrs. Boakai called for a departure from the passive optics of diplomacy, noting that first ladies should leave the Luminary with concrete plans for their home countries, instead of handshakes and photo-opportunities.
“Let us leave with commitments carved into policy, utilizing new knowledge learned from others, programs shaped by data, reflections applied in practice, and love sealed in action,” she declared, setting a new benchmark for impactful leadership.
Citing the well-known African proverb, "Until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter," Mrs. Boakai empowered the gathering to seize the narrative of Africa's future, stressing that the time has come for the continent to champion its own destiny.
“It’s time Africa tells its own story—through her daughters, her doctors, and her dreams,” she stated. “In this room today, I see the pens, the pages, and the purpose. Let us write that story boldly—with Merck as our ink, and sisterhood as our strength.”
This call to action was grounded in the demonstrated success of partnerships like the one between Liberia and the Merck Foundation.
This year’s event, held in a hybrid format, engaged over 6,000 participants, 300 of whom attended in person. Attendees included African First Ladies, healthcare providers, policymakers, and media representatives from more than 70 countries.