Warren – another Marape on the go

By PETER ESILA
HE dropped out of school at Grade 10 but today Warren Marape has two Master’s degrees – a Master’s in Philosophy from the Pacific Adventist University in 2015 and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of PNG which he received on Monday.
Marape, who turns 39 on Dec 3, is the fourth born in a family of six from Tari-Pori in Hela. The eldest is current Prime Minister James Marape. They have one sister who is the third-born.
Warren is married to Nakita. They have daughter Shekainah Akili who turns 4 on Feb 15.
Some attending the UPNG graduation ceremony on Monday at the Sir John Guise Stadium which the elder Marape was chief guest at thought Warren was his twin brother.
“People always see some resemblance of the PM in me. But James Marape has carved his mark in the political arena. My ambition is to make my own mark in public service and academia.”
Their parents were pioneer Seventh-Day Adventist Church missionaries who served in Western, West Sepik and Jiwaka.
“With the Bible in his right hand, my old man is a champion in promoting education, even during his retirement. He advocates for gender equality in education and giving second chances to the young people of Hela who had dropped out of school. My old man is the chairman of the Hope Institute at Pai in Hela.”
Warren dropped out of Grade 10 in 1998 from the Paglum Adventist High School in Western Highlands.
“(Looking back at) my primary and high school, I was a bright student. But the choices I made and the types of peer groups I hung around with contributed to my dropping out of Grade 10.
“Hence, the year 1999 saw me peddling marijuana in Mt Hagen, Mendi and Tari. While in Tari, I was also forced to take up arms during a tribal fight to defend our land. The fear of losing my life in the tribal flight and the realisation of my meaningless pursuit in dealing with marijuana convinced me to pursue education again. I ended up at the Sonoma Adventist College in East New Britain in 2000.
“While in high school, I was an avid reader and still am. My love for reading and literature led me to take up ministerial studies at the college from 2000 to 2002.
“With a diploma certificate, I was selected to undertake a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology at the end of 2005 at the Pacific Adventist University. I studied from 2006 and graduated in 2008 with a BA in Theology.”
He re-enrolled at PAU to pursue a Master’s in Philosophy in Development Studies in 2010.
“While working on my thesis, I faced so many personal issues. I was going to give up but the head of postgraduate studies Dr Lalen Simeon reached out to me and with her support, I managed to complete my thesis and graduated in 2015.”
He enrolled at UPNG in 2018 for the MBA degree and completed the prescribed 15 courses at the end of 2019.
“I am now looking forward to do my PHD in Development Studies soon. In God’s timing, hopefully, the doors will open soon.”
Warren started working with the Department for Community Development, Youth and Religion as an assistant secretary in the office of religion from 2016 to 2018.
He is now the First Assistant Secretary in the Department of Community Development, Youth and Religion looking after the informal economy, community learning and community environment branch.
“I am passionate about community development issues in the country and how to bridge the development gaps in the remote places in the country.”
For his first degree, he did a research on the role of churches in development. His thesis was titled “The role of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in development: A case study in the PNG LNG Project.”
While studying for his first degree, he had part-time jobs including as an associate researcher with then PAU and research and development officer with the Ministry of Finance.
“I was involved in a research between the PAU, Divine Word University and James Cook University from 2010 to 2012.
“With the Ministry of Finance, I was responsible for most ministerial correspondences with donor agencies, development partners and other government agencies.
“I am passionate about community development issues in the country and how to bridge the development gaps in the remote places in the country.”
Warren thanks God for His guidance and blessing, and his family for standing by him.
“I am also blessed with a very beautiful and intelligent wife. She not only provides the moral support for me but in my absence takes on extra parental responsibility at home.
“She would sit through out in the nights making coffee for me to burn the midnight oil.”
It cost him almost K32,000 to complete the MBA programme.
“My wife bore at least half of that cost, a sacrifice I am forever indebted to.
“We still have mountains to climb together and one of the mountains is the PHD journey which I hope to start soon.”
Another Marape is on the go.