MONROVIA – The Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) of the University of Liberia has announced a series of events leading up to its 55th anniversary celebration, culminating in a grand parade on Friday, November 21, 2025. The party declared Monday, October 20, 2025, as a Pre-Parade marking the milestone, calling on all ideologues, veterans, students, and supporters to rally behind the anniversary committee.
In a statement issued by the party, Secretary-General Odecious Mulbah emphasized that SUP has remained committed to its founding principles and doctrine for over five decades. “Since October 20, 1970, SUP’s dedicated militants, ideologues, and well-wishers have consistently engaged in struggles aimed at liberating the students and masses of the people,” the statement reads, highlighting the party’s enduring mission to defend social justice, academic freedom, and peace.
SUP’s statement underscores the party’s historical engagement against oppressive regimes, citing its resistance against the True Whig Party, the administration of Samuel K. Doe, the web of corruption under Charles Taylor, the nepotism and malfeasance during Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s tenure, as well as the perceived mismanagement under former President George Weah and the current administration of Joseph Boakai. The party asserts that these struggles reflect its consistent advocacy for marginalized communities and students’ rights.
According to the announcement, the anniversary events will begin with a Thanksgiving service at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church on Sunday, November 16, 2025, at 7:00 a.m. This will be followed by a Veteran Homecoming and Honoring Day on Monday, November 17, at the Main Campus, and Marty’s Day on Tuesday, November 18, at the Capitol Hill Campus.
The program continues with a Women’s Presidium Day on Wednesday, November 19, at Capitol Hill, and a Sports Day on Thursday, November 20, at the Fendell Campus, starting at 7:00 a.m. each day. The celebrations will culminate in the grand parade and indoor program on Friday, November 21, 2025, at the University of Liberia auditorium on Capitol Hill and along principal streets of Monrovia.
In urging participation, the party called on veterans, ideologues, students, and supporters both within Liberia and abroad to join the celebrations and actively support SUP’s programs. The statement emphasized the need for unity among the party’s militants and supporters, stressing that the 55th anniversary represents a reaffirmation of the party’s historical mission.
Chairman Sylvester Wheeler, in approving the announcement, praised SUP’s enduring commitment to the principles of social justice, peace, and academic freedom. “As we celebrate another climacteric in our party’s narrative, SUP calls all veterans, ideologues, students, and the masses of the Liberian people home and abroad to rally together and actively support the Party as well as participate in the events outlined in our calendar,” the statement read.
SUP, established on October 20, 1970, has played a pivotal role in Liberian student politics and has consistently positioned itself as a defender of students’ rights and broader societal justice. Over the past 55 years, the party has maintained a legacy of activism, intellectual engagement, and advocacy against perceived injustices in governance.
The 2025 anniversary marks a significant milestone for the party, underscoring its ideological resilience and commitment to fostering a culture of critical thought, academic freedom, and peaceful civic engagement within Liberia’s university community.
Party officials stressed that all planned events will adhere to local regulations and emphasize peaceful participation, highlighting SUP’s long-standing commitment to lawful and constructive activism.
The SUP’s 55th anniversary is expected to attract veterans, students, ideologues, and supporters from across Liberia, reaffirming the party’s influence in the University of Liberia and the broader sociopolitical landscape.
Long-standing members described the upcoming celebrations as an opportunity to reflect on SUP’s historical struggles, honor past leaders, and chart a path forward for continued advocacy in support of student rights and social justice.
The anniversary committee has called on all stakeholders to engage fully in the planned events, emphasizing that active participation is essential to the success of the celebration and to sustaining SUP’s legacy for future generations.
