MONROVIA – Two renowned African statesmen and academics, Dr. Abdoulaye Bathily and Dr. Adbel El Fatau Musah, have been announced as the keynote speakers at the upcoming Dr. Amos Claudius Sawyer Public Lecture on Education, Governance, Democracy, and Development. The event, which will also feature a high-level gala, is scheduled to take place on June 15, 2024, at the University of Liberia Fendall Campus in Louisiana, Montserrado County.
Dr. Bathily, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, will deliver a special speech at the event in honor of the Late Professor Dr. Amos C. Sawyer. Professor Sawyer, a former Interim President of Liberia, was a highly esteemed statesman, academic, and Pan-Africanist.
The Dr. Amos Claudius Sawyer Public Lecture on Education, Governance, Democracy, and Development is a flagship program of the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Liberia. The event is organized by the Amos C. Sawyer Educational Foundation, which was established by the family and friends of Prof. Amos C. Sawyer to carry forward his legacy and continue his impactful work as a professor and political scientist.
In addition to Dr. Bathily’s keynote speech, Dr. Adbel El Fatau Musah, the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, will address a high-level gala dinner on June 15, which marks the birthday anniversary of Professor Amos Claudius Sawyer.
The inaugural public lecture is expected to be attended by former presidents, eminent Liberians, distinguished academics, scholars, professors from the University of Liberia, religious leaders, government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, as well as the President, Vice Presidents, Deans, and Academic Directors of the University.
The event aims to highlight the works and ideals of Professor Sawyer while providing a platform for scholars and practitioners to discuss the progress made in democratic development in Africa. It will focus on the role of inter-governmental structures such as the United Nations, African Union, and ECOWAS in strengthening governance and democracy in member states.
Furthermore, the public lecture will shed light on the specific contributions and challenges faced by regional bodies concerning democratic development beyond the signing of protocols and treaties. The speakers and panelists will examine specific cases to provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject.
The renaming of the former Liberia College to the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities on April 2, 2022, through a presidential proclamation by the former President of Liberia, Dr. George Manneh Weah, honors Dr. Amos C. Sawyer’s significant contributions as a professor and Dean of the College.
Established in 1862, the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities is the fourth oldest tertiary institution in Africa and the second in West Africa. The College offers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Social Work degrees in various academic disciplines, housing 16 academic departments and units with over 300 distinguished faculty members, including holders of Doctoral and Master’s degrees.
The college is currently under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Josephus M. Gray, who serves as the Dean of the College. Additionally, Dr. Gray holds the position of Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia for Sharda University in India.
