The University of Liberia (UL) has been admonished during an intellectual discourse marking its 72nd Founder’s Day celebration to have an enabling environment that enables election actors to view the institution as neutral.
Delivering a keynote speech Thursday, February 16, 2023, in the UL Auditorium Capitol Hill, Mr. Vafolay Mbandoe Tulay noted that such an environment should enable election actors to debate issues freely at the university without any fear or favor.
The UL 72nd Founder’s Day is celebrated under the theme: “Sustaining Governance, Democracy, Peace, and Stability in Liberia.”
In his keynote speech on the topic “Election in Liberia and Across Africa,” Mr. Vafolay Mbandoe Tulay challenged the University to seek ways to work with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as far as its Protocol on Good Governance and Democracy are concerned.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tulay applauded the University of Liberia for the intellectual discourse, noting that the forum resonated with provisions of the ECOWAS Protocol.
Mr. Tulay said this year, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria will be holding elections, unlike in 2020 when six African countries conducted elections.
In a special statement, the President of the University of Liberia Prof. Dr. Julius Sarwolo Nelson, Jr., said the University should be the center of academic excellence, scholarship, research, and creativity.
He added that it should be a place of intellectualism, stability, unity, peace, love, understanding, cooperation, and collaboration.
The UL President urged the university family to celebrate the diversity of culture, tradition, ethnicity, tribe, religion, and political identity, instead of being at each other’s throats.
Dr. Nelson called on members of the university family to minimize their differences and work together to achieve the goals and objectives of the University of Liberia.
During the panel discussion, U.S. Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Mr. Joel A. Kopp stressed the importance of encouraging participation in a democratic process, and not walking away or pursuing other means.
South African Ambassador to Liberia H.E. Prof. Iqbal Jhazbhay, said the project of sustaining democracy has to speak to the present economic challenges.
However, he said he believes that everyone has to engage their minds and their resources in the process.
Liberian media executive Mr. Frank Sainworla also noted that an election is not a democracy, but urged the need to stop corruption and build a system that works.
“Our peace continues to remain quote unquote fragile. Why is it fragile? Because there are underlined factors,” said Mr. Sainworla.
Prof. Sekou W. Konneh, the University of Liberia Vice President for Students Affairs and chair of the 72nd Founder’s Day organizing committee said the UL 72nd Founder’s Day is significant in many ways.
As a University, he said the day allows reflecting on where UL has come from, and the number of scholars the institution has produced over the years.
He also said the University wants to use intellectual discourse to send a message to its students that one of the ways to pass on knowledge is through such programs.
