The AU Must Reconceptualize Regional Integration on the Continent to Achieve Peace and Sustainable Development

 

The AU Must Reconceptualize Regional Integration on the Continent to Achieve Peace and Sustainable Development

This opinion piece summarizes the PhD dissertation for Prof. Thomas Kaydor, Jr. from the Faculty of Government and European Studies, New University, Slovenia. The topic for the PhD research was ‘reconceptualizing Africa’s regional integration for peace and sustainable development’. Chapter five of the UN charter focuses on peace, and security; and Chapter VIII on regionalism. The dissertation investigated how AU utilizes its authority to mitigate conflicts on the continent. The research also evaluated whether Africa’s regional integration leads to economic growth and development in Africa. You can read a full summary of the research at https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.807139.

The research has established that unless the continent engages in deeper economic integration, regionalism will not lead to regional development. It recommends how Africa might alleviate extreme poverty and attain sustainable development in the 21st Century and beyond. Its’ four specific objectives were to: a) identify the benefits and challenges of Regionalism in Africa. b) ascertain why extreme poverty is widespread in Africa and propose what should be done through regional integration to alleviate the extreme poverty in Africa. c) find out the impact of Official Development Assistance (ODA) on Africa’s regional development and propose ways to strengthen the impact of aid on poverty alleviation and economic development in Africa, and d) propose what Africa should do to Achieve Sustainable Development.

This research was Qualitative. Researchers use this method to explore meanings; investigate and study social phenomenon; or unpack meanings ascribed to activities, situations, events, or artifacts; and build a depth of understanding about some dimension of social life with detailed information from a small sample. Qualitative research is appropriate when one’s primary purpose is to explore, describe, and explain.

Chapter one provided the research background, explained the research topic, discussed the research problem, and stated the research questions. It also contained the research aims, purpose and objectives. Chapter one further discussed the research methods used to undertake the research and described the chapters of the dissertation. It discussed other research already done on this subject matter. The chapter also indicates the anticipated research results and contribution that the research made to scholarship in general and specifically to international relations theory. It finally indicates the application of the research results. Narrative and explanatory methods were used in writing this chapter. The second chapter provided the theoretical perspective of this dissertation. It evaluated additional research already conducted is in this chapter. This chapter discusses what other authors and scholars have written and published about regional integration in Africa and other parts of the world. It found the research gaps in these previous scholarly works reviewed. These pieces of research have gaps that the dissertation attempts to bridge. The methods used in this chapter were historical, exploratory, and evaluative.

Chapter 3 in the PhD dissertation constituted the Review of Related Literature. This chapter reviewed not less than 100 academic pieces of literature related regional integration in African and globally. Chapter Four is the presentation, analysis, and discussion of field data. Chapter four presents, analyses, and discusses data collected through key informant interviews at the AU Commission. As indicated earlier, the AU has a chairperson who heads the AU Commission and a Deputy Chairperson who assists the Chairperson. The Union also has six commissioners responsible for thematic areas. The six commissioners are elected by the AU Executive Council and appointed by the Assembly for a four-year term renewable once. These commissioners head thematic areas, including Technology, Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment; Political Affairs, Peace, and Security; Infrastructure and Energy; Economic Development, Trade, Industry and Mining; Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation; Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development. The heads of the departments of women, gender and youth, and civil society and diaspora were also interviewed.

The offices of the six commissioners, two heads of the departments of women, gender and youth, and civil society and diaspora with the Vice Chair and Chairperson of the Commission were interviewed by the researcher to get their perspectives on the gains, challenges, and prospects of the AU, and gauge their insights on how the regional body could spur economic growth and sustainable development on the continent. The researcher obtained the informed consent of the 10 research participants. The interview guides used to collect the data were approved by the dissertation Supervisor or Mentor, Dr. Gorazd Justinek, for data collection. The views of the participants were tape-recorded, and thereafter transcribed. The transcribed data were placed under themes and a detailed analysis and interpretation of the data were done.

Chapter five was focused on Prospects of Africa’s attainment of sustainable development. Chapter five addressed what the Africa Union needs to do to achieve Sustainable Development in the 21st Century and beyond. In this chapter, the normative research method was utilized to indicate what should be done and why certain actions must be taken by the AU to enhance economic growth and development for the attainment of sustainable development on the continent. Chapter Six of the research was the summary, conclusion, and recommendations. It summarized and concluded the dissertation. This chapter proffered recommendations that stakeholders in and out of Africa would need to act on to achieve sustainable development on the continent. This concluding chapter of the dissertation utilized a combination of all the research methods used in all the previous chapters because it summarized all the 5 chapters and brought the research to a logical conclusion.

AS I SEE IT, for Africa to have peace and achieve sustainable development through the continent’s regional integration mechanism, the African Union (AU) needs to implement the 1991 Abuja Treaty; fully arm, equip and support the African Standby Force to make and keep peace. Africa needs a United States of Africa under one army, one border, one government, one foreign policy and one currency. The AU also needs to ensure that 80% of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) in African states goes towards infrastructural development. Africa needs to constitute an AU sovereign fund for all Africans to contribute a dollar for infrastructural development on the continent. The AU needs to manage the environment appropriately and sustainably. The AU should focus on agricultural productivity, value addition and provision of safe drinking water to address the extreme hunger, malnutrition, water issues, hunger, and poverty on the continent. Finally, the AUC needs to become a Permanent Member of the UNSC.

About the Author: Prof. Tom Kaydor, Jr. serves as an Assistant Professor at the IBB Graduate School of International Studies. He holds a PhD from the Department of Government and European Studies, the New University, Slovenia where he specialized in International Development and Diplomacy (with Security Aspects). His dissertation topic was ‘Reconceptualizing Africa’s Regional Integration for Peace and Sustainable Development.’ He earned a Master of Public Policy (MPP) specialized in Development Policy or Development Economics with Distinction from the Crawford School of Economics and Government (now the Crawford School of Public Policy), Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. He also obtained his first master’s degree as a Master of Arts (MA) in International Relations (Highest Distinction), and Bachelor of Arts (BA) Magna Cum Laude in Political Science from the University of Liberia where his Minor was History with Mass Communication as his Elective. Tom holds a Diploma in Leading Economic Growth from the Kennedy Graduate School, Harvard University, USA; and he holds other professional diplomas and certificates from Italy, UK, Pakistan, China, and Israel. Prof. Kaydor is also an Adjunct Professor of International Development Studies at the AME University Graduate School. Dr. Kaydor is an evidence-based researcher, a blogger, a columnist, and a published author. One can reach him via (kaydorth@ul.edu.lr or thkaydor@gmail.com).

Congratulations to the Government of Liberia for Appointing the President of the University of Liberia

 

Congratulations to the Government of Liberia for Appointing the President of the University of Liberia

In my first public opinion in 2025, I extended New Year Greetings to all and called on the Government of Liberia to Urgently Appoint the President of the University of Liberia where I currently serve as an Assistant Professor at the IBB Graduate School of International Studies. As I saw it and still see it, H.E President Joseph Nyuma Boakai needed to appoint the President of the University of Liberia. I argued that the government could not preside over a closed State University. I wondered why should the government keep the University closed and feel happy to continue to pay salaries of an entity that was dysfunctional? Absolutely, there was and there is no justification for this mishap and anomaly. I reminded that no government in the history of Liberia played around the integrity of the University and went free, and that this government would be no exception to that rule. I also indicated that former student leaders who graduated from the University and are part of this government must see it as their exclusive responsibility to ensure that the Visitor of the University needed to appoint the New President of the University (https://oraclenewsdaily.com/2025/01/03/the-government-of-liberia-needs-to-urgently-appoint-the-president-of-the-university-of-liberia/ ). Congratulations to the President and the Government for listening to this request that several other Liberians made. This shows that the Government listens to its citizens. Listening to the citizens is good for any democratic government around the globe. I think the government has started the New Year on a good footing. Congratulations, President JNB.

In that first opinion piece of the year, 2025, I emphatically indicated that in Life, delays are dangerous and too many delays are too dangerous. I said that we, at the University, were not happy about its closure. Indeed, President Boakai graduated from the University, and we are now happy that he has appointed the new president to replace Dr. Nelson who resigned sometime ago. Now we request this government to support the very University. All the villages, towns, districts, and counties in Liberia are represented at the University. Therefore, the Liberian people are all interested in what happens at the University of Liberia . Liberians are now happy about the appointment of the New President of the University. I have been reading and listening to the different views about the appointment and I do understand the diverse world views or perspectives of the different proponents. This emphasizes the recommendation I made before that there is a need to write the History of the University of Liberia (https://thenewdawnliberia.com/we-welcome-the-doctoral-programs-at-the-university-of-liberia/ ). I understand that Dr. Maparnyan is not a Liberian, but she is married to a Liberian. In the academic arena, tribe or race or citizenship does really matter. What matters is competence. In fact, the first President of the University was an American citizen. This is the country that hosts thousands of Liberians today and almost all Liberians wish to migrate to the United Sates of America. I could become President of an American University tomorrow.

I understand that the New President is an African American. This means that she has a Black background. So, she is one of us. In fact, that she is married to a Liberian, I would not be surprised if she became a Liberian at any time. I therefore take this time to request all students and faculty as well as the public to openly welcome our New President. We need to write a comprehensive history of the University of Liberia. This would allow future generations to fully read, comprehend and appreciate its merits and demerits. Congratulations to H.E President JNB for appointing the University President, Dr. Layli Maparnyan, our new president. Congratulations, Madam President, on your appointment in line with the Charter of the University. Welcome to the University of Liberia, your new place of work. We avail our services as usual to collaborating with you collectively for the progress of the University. I am fully aware that this was a competition that you won. Therefore, I urge you to embrace all those who competed. Embrace all in the best interest of the University.

Welcome and congratulations once more, Dr. Maparnyan, on your appointment as the New President of the University. I, personally and official welcome you at the University of Liberia, the Lux Tenebris. You have our unflinching and unwavering support. Your appointment comes out of a rigid competition. You came out of twenty-two applicants and got shortlisted amongst the three finalists that later became 2 finalists due to the appointment of the third to another job. All the applicants had equally competitive academic credentials. Some are even full professors at  the University of Liberia. Thank God that Dr. Zinnah, who we are reliably informed was with you as the singular finalist, has officially written and communicated his support to you. Accordingly, he promised to collaborate and work with you. I recommend that you welcome this offer and work with Professor Dr. Zinnah and others. He is a former Vice President for Academic Affairs. Also, welcome and work with all other applicants at the University. I think they had exceptionally good plans to implement as well. All of them have personal and official experiences and competencies that your leadership needs. The ball is in your bosom now to lead the University. Our problems will now stop with you as the team leader at the University. President JNB will rest small. You need to harmonize the interests of all the stakeholders. You need the experiences and guidance of all the professors. In every competition, there must be a winner. And in this process of the final appointment the discretion of the President matters in line with the Charter. We therefore congratulate the Visitor to the University and the President of the Republic, H.E President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr.

Are there issues at the University that require your urgent administrative attention? Yes. I think one off the first things is to conduct a forensic audit of the University. I understand this is almost done. Also, you need to conduct a credential audit of all lecturers and professors at the University. In any given academic community, professors who teach/lecture, conduct research and publish and execute community service need to have the rightful academic credentials. Therefore, the University needs an urgent credential audit. This must be done if you must lead a professional team. We are aware that some of those who thrive on fake degrees at the University are there, and we have been wondering why such people are kept in leadership roles in such a competitive environment where meritocracy should thrive. Gone should be those days that those with fake credentials would survive at the University. They got promoted extremely fast because of their alignment with the ruling parties in Liberia. This must stop. Thankfully, you have no tribal person at the University. You do not hail from any of the counties besides been affiliated with your husband’s tribe and county due to marriage. Your being an American gives you the advantaged role of being beyond tribes, clans, etc. You must take lead and run an inclusive leadership. Besides these two serious issues, there are several other issues that posed a challenge to those you have come to replace. For instance, the issues that you need address include but are not limited to:

1.      Restructure the Finance and Human Resource Offices or Departments.

2.      Fully utilize the University of Liberia Charter. The ULFA and ULSA teams highlighted the wanton violation of the UL Charter and the creation of several Vice Presidents and Organs at the University of Liberia. Time has changed, but until a New Charter is enacted, fully work with the existing one. You need to drive the process to revise the Charter to meet contemporary realities. Such process must be consultative and inclusive.

3.      Fully implement the 2019 faculty promotion policy to its letter based on merit and based on the Faculty Promotion Policy of 2019.

4.      Ensure that the salaries of the University employees are paid on time. Alternatively, since salaries are paid by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, allow the MFPD to directly deposit the salaries of all University employees to their designated accounts once you sign and approve the payroll. In the event of faculty promotion, where salaries are adjusted, that should be immediately  communicated to the MFDP for immediate action the  following month.

5.      Pay part-time faculty. They should be paid monthly based on their contracts. I am reliably informed that their arears will be cleared before you take office on Friday, 10th January 2025. Please follow thru on this because people sometimes tell lies to deceive leaders.

6.       Refurbish all the learning and leisure environmental areas and lavatories. The UL Administration has informed that refurbishing of the campuses and lavatories will be done before January 13, 2025. Please try to fully renovate the 4 campuses.

7.      Kindly constitute a committee comprising ULSA, ULFA and MFDP to work on faculty and staff salary disparities and the payment of the previous 40% increment agreed under President Weah.

8.      The UL Administration has informed that they have procured 2 buses for Sinje Faculty. We thank the Acting President for this and other efforts that he has made.

9.      Conduct faculty performance review each and revery semester. We are not evaluated at all. Other Universities evaluate us each semester.

10.  Equip the campuses with unlimited internet. The provision of Wi-Fi and internet  access on all campuses cannot be overemphasized.

11.  Fully equip the existing laboratories and libraries and open new ones. Also run an online library. Introduce technology for automated services at the University.

12.  Reward honour students who graduate from undergraduate colleges with Masters scholarships at the graduate schools within the university and honoured graduates from the master’s programs should be provided PhD scholarships or fellowships at the University and abroad. This would help to enhance the faculties’ capabilities. Introduce students and faculties’ exchange programs at the University.

13.  Open the University of Liberia Farm to help produce varieties of food for the country; and allow students to practice what they learn.

Particularly for the graduate and research programs,  

14. Open a separate account for the payment of fees and tuition for students at the graduate and professional schools.

15. Pay Thesis supervisors at the graduate school for their services as agreed by past administration. It was agreed that no one should supervise more than 10 thesis students. Students paid $200US each for supervision, the University received the payments, but has not yet paid supervisors.

16. There is a need for smart classrooms at the graduate school; bathrooms for graduate students and professors are dilapidated. Graduate and Professional students pay $75 US per credit hour and $150.US for registration. They deserve the full ambiance for their monies like anywhere else at graduate schools.

17. Turnitin is a softer ware that we use to detect similarity and plagiarism for graduate thesis and all research works at the graduate school. University paid about $35, 000 US in 2000 for the software. It has not been renewed since, based on the scanty information that we have on this. The University is also using a trial version of its website and emails are provided via a third-party University in South Africa. We must and need to have our own University of Liberia web-based systems.

18. A concept note for an inter disciplinary academic journal at the graduate school was prepared, and some officials were appointed to lead and open the journal. 5 years later, there is no journal. You need to open that inter disciplinary journal. All colleges need their own academic peer-reviewed journals.

19. The university promised it would open a research account of not less than $50, 000US. to fund faculty’s research. You need to open such research account with even more money to fund academic research by professors. We need to improve research and publication at the University and attract more resources.

20. There is a graduate school reform report. Undergraduate colleges are linked with graduate schools. Students graduating from the University of Liberia  with 3.0 are still sitting entrance exams to enter graduate school. That should stop. The University cannot graduate students and give them entrance exams for the same school to enter graduate programs.

21. Some faculties have been in one academic rank for years against the  approved 2019 promotion policy.

22.Some courses that we teach at the graduate school require special computer  programs. There is no computer lab for the graduate school. There is a need to complete the computer lab started on the 4th floor started by one graduating class.

23. Enter into a collective bargaining agreement with the faculty and staff to inform the strategic direction of the UL and to amicably resolve all issues as they may arise from time to time.

24. Regularly pay the Medical College students’ allowances.

25.  The University is the owner of the John F. Kennedy Medical Centre as its Teaching Hospital. Please reclaim the JFK as such.

Dr. Maparnyan, you need to raise funds for the University and coordinate private funding and grants for academic research and excellence at the UL. Presidents of Universities in contemporary times are grant writers and funds raisers. The Government must also fund its part of the commitment to the University through an incremental National Budget process. The government must fund the university and reduce or stop the political interference. Students are at the University to obtain their academic degrees, and this effort needs to be supported and achieved in a timely manner as prescribed by the University.

AS I SEE IT, as a Former Chair of the Ever-Potent Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP), and now an Assistant Professor at the Graduate School,  I call on all students’ political groups to present their aspirations or concerns through official writings to the President for redress. The entire University community should commit to academic excellence. Write  down and publish your grievances. Burning tires, throwing stones, and fighting with cutlasses should be and must be something of the past like in the war years. Pens and papers must convey our grievances. Diplomacy and Negotiation must be our guard. Research and Development through innovation must be the order of the New Day at the University of Liberia. We, as a country, own the University of Liberia. We must utilize it for academic purposes. There is a need to conduct peaceful, free, fair, and democratic elections on the campus based on the approved rules and regulations of the University to be able to give students the opportunity to practice good leadership and democratic governance and ensure accountability and stewardship for their work. Stop the Interim Governments  at the University. Politics is part of life. Amongst the students, do not ban it. We are not in war or crises situations. There is no need to suspend students’ politics where we teach Political Science. The students must practice what they learn. In fact, most of the students that practice politics are not from the Political Science Department. Welcome once again, Dir. Layli Maparnyan, to the University of Liberia. Feel at home!

About the Author: Prof. Tom Kaydor, Jr. serves as an Assistant Professor at the IBB Graduate School of International Studies. He holds a PhD from the Department of Government and European Studies, the New University, Slovenia where he specialized in International Development and Diplomacy (with Security Aspects). His dissertation topic was ‘Reconceptualizing Africa’s Regional Integration for Peace and Sustainable Development.’ He earned a Master of Public Policy (MPP) specialized in Development Policy or Development Economics with Distinction from the Crawford School of Economics and Government (now the Crawford School of Public Policy), Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. He also obtained his first master’s degree as a Master of Arts (MA) in International Relations (Highest Distinction), and Bachelor of Arts (BA) Magna Cum Laude in Political Science from the University of Liberia where his Minor was History with Mass Communication as his Elective. Tom holds a Diploma in Leading Economic Growth from the Kennedy Graduate School, Harvard University, USA; and he holds other professional diplomas and certificates from Italy, UK, Pakistan, China, and Israel. Prof. Kaydor is also an Adjunct Professor of International Development Studies at the AME University Graduate School. Dr. Kaydor is an evidence-based researcher, a blogger, a columnist, and a published author. One can reach him via (kaydorth@ul.edu.lr or thkaydor@gmail.com).

The Government of Liberia Needs to Urgently Appoint the President of the University of Liberia

 The Government of Liberia Needs to Urgently Appoint the President of the University of Liberia

Happy New Year to my lovely wife, Mrs. Helen Garbo Kaydor, our children (Chief, Mother, Dweh, Nunnoh, Freddie, Julius, and Carter), our family members from the Kaydor and Garbo families, the people of Liberia and all global or universal citizens. Happy New Year, also, to the men and women of the media including the new Dawn Newspaper (OT the man), the Oracle Newspaper (Nat), The Investigator Newspaper (Dodoo), and the Verity Newspaper (Zac and my boy Martin Kollie-former Secretary General and Standard Bearer of SUP) for always lifting my views on national, regional, and international issues under the title: “AS I SEE IT”. Indeed, I do see a lot of things and I will continue to see a lot more. And as I see these issues, I will continue to write about them. Therefore, am grateful to these media entities that have published my views in their print and online versions in the papers without any pay. 

I am exceedingly grateful to Mr. Othello Garblah who accepted to operate or run a weekly column called “AS I SEE IT” in his New Dawn Newspaper. In fact, to his credit, he suggested that name when we were finding a suitable name for my column in his Newspaper. I promised to provide one version of this every week. I can promise again that I will write and keep providing my one edition every week. It is left with the news entities mentioned herein to publish on the day they prefer. Notably, Ambassador Garblah is a graduate of the IBB Graduate School of International Studies. He is my former student and I appreciate his support of my initiatives and engagements with the media. I hope other papers will join these newspapers mentioned to regularly publish my ideas that others call debates, analysis, arguments, etc. on national, regional, and international social, economic, political, and environmental issues.

The University of Liberia is the Nation’s highest institution of learning. The University was founded in 1952 after operating from 1852 as the Liberia College. Liberia College of Social Sciences and humanities is the College that I graduated from at the University of Liberia. I was the dux of the College when we graduated on May 28, 2003. I read Political Science with Emphasis in Comparative Government and Politics (Magna Cum Laude). History was my minor and Mass Communication was my elective. I am therefore a product of the university of Liberia, and I am proud that I am lecturing there as an Assistant Professor today. I have been in this Assistant Professor portfolio since 2018 at the IBB Graduated School. I have applied for an academic promotion many times to become an Associate Professor at the University because I have met all the policy and academic requirements. I hope to be promoted based on merit one day. No matter how long the night, the day will break. Given the significance and importance I give to the University of Liberia, I thought to write my first opinion on the University of Liberia in 2025. 

The University has been closed since the last graduation in September 2024. While the University remains closed, we who are employed there continue to be paid on the taxes earned from the blood and sweat of the struggling Liberian people. I do not like or enjoy taking pay when am not working. It is wrong and unethical to do so. Our late father always said to us to “work and be paid handsomely for the work that we do.” However, it is the Government of Liberia that is responsible for this national waste because the University, the highest state owned in the country, is closed because of some demands that University of Liberia Faculty Association (ULFA) is making.

Since the end of Liberia’s civil crises in 2003 and restoration of democratic governance in Liberia, His Excellency, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, is the first elected and Indigenous President who graduated from the University of Liberia. All others before him in post-conflict Liberia did not. It was and it is still expected that an Alumna of the University who is now the Head of State, President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia will make the University of Liberia his priority. Not to do so undermines the Government’s Commitment to Education in the Country. The Liberian President, by the dictates of the University Charter produced in 1951, is the Visitor of the University of Liberia. The Charter gives him the authority to officially constitute the Board of Trustees, something that has been done already. I am aware that the Charter gives some statutory membership and non-statutory membership, but both must constitute the Board to be constituted by the President. The President has since done so. 

President JNB also has the authority to appoint the President and other officials of the University. However, despite this authority given by the UL Charter, he decided to follow existing precedent by setting up a Vetting Committee to Which all those interested in Leading the University would apply and the same Vetting Committee would recommend not less than 3 names of the most competent names amongst all those applicants. He, President Boakai, would then appoint his preferred candidate from those shortlisted candidates given him by the Vetting Committee after their interviewing and vetting processes. The vetting Committee has since concluded its job. Therefore, I expect that President JNB will appoint the University President accordingly. The President, in my view, should come from those shortlisted by the Vetting Panel.

The good news is that two former Presidents and the President of the University of Liberia Alumni were part of that team. Dr. Weeks, former President, Dr. Conteh, former President and Atty Martin Penny were there on the Vetting Team. In fact, Hon. Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, former ULSU President and former UL Board Secretary, was also part of that team. In fact, President Boakia got some members of his cabinet and senior officials and other comrades who graduated from the University of Liberia in his Government. Don’t they want other Liberian students to graduate from the University of Liberia to replace them and work in other places too? I hope that they are not just sitting and clapping for the President when the state is not doing well because the University is presently closed. 

Some of the former student leaders that are in this government are Comrades Hon. Samuel Kofi Woods, Hon. Anthony Kesselley, Hon. Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, Hon. Wilmot Paye, Hon. Jerolimeck Piah, Atty Kula Fofana, Atty Cornelius Kruah Tokpa, Cllr. Cooper Kruah, Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, Hon. Louise M. Kpoto, Hon. Malaya Cheow, Hon. Alex Neutah, Hon. Josiah Joekai, Hon. James Fromoyan, Hon. Mohammed Ali, Hon Alaric Tokpa, Hon Dougbe Nyan, Hon. Sekou Kromah, Hon. Darlington Smith, Hon. Dickson Tamba, etc. Have all these public officials forgotten about the interest of the University? Let them not forget. So many officials in this very government will come to the professors, students, and communities for elected jobs in 2029. What would they say about their roles in the closure of the University?

AS I SEE IT, H.E President Joseph Nyuma Boakai needs to appoint the President of the University of Liberia. The government cannot preside over a closed University as is now. Why should the government keep the University closed and feel happy to continue to pay salaries of an entity that is dysfunctional? Absolutely, there is no justification for this mishap and anomaly. No government in the history of Liberia played around the integrity of the University and went free. This government would be no exception to that rule. In fact, former student leaders who graduated from the University and are part of this government must see it as their exclusive responsibility to ensure that the Visitor of the University appoint the New President of the University. In Life, delays are dangerous and too many delays are too dangerous. We, at the University, are not happy about this closure. We did not elect President Boakai, who graduated from the University to neglect or forget about the very University. All the villages, towns, districts, and counties in Liberia are represented at the University. Therefore, the Liberian people are all interested in what happens at the University. Liberians are unhappy about the closure of the University, even if they do not say this now. There is no need for any further delays in appointing the new head of the University to lead the team to Victory. The time is now. The president needs to make an appointment based on the process that he set in motion.

About the Author: Prof. Tom Kaydor, Jr. serves as an Assistant Professor at the IBB Graduate School of International Studies. He holds a PhD from the Department of Government and European Studies, the New University, Slovenia where he specialized in International Development and Diplomacy (with Security Aspects). His dissertation topic was ‘Reconceptualizing Africa’s Regional Integration for Peace and Sustainable Development.’ He earned a Master of Public Policy (MPP) specialized in Development Policy or Development Economics with Distinction from the Crawford School of Economics and Government (now the Crawford School of Public Policy), Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. He also obtained a Master of Arts (MA) in International Relations (Highest Distinction) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) Magna Cum Laude in Political Science from the University of Liberia where his Minor was History with Mass Communication as his Elective. Tom holds a Diploma in Leading Economic Growth from the Kennedy Graduate School, Harvard University, USA; and he holds other professional diplomas and certificates from Italy, UK, Pakistan, China, and Israel. Prof. Kaydor is also an Adjunct Professor of International Development Studies at the AME University Graduate School. Dr. Kaydor is an evidence-based researcher, a blogger, a columnist, and a published author. One can reach him via (kaydorth@ul.edu.lr or thkaydor@gmail.com).