“Nothing is going to stop us in moving the United Methodist University of Liberia to its permanent home in Doemah Town, Margibi County,” declared Dr. Yar Donlah Gonway-Gono, President of the University. Dr. Gonway-Gono made the remarks during the launching program for the Arthur F. Kulah College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management on January 14, 2022. All of the activities including classes of this college must be conducted here in Doemah Town,” she asserted. She also pointed out that as much as the desire of putting up grandeur buildings on the property is welcoming; a step-by-step relocation of the university is the best way to accomplish the task of taking the university to its permanent home.
Dr. Gonway-Gono stressed that her administration will work with partners at home and abroad to ensure that the mandate given to her by the Board of Directors of the university is implemented in a timely manner. “As of this date, January 14, 2022, the Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management now makes Doemah Town in Margibi County one of our active campuses around the country”, she concluded.
Earlier, the Resident Bishop of the United Methodist Church in Liberia and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the United Methodist University, Bishop Samuel J. Quire, Jr. on Tuesday, January 4, 2022, challenged the leadership of the university to move the classes of its agriculture program to the “Permanent Home” of the university located in Doemah Town on the Robertfield highway. Speaking during a visit to the site where he has gone to consecrate grounds for the Agriculture College, Bishop Quire said the university was sitting on a goldmine that the institution could utilized to fund some of its program. “Produce from this ground can support the work of this university and this land has been sitting here while we are crying for money,” Bishop Quire asserted.
He pointed out that it is about time that the university authorities be intentional about moving to the new site, adding, “we promised the people of Doemah Town that we were going to turn this community into a university city.” Bishop Quire told the leadership of the university to do all that is in their power to make sure classes for the agriculture program are held on the new site. “Let 2022 be the year that we step forward as an institution to ensure that the dream of relocating to this property does not slip further away,” Bishop Quire affirmed.
He also urged the university to hold the next commencement convocation which is slated for August 2022 at the “Permanent Home” of the university.
Though the university has been operating its Agriculture College in Gbazon Town, Sinoe County since 2010 as part of the six colleges within the United Methodist University, Dr. Yar Donlah Gonway-Gono, President of the university has been working on plans to start the Doemah Town component of the agriculture program. She indicated that while the university is looking for resources to build its “Future Home” in the Doemah Town community, the land should not be left idle, adding, “we can grow some agricultural produce here that can bring in some money for the university.” She said the land was an idea way of providing practical experience for students who want to study agriculture at the university.
Established in 2010, the College of Agriculture was named the Arthur F. Kulah College of Agriculture and Forestry of the United Methodist University of Liberia in 2015. It is now rebranded as the Arthur F. Kulah College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management based on the approval of the UMU Board of Directors and will now be offering bachelor’s degree. According to dean of the college Thomas Romeo J. Quioh, the college will endeavor to graduate job creators instead of jobs seekers. “You will stop here to buy agriculture produce from the college within the next six months”, he asserted.
The presence of the Arthur F. Kulah College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management in Margibi County now brings to five the number of counties that are hosting campuses of the United Methodist University of Liberia. They are Bong, Margibi, Montserrado, Nimba, and Sinoe Counties.
