Guinean International Bountu Sylla scored four goals, followed by a goal each from Jessica Quachie, Ruggy Joof, and Mbassey Daboe, ensuring their 5th title in succession.

With this news, Coach Robert Larteh’s girls are well on course for a double, but they will have to outshine World Girls in the Orange Cup final on April 20, 2025, to achieve the feat.

By tradition, Determine Girls will represent Liberia in the next edition of the West Africa Football Union (WAFU) zone-A Women’s edition, which will be their 5th participation.

Out of the four participations, Determine Girls only managed to qualify once from the preliminary stage. According to statistics, they won the Liberian leagues in the following years: 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25. The Liberian-Guinean international Bountou Sylla moved to second place in the scoring chart with 24 goals from 20 league matches and six goals behind 1st place Shaita Angel’s Miatta Morris, who is on 30 goals. In the male division of the LFA, Mark Yallah scored a brace at the same venue to inspire FC Fassell to a 4-0 win over Shaita FC to move within a point of clinching the 2024/2025 title.

With the win, the Soccer Missionaries are on 50 points and 9 points clear of 2nd place Heaven Eleven, who are on 41 points with three matches to spare.

In other fixtures, Mighty Barrolle were beaten 2-3 by Global Pharma as LPRC Oilers went down 0-1 to Heaven Eleven while Paynesville FC managed a 3-2 win over Freeport FC.

On the other hand, LISCR and Invincible Eleven settled to a 1-1 draw, Watanga FC and Blackman Warrior also drew 3-3, and Discoveries SA and Bea Mountain settled to a 2-2 draw.

The post Determine Girls Retains LFA Upper Women’s Championship For The 5th Time In Succession first appeared on OK FM.

This decision, according to the Executive Mansion, reflects “a broader vision of rehabilitation and redemption, emphasizing the need for second chances within a fair and humane justice system.

”The decision, rooted in Chapter 6, Article 59 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution, was the result of a detailed review process ensuring fairness and accountability. The selection criteria were designed to prioritize inmates demonstrating potential for reintegration, including: Those who have served over half their sentences, individuals detained beyond their sentence due to minor unpaid restitution obligations and Elderly inmates or those suffering from terminal illnesses.

Only individuals with commendable conduct during incarceration were considered, while individuals convicted of capital offenses or serious felonies were excluded, a statement from the Executive Mansion revealed.

Among those granted clemency were 37 Liberian nationals and one foreign national from China, comprising 37 men and one woman. All were convicted of non-capital, non-sexual offenses. More than half of these individuals were held at Monrovia Central Prison, with others spread across facilities nationwide.

The statement added that the clemency initiative underscores President Boakai’s belief in the transformative power of rehabilitation and the societal benefits of giving individuals a chance to rebuild their lives. It aligns with a broader commitment to strengthening the country’s justice system to be more equitable, inclusive, and reflective of human values.Commenting on the decision, President Boakai stated “By extending clemency, we affirm the belief that individuals can be redeemed and contribute positively to society. A justice system that fosters rehabilitation is one that strengthens the nation.

“The clemency process involved close collaboration between the judiciary, the Ministry of Justice, and other stakeholders. This partnership ensured a meticulous and equitable review process, reflecting Liberia’s commitment to fairness and the rule of law.

This initiative serves as a powerful message about the value of justice paired with mercy. By prioritizing rehabilitation, the government demonstrates its dedication to creating opportunities for those who have paid their debt to society.

As Liberia moves forward, this clemency act is a significant milestone in the ongoing journey to build a justice system that is not only firm but also compassionate, offering hope and second chances to deserving individuals.

The post President Boakai Grants Executive Clemency to 38 Inmates first appeared on OK FM.

The aggregate winner of both matches will progress to the next stage of qualifiers.The red, white, and blue outfit outshined their neighboring counter parts, Sierra Leone to progress from the preliminary qualifiers.

A 2-1 win and a 1-1 draw was enough for Thomas Kojo boys most especially playing both matches at SKD due to the ongoing renovation of the Sierra Leonean National Stadium.

Liberians will however be hoping to see their national team qualifying to competitive international competition (Nations Cup) for the first time after Mali 2002.Coach Thomas Kojo has kicked off preparations with 26 players ahead of the encounters.Players invited by Coach Kojo included: Abdulai Koulibaly, Ashley Williams and Jonathan Sayed are all goakeepers.

Defenders included: Eugene Swen, Josephus Mantor, Natus Swen, Michael Tengbeh, Philip Tarnue, Branda Debbah, Nelson Laomie, and Sabastin Teclar.Midfielders: Armah Vaikanah, Marvin Blapoh, Karimu Coleman, Lawrence Kumeh, Kindness Cole, Josiah Cea, Abdullai Bility, Daniel Toe, Daniel Nyemah, Chauncy Freeman, Nicholas Andrew and Kelvin Konowah.

The strikers include, Williams Gibson, Mark Yallah and Emmanuel Flomo.

The post Home based Lone Star takes on the Terranga Lions of Senegal this Sunday first appeared on OK FM.

For his part, the new IE Vice President Senator Prince Moye pledged to take the club back to the people through the use of grassroots football.
He said he will use his administrative experience to help transform IE through teamwork with Senator Jonathon Boye Charles Sogbie.
“With the technical know-how of the president, together we can take IE to another level.”.
“I have been into football administration for a little while; I ran my own club, Moye FC. This task is not a challenge but a call to service. I being a fan of IE back in the days, so serving in this capacity means a lot, the IE Vice President for Administration highlighted”.
Meanwhile, IE is in 11th place in the 14-team table with 12 points from 13 league matches.

The post IE unveils Bong County Senator Prince Moye as Vice President for Administration first appeared on OK FM.

The post Forest Communities Angered By Exclusion from Carbon Credits Negotiations first appeared on OK FM.

Image source: Martin K.N. Kollie.

Claim: “The purported letter from U.S Ambassador McCarthy accusing Liberians in the USA of spreading information is fake,” says activist Martin K.N. Kollie.

Verdict: False. The letter is not purported, it is real, and the link is on the US Embassy Facebook page. In addition, the US Ambassador near Monrovia on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, voiced the accusation against Liberians with reporters.

Full Text

Liberians residing in the United States who were noted for using the traditional media or radio stations back home to spew allegations were shocked after the US embassy openly debunked their actions.

The US envoy in Liberia said most of the controversies emerging in Liberian media ahead of the elections originated from the United States.

“Today, I am ashamed to tell you that the most irresponsible controversies to emerge in Liberia’s media over the past month have originated from the United States. While responsible critical observations from the Liberian diaspora can be healthy, some cowardly media personalities and political personalities have intentionally disseminated rumours or misinformation into Liberia’s political environment from the safety of their studios and offices in the U.S.,” Ambassador McCarthy said in his opening remarks with the anti-corruption coordinators.

His statement comes on the heels of allegations by persons based in the US that City Mayor of Monrovia, Jefferson Koijee, masterminded the killing of former Chief Justice’s daughter, Charloe Musu, by sponsoring a City police officer, Varlee Telleh, who is an ex-fighter for former President Charles Taylor during Liberia’s civil crisis.

Liberian lawyer Jerome Verdier, currently residing in the US, made this particular allegation.  He was also the online guest panellist on the SpoonTalk show.

The Mayor, who was accused of masterminding the murder, has, through his legal team, challenged Verdier to provide evidence to authenticate his claim to help the Police force with an ongoing investigation.

Verdier is not the only person known for trading allegations and disinformation. Martin Kollie, who also resides in the diaspora but is vocal on local issues in Liberia, is known to have traded some false news as well, one of which was investigated by DUBAWA.

For example, his claim about the doctor to patients ratio in the country was found to be palpably false after DUBAWA ‘Fact-Checked the claim. Attached is the report.

In discussing the issue raised by Liberia’s US Ambassador about disinformation from Liberians in the US, Martin Kollie sought to deny there was no such comment by the US Ambassador. He alleged the comment attributed to the US Ambassador was no more than a pro-CDC propaganda being shared on Facebook.

A screenshot of the claim on Facebook

Kollie’s post, dated March 15, 2023, has generated over two hundred controversial comments, thirty-one shares and 292 Facebook likes and emojis.

Though some Facebook commenters disagreed with the claimant under his post, others believed him.

Verification

Given the mention of a prominent diplomat and the significance of the information to Liberia and its biting effects on the nation, DUBAWA decided to verify the post by activist Martin K.N. Kollie.

Again, as a result of the controversy generated by Martin Kollie’s post, insisting the comment by the Ambassador was non-existent, DUBAWA had every responsibility to verify if the US Ambassador’s comment was indeed made.

The researcher founda link to the statement made by the US Ambassador, which is on the verified US Embassy Facebook page. In addition, audio recording of Ambassador McCarthy was played during one of the prime shows on OK FM, the “Afternoon Conversation” Ambassador McCarthy, speaking at a news conference recently said,

“While responsible critical observations from the Liberian diaspora can be healthy, some cowardly media personalities and political personalities have intentionally disseminated rumours or misinformation about Liberia’s environment from the safety of their studios and offices in the US. These people are motivated by disruption and a desire to break down trust in Liberian institutions- they don’t care what damage they cause. When questioned by law enforcement, they do not have evidence to back up their claims.

“Unfortunately, they take advantage of America’s first amendment rights to spread rumours and stir up trouble in your country, which is despicable behaviour.”

Contrary to claims the information could not be accessed on the website of the US Embassy in Monrovia, DUBAWA can confirm it is online.

Conclusion

From the information gathered, it is clear that activist Martin K.N. Kollie lied about the US ambassador’s statement about diaspora Liberians spreading false information from the US back home.

The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2023 Kwame KariKari Fellowship partnership with OK FM to facilitate the ethos of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.

The post US Envoy’s comment about disinformation from some Liberians in US not fake first appeared on OK FM.

Image source: Women In Liberia

In October 2018, Liberian leader George Weah declared himself “Liberia’s Feminist-in-Chief.”

By that declaration, the Executive Mansion said, the President reaffirms his unwavering commitment to pursuing the feminist ideals that guarantee the rights and wellbeing of women.

Five years on as President, it is imperative to do a thorough assessment of Weah’s record in promoting the interests and security of women, especially when issues of violence and rape against women and girls are said to be on the increase in the country.

DUBAWA, in this Explainer, will look beyond the President’s self-proclaimed mantra as “Liberia’s Feminist-in-chief” and ascertain if this proclamation has any true meaning at all within the context of Liberia women’s development.

To be feminist-in-chief one has to be committed to equal representation at all levels by reflecting the rights and needs of everyone, particularly women and girls. In a Twitter post in 2021, UN Secretary Antonio Guituress said, “only with women’s equal participation across all spheres will we benefit from the intelligence & experience of all of humanity.”

But the story in Liberia is contrary to the expectation of the UN Secretary-General. In Liberia’s midterm Senatorial elections in 2020, President Weah’s three-party government put up candidates without picking a single female for that election thereby leading to widespread criticisms from women rights activists. In Weah’s cabinet, out of nineteen top ministers, there are only five women represented in total.

Violence Against Women in Liberia

As if the discrimination in political appointments is not injurious enough, violence against women and girls in Liberia has aggressively increased under the watchful eyes of President Weah. For many women and girls in Liberia, the violence they experienced during the 14 years of back-to-back civil crises still occurs.

Among other things, rape, early marriage, silence on violence against women and girls, low women representation in the legislature and many others stand as fundamental problems yet to be addressed. Rape is a sexual activity carried out without consent or with a minor. According to Merriam’s Dictionary, it includes unlawful sexual activity, and usually, intercourse carried out forcibly or under threat of injury against a person’s will or with a person who is beneath a certain age.

Liberia is replete with examples of allegations of rape against high-ranking members of government. For instance, in 2020, Mr Weah appointed Foreign Minister, D. Maxwell Kemayah amid allegations of sexual harassment from a female staff in Washington DC on Liberia’s permanent UN mission.

Though the office of the President acknowledged receipt of a complaint from the sexual harassment survivor against his current Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Liberian “feminist-in-chief” ignored the lady’s concern and commissioned Kemayah as Minister proper without the outcome of any investigation.

Like Kemayah, one of the Commissioners at the Independent Human Rights Commission in Liberia, Mohammed Fahnbulleh, was most recently accused of by a female employee in the institution of sexual harassment. An investigation conducted by various civil society actors in Liberia found the accused Commissioner liable for the act.  But Fahnbulleh, who denies any wrongdoing, has taken the matter to court as he enjoys the confidence of his boss, President Weah, the self-proclaimed “feminist-in-chief.”

OHCHR was established in April 2018, following the signing of a six-year host country agreement with the government of Liberia. The agreement allows the institution to exercise full human rights promotion and protection.  According to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in Liberia, rape accounted for more than 60% of total Sexual Gender Based Violence cases.

The figure on rape from the Gender Ministry was also captured in the 2018  US State Department Report, which was released in 2019. Among other things, the report highlighted that: “Rape is illegal, but the government did not enforce the law effectively, and rape remained a serious and pervasive problem.”

In addition, a year before Mr Weah’s elections, the UN report in 2016 indicates: “A very high number of rapes reported in all the 15 counties across the country, with 803 cases in 2015. Rape is the second most commonly reported serious crime in Liberia,” according to the report. 

The report adds that impunity also prevails for recent rapes, with only two per cent of rapes and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) cases reported last year resulting in a conviction in court.

This report was a pitch not only to the feminist President-elect, Weah but also one that needed the attention of well-meaning citizens relative to the overriding need to increase accountability for rape in the country. But nothing much has changed during the tenure of President Weah.

Early Marriage is the early state of being united as spouses, mostly against the interest of women and girls yet recognised by law. Gender-Based violence refers to harmful acts directed at an individual based on gender.

Murder and Weah’s silence

The evidence of Liberia’s gender-based violence is incontrovertible. However, the most recent test of President Weah’s credential as feminist-in-chief comes on the heels of the violent attacks on Liberia’s former Chief Justice, Gloria Musu Scott, the murder of her daughter and injuries to her family. Weeks after the incident, neither the President nor his office issued a public statement condemning the murder. Not even an announcement of an investigation that will lead to a logical conclusion of the case.

His silence has been described as worrisome by the Association of Female Lawyers Association. In a statement, they indicated, “We need you, Mr President, to make strong public condemnations of insecurity issues and take action on violence against women and children.”

But the women in Liberia have not been as silent as the president. Right from 2020, the women of Liberia staged sporadic protests across the country against all forms of violence, particularly, the surge of rape cases in the country. Dressed in dominant black outfits, the women also expressed frustration over Weah’s administration’s growing silence on violence against them.

“They marched through the streets of Monrovia to petition the Legislature. The protest, named and styled ‘March for Justice,’ caught the government’s attention, pushing them to declare the menace (Rape) a national emergency. Despite declaring rape a national emergency, nothing much has changed. 

Women and Elections

At the seat of government, there is power. This power translates into decisions. If there is any place women must occupy to assert themselves and participate in the decision-making process towards the development of Liberia, it has to be in government, either through elections or appointments.

However, Mr Weah most recently rejected several portions of the new elections law, which among other things, calls for 30% gender representation mainly for women eyeing national leadership through elective political seats in the country.  The law also sought to fine and delist political parties that failed to adhere to the 30% gender representation.  Sadly, the Feminist-in-Chief Weah argued that allowing the law to pass would violate the ECOWAS Protocol A/SP1/12/01 on Democracy and Good Governance.

This protocol, as mentioned by Mr Weah, clearly states in article 2 that “no substantial modification shall be made to the electoral laws in the last six months before the elections except with the consent of a majority of political actors.”

But, when he (President Weah) ‘Vetoed’ the law, Liberia was just seven months ahead of the October 10, 2023, Presidential and Legislative elections and not six months. Unlike Liberia, the West African nation of Sierra Leone, headed by President Julius Mada Bio in February of this year, passed a gender equality bill reserving 30% seats for women in elected and appointed public offices.

Light at the end of the tunnel?

Most recently, the Weah-led administration, along with partners and traditional leaders, agreed to put an end to an old-aged harmful traditional practice in the country. The step to ban female genital mutilation has widely been described as great progress.

The US government, through its embassy in Monrovia, most recently lauded the move on the part of the government while urging the Legislature to pass the agreement into law.

“I was not here for International Women’s Day, but I still wanted to congratulate the Weah Administration, the traditional leaders, the religious leaders, the women’s support groups, UN Women, and UNDP for going far beyond lip service to taking coordinated action to preserve the Sande while fighting the scourge of FGM,” US Ambassador McCarthy said at a news briefing in Monrovia 

What are Liberians saying?

When Liberians first overheard the President’s declaration as feminist-in-chief, they were assured that their rights were going to be protected and they were going to have an equal space in national decision-making. Still, sadly, many are concerned about the deafening  silence from President George Weah.

Lisa Tenneh Diasy is a prominent Liberian woman and CEO of Women online TV in Liberia. She said: “The attacks against women must stop. The attacks are huge, happening daily, and this has to stop. Our Country must practice and uphold the tenets of democracy and the respect for human rights.”

According to her, WOMEN’s rights are human rights, adding, “no matter what professional area a woman occupies, she must not be harassed, intimidated and marginalised. The silence of the current head of state of Liberia towards the current wave of attacks against women says a lot,” Daisy said.

The researcher produced this Explainer per the DUBAWA 2023 Kwame KariKari Fellowship programme to facilitate the ethos of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.

The post Assessing Weah’s claim to fame as “Feminist-in-Chief” and the cry of women in Liberia first appeared on OK FM.

Image Source: CDC Chairman Mulbah Morlu

Claim: The family of Justice Gloria Musu-Scott, in a recent statement, quotes the ruling party Chairman Mulbah Morlu as saying, “their daughter Charloe Musu was killed for ritualistic purposes.”

Verdict: False. Online research on the particular Press Conference revealed that Morlu did not mention such a statement. The ruling party chairman also openly clarified the allegation to the media.

Full Text

The murder and armed robbery attacks on the home of Liberia’s former Chief Justice, Gloria Musu-Scott, have been greeted with several accusations, one of which is coming from the family of Justice Scott.

Charloe Musu, daughter of Justice Scott, was murdered on the morning of Thursday,  February 23, 2023, at Justice Scott’s residence in Brewville on the outskirt of the city.

Other members of the household suffered injuries in the attack. It is not yet clear the motive for the murder and the attack but the news of the murder has since gone viral. 

The police have since begun an investigation into the matter.

While citizens look forward to a speedy investigation and the arrest of the culprits, there have been some allegations and counter-allegations. One such is from the family of the former Chief Justice.

On March 6, 2023, the family issued a statement accusing the ruling party chairman, Mulbah Morlu, of making statements against the family.

The statement partly reads, “On Thursday, March 2, 2023, the chairman of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change – CDC, Mulbah Morlu, had a Press Conference at the CDC headquarters in Sinkor. It was held immediately after the Liberian Women Sit-in Action in protest at the seat of the Legislature on Capitol Hill against the murder and assault against the Musu family.”

The family statement accused Mr Morlu of saying Charloe was killed for “ritualistic purposes.”

The murder of Charloe has triggered widespread, vehement public condemnation in the country.

The institutions and groups that have expressed disdain over the attacks include the Liberia National Bar Association, former Vice President and Standard bearer of the former ruling Unity Party, Joseph Nyuma Boakai.

The gravity of the situation involving former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott and her daughter’s death and the accusation against the party chairman form the basis for this fact-check.

Verification

Given the sensitive nature of the claim, DUBAWA decided to contact the family for evidence of its claim against the party chairman. But the family of the former Chief Justice, when contacted for a response, declined to verify the claim as indicated in their Press statement.

The Family spokesperson Julius Musu in a telephone conversation with this researcher, said the family would not respond to the inquiry seeking answers over an allegation raised in their most recent release.

“All I can tell you is that the matter is before the police, and the family is cooperating, and that is all for now,” Julius Musu said on the phone.  

The researcher scrutinised the video of March 2, 2023, press conference, which formed the basis of the ritual murder accusation attributed to Mr Morlu. From the scrutiny, it is clear there was no such accusation in the video.

Though the family statement alleged that Chairman Morlu of President Weah’s ruling Coalition said their daughter was used for ritual, he debunked the claim via telephone interview with OK FM on March 6, 2023.

His rebuttal, which can be heard between the 2:04:05sec on the show, among other things, rejected the claim, “that is not true, I never said that. Several credible media institutions covered my press conference. The videos are out there.”

Conclusion

The claim by the former chief justice, Gloria Musu Scott’s family, which accuses Mr Weah’s three-party government chairman Mulbah Morlu of saying that Charloe Musu, daughter of Justice Scott, was killed for ritual purposes, is false.

The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2023 Kwame KariKari Fellowship partnership with OK FM to facilitate the ethos of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.

The post False! No evidence to support ritualistic claim against CDC Chairman in Charloe’s murder first appeared on OK FM.

Image Source: JNB Official Facebook Handle.

Claim: ‘Former Vice President has decided to support Cummings following retirement from politics,’ Sekou Kalasco Damaro, Presidential Aide to Weah, claims.

Verdict: False. Joseph Nyumah Boakai (JNB) refuted the claims about his resignation on his official Facebook page. He further states that the Vice President will contest the Presidency come October. 

Full Text

A screenshot of an alleged Facebook account, which carries the photograph and full name of Joseph Nyumah Boakai (JNB), was widely shared, saying: “I have served the people for over 43 years and understand that it is time to move on in different directions. Today I have decided to withdraw my bid for the presidency. I believe the way forward is to give a chance to somebody who understands how to fix this country. I’ve decided to support Alex Cumming. 

“I’ve served the people for over 43 years and understand that it is now time to move in a different direction. Today, I’ve decided to withdraw my bid for the presidency. I believe the way forward is to give a chance to somebody who understands how to fix this country. I’ve decided to support Cummings.”   

One of the Facebook users who shared the news was an aide to the incumbent president, Sekou Kalasco Damaro. Damaro captioned the post: “Finally, former Vice President Boakai has decided to support Cummings. The game is on.”

The post generated mixed reactions in public, culminating in over five hundred comments and two hundred emoji on Facebook.

Like Sekou, another Facebook user Samson Mosery believed to be a supporter of Mr Alexander Cummings, wrote that the news of Mr Boakai stepping down was confirmed.

In addition, Estrada Duke Jayajy posted a picture of Ghana’s sitting president Akufo-Addo congratulating JNB on Twitter about his supposed resignation from politics.

Verification

Amid the rounds of his resignation from politics and subsequent support for Mr Cummings of the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC), Joseph Boakai, in response, debunked the claim while describing the screenshot as ‘fake.’

“I’ve seen a screenshot of a post circulating on social media from a fake Joseph Nyuma Boakai page that I am not contesting for the presidency in October 2023. Let me reassure the Liberians that nothing will stop the Rescue Mission we are embarking upon. We will be on the ballot, and with God above, we will succeed in rescuing this our beloved country,” he said.

DUBAWA also visited the official Twitter page of Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, hoping to find the post in which the president congratulated JNB but saw nothing of that sort. After carefully examining the page containing the controversial tweet, DUBAWA observed that the blue tick had been used as a verified account for the president. However, checks on the official Twitter account of Ghana’s president show a grey tick instead.

According to Twitter, the blue verified ticks are for persons or individuals, whilst the grey verified ticks are for governments.

Conclusion

Based on our findings, the claim that Boakai has resigned from Liberian politics and has decided to support Alexander B. Cummings is false.

The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2023 Kwame KariKari Fellowship partnership with OK FM to facilitate the ethos of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.

The post Joseph Nyumah Boakai deciding to support Alexander Cummings after retirement, False! first appeared on OK FM.

 By Assoc. Prof. John S. Flomo, Jr. (PhD). © 2023

As I reflect on the ongoing discourse on academic credentials of colleges and universities’ presidents and vice presidents for academic affairs within Liberia, I have thought to share my thoughts on the critical importance of academic credentials and academic and administrative positions in academic sphere in a two series article. In executing this task, I have generally delineated the differences between the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and professional terminal doctorates; e.g. Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.), Doctor of Public Administration (D.PA.), Doctor of Medicine, M.D.), Doctor of Legal Law (L.LD.), Doctor of Economics (D.Ec.), etc. as there is seems to be a lot of misunderstanding in Liberia about these credentials. In addition to these credentials, I have also set to provide a succinct deliberation on the differences between “an earned doctorate” and “an honorary doctorate” and the reasons for which they both are awarded.

In the first part of this discourse, I have focused on the two kinds of earned terminal credentials (Ph.D. and professional doctorates) and the honorary doctorate and the reasons for which they are earned or awarded and in the second part of this article, I will discuss the college and/or university presidency, the professor, lecturer, adjunct faculty and administrative positions such as dean, department chair, program director and faculty rankings across universities and colleges as it is generally accepted by scientists, practitioners and policy makers in the field of higher education.

I come to this discussion with academic training and practical knowledge in the field of higher education. After undergraduate education from the Jacksonville Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, Florida, I earned a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Educational Leadership from Luther Seminary in St. Paul Minnesota. I also earned a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Higher Education Policy and Administration from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus. I subsequently went on to earn my Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Higher Education Policy and Administration with minor in International Education from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

Prior to and after graduation from graduate school, I worked in the higher education environment for over fourteen years as a student personal administrator at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, Northwestern Health Sciences University, Bloomington, Minnesota, as vice president for academic affairs at the African Methodist Episcopal University, Camp Johnson Road, Monrovia, an associate professor, the Director of the Graduate Program in Education, a dean and acting Executive Director for the Teaching and Learning Center at the University of Liberia and founding President of the Bong County Technical College. The Teaching and Learning Center at the University of Liberia was approved and established by the University’s Faculty Senate and Administrative Counsel during my directorship.

In addition to my training and work in the world of higher education, I have also been a member of several higher education professional organizations in the United States including the American College Personal Association (ACPA), the Minnesota College Personnel Association (MCPA), Minnesota International Educators, National Association of Multicultural Educators and a member of the Association of Institutional Researchers. All of these organizations are membership organizations that include higher education professionals in several different disciplines in the field of higher education in the United States.

Considering my training and experience in the field of higher education, I have deemed it expedient to share my thoughts on the current discourse and policy conversation taking place in Liberia; especially as it relates to the issues of credentials and their applicability to higher education careers (positions) with focus on the university or college presidency, faculty and administrative positions.

Academic Credentials

As a career counselor in college, I always asked my counselees what they were most passionate about when they sought advices about making career choice decisions.  I also do that with my children. I have a daughter who graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Management in 2022 and I currently have four daughters in college studying Accounting, Information Technology, Nursing and Management. When I advise my children about choosing a life time career, I take them through the same route of “what is your life passion?” This question answers the question about the decisions individuals make about what they intend to study in college when they enroll. And to a greater extent, it provides the rational for how and why academic credentials were and are being created today.

In the field of higher education, there are discourses and sometimes confusions about the curricula content for a given credential. The discourse among scientists and practitioners have most often centered on several disciplinary fronts (social science, humanity, hard science, technology, etc.). Whatever way these discourses have happened, they have always pointed in two general directions; Science and Arts. And this is evident in the nomenclatures given to academic credentials from the very beginning of university or college credential system. For example, at the Associate’s degree level, there are two types of associate degrees; they are Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (ASc). At the bachelor’s level, there are the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and the Bachelor of Science (BSC). At the Master’s degree level, there are the Master of Arts (MA) and the Master of Science (MSC) and then at the terminal degree level, there are the Doctor of Philosophy and professional doctorates. I am cognizant of the fact that there are professional degrees from the associate level to the terminal degree level (e.g. B.Th., B.Agri., B.Eng., M.Eng., M.PA., M.Th., D.Phil., D.Pharm., D.Ec., etc.). When critically examined, all of these professional credentials and their curricula contents point to either the arts of the professions or the science thereof of the career for which students are trained. For example, students who earned Bachelor of Engineering degrees are trained as practical engineers. They spend a lot of time doing practical while they are in training. In fact, they acquire more training than teaching. And this general assertion goes with almost all professional degrees. This of course, I could argue is an “Art” of a given profession. So in summary, whether a degree is practical or is scientific or research base, it is either an “Art” or a “Science” of a given career base on the curricula content and the mission of the institution that created the degree.

Considering the context of the doctoral degree, there are two sets of earned doctoral degrees and the honorary doctorate (honoris causa). The first is, and this is not in an order of importance, the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and the second set comprises of several professional doctorate degrees and then of course the honorary degree.

First, the history of doctorate degrees. The origin of the awarding of doctoral degrees, is not clear. However, there are literary evidence that the doctoral degrees has existed for several hundred years (Bolge, no date; Nelson, 93). Bolge asserts that doctoral education emanated from France in the 16^th Century. According to Bolge, scholars in French and German Universities around this time were thought of as “Masters” as they were credited for creating and dissimilating knowledge. By the 17th Century, Bolge asserts that the idea of the PhD was born and scholars were trained as PhDs to serve various universities in Bologna and other European universities. From the view point of Bolge, the PhD was designed to trained scholars as researchers who would be “creative, critical, autonomous intellectual risk takers”. As creator of knowledge, and unlike of other professional doctorates, the PhDs were trained to serve as the originator of knowledge and they were trained to serve as faculty and university administrators.

While doctoral education was making progress in Europe, American universities and universities on other continents were also developing doctoral programs for the development of their universities and colleges. In 1861, Yale University awarded the first PhDs in the United States to three candidates; James Whiton, Eugene Schuyler, and Arthur Wright. By the turn of the 18^th Century several universities in Europe, America, Africa and Asia were running doctoral programs, both PhD and professional doctorates.  In 1948, Melbourne University awarded its first PhD in Australia. By 1947, all six universities in Australia were offering PhD programs. By the turn of the 21^st Century, over 90% of countries in the world were offering doctoral education. Liberia is one of very few countries in the world that do not provide doctoral education to its citizens.

Second, the differences between the credentials (PhD and professional doctorates). The PhD degree is designed to train students for academic qualifications. Such training develop students through rigorous theoretical methodologies for the sole purpose of enabling them to create new knowledge in a given field or profession. For example, the PhDs in accounting are expected to be the ones who develop or continue to improve knowledge in accounting principles and create new trends in the accounting profession. On the other hand, the Doctor of Accounting are expected to be the professionals in the field of accounting who are expected to applied the new knowledge, principles and designs that are developed by the PhDs. Let’s consider two persons; the one with PhD in Accounting; let’s call him John. The one with Doctor in Accounting. Let’s call her Mary. John is expected to continue to research what is happening in the world of accounting. And base on his research, he is expected to share his findings through teaching at the university or through presentations at seminars in professional or policy setting. Mary on the other hand, is expected to take these empirical findings and applied them to real world situations in the accounting environment; whether audit, banking or public policy. In this example, you will agree that the two persons need each other to enable the accounting career to continue to thrive as a viable career that is needed for society.

In professional work environment outside of academia, it is most often not seems to be a problem in terms of who is in charge of the WORLD. But we run into problems most often when we enter academia, especially in the walls of the university. There is often the quest for who is superior; PhDs or Professional Doctorates? In academia, PhDs think they rule the world while professional doctorates argue that the world will not spin if they did not exist. The both credentials complement each other and jealously protect the academic environment against intruders.

Conclusively, you will understand that both credentials are critical for the development of institutions and nations. Whether PhD or professional doctorate such as Doctor of Legal Law, Doctor of Ministry, Doctor of Engineering, etc., every terminal degree is a milestone achievement and should be treated with honor.

Third, using honor, let me turn to the honorary doctorate degree. The honorary doctorate degree is awarded by an accredited university or college that has met all accreditation requirements by the country or institution that is required to accredit institutions of higher learning in its locale. The degree is awarded in recognition of services that a person (the awardee) has perform and that that service is recognized as been equal to  achieving the maximum benefits in the career. It is worth remembering that the doctorate degree (whether PhD or Professional) is the highest academic credential in any profession and it is treated as such by any university, institution, country, etc. Because of its importance, no serious minded university or college awards an earned doctorate degree to any student or learner without straight standards.

I remember my days at the University of Minnesota as a doctoral student when I had to take over sixty credit hours in statistics, university administration, government policy, education laws, development studies, ethics, counseling, psychosocial theories and practices and the list goes on. As though that was not painful enough, I had to do over a hundred presentations base on empirical investigations, sit written preliminary exams and provide real world solution to proposed problems, do a dissertation proposal before a team of faculty who one cannot “lie to”. A team of people who read all the research in their fields, get all the current published research articles, all the current and past books, are subscribed to all the journals in their fields and are members of most of the professional organizations in their fields. A team of people who are hired by governments, the UN and organizations that are concerned with issues within the career in which they work. Imagine them looking at you in the face and saying to themselves, “he wants to be one of us”. And when they say you have met all preliminary requirements, you can now go ahead and do a dissertation; at this point, you know you are going through the rigors of earning a PhD. That’s why over 50% of PhD students stay as ABDs.

I brought in that experience to share the seriousness with which universities guard or protect the credentials they award to their students. Hence, the awarding of an honorary degree was set as a means of recognizing people who for several reasons could not attend regular universities but had perform so were within a profession that they needed some form of recognition at the highest level. To be awarded an honorary doctorate, you must have serve in a given career, enormously contributed to that career and should be, at the time of the award, providing services in that career. In conclusion, honorary doctorate degree is solely base on an individual contributions to a career. As such, no university is authorized through its privilege of autonomy to grant an honorary doctorate to any person who has not perform to the peak of the given career into which the person is admitted as honoris causa. Let me depart this point with an example. If the University of Liberia decided to awarded an honorary doctorate degree in education to a person. The faculty senate of the university should ask the Board of Trustees, the awarder of the degree the following questions. What is the candidate’s contribution to the development of education in Liberia or globally? Has the candidate developed or contributed knowledge, systems, models to the development of education nationally or globally? Who has benefited from the candidate’s work? Is the candidate’s work enduring? These questions and many more in addition to a thorough investigation of the candidate’s work should be taken into consideration before they are considered for an honorary doctorate degree.

Failure on the part of any academic institution to do due diligence prior to awarding an honorary doctorate degree to a person is an abuse of its autonomy under any accreditation law. In fact such action diminishes the image of any university or college. In the world of academia, such honorary credential is considered as fraudulent as it did not meet the required standard as is enshrined in best academic practice. It is worth noting that there is no such thing as “honorary PhD”. The Doctor of Philosophy is never awarded as an honorary degree.

It is also a generally held principles that recipients of honorary doctorate degrees are not to be called “Dr.” (e.g. Dr. John) if they have not previously earned a terminal degree. The only accepted exception is when they attend academic programs, (e.g. graduation ceremony). In this instance, the name of the person is called and “honorary” or “honoris Causa” is mentioned.

What I endeavored to do in this first part of two series has been to discussed the two kinds of earned terminal degrees; the Doctor of Philosophy and other professional doctorates and the honorary doctorate that is awarded to an individual in recognition of service. An understanding of these credentials is critical for people in academia, for policy makers, for advocates and for the general public. I hope this reflection will serve as a tool to help clarify some of the confusions that exist in Liberia about academic credentials, especially terminal degrees.

In the second part, I will discuss the qualification of a college president, faculty rankings, college administrative positions and who is qualified to head an academic institution.

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