Monrovia – The Newly inducted president of the African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU) 22nd graduating class, Abdurahman Barry, has pledged his leadership’s commitment to form a formidable partnership with the school’s administration to improve the standards of learning at the institution.
Mr. Barry, a member of the Strategic Thinkers, a campus based political group, ran successfully in the election and won by landslide. He, along with his corps of officers were inducted recently to steer the affairs of the class until graduation at a colorful ceremony graced by dignitaries and academicians including the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel D. Tweah, Jr. and Rev. Dr. Alvin E. Attach, the President of AMEU.
Other officials inducted alongside him include Leela C. Borsay, Vice President; Varney Siebo, Secretary General; Mamu Bility Financial Secretary; Peter O. Flomo, Junior Class President; Ebenezer S. Morlia, President, Sophomore Class; and Abraham Ballah, President, Freshman Class.
In an exclusive interview with FrontPage Africa following his induction, Mr. Barry reiterated that the drive for academic excellence will be the hallmark of his leadership.
“As we assume the mantle of authority, my leadership will explore all means or avenues to buttress the school administration to prioritizing academic excellence. This is where my leadership will invest with all available resources to ensure academic excellence to be a top priority. This is why we are called the Harvard University of Liberia,” he pledged.
At the core of this endeavor, he promised to work with the administration to deliver his leadership’s flagship projects. Top among them include the setting up of laboratory for the Business College, the first of its kind in Liberia. He said in Liberia, people often refer to the Sciences when advocating for lab. However, due the advancement in technology, he noted it was prudent for business students to have access to lab in order to enhance their studies; as part of a massive investment towards building human capital.
He said: “Students of Economics, Accounting, Management and Public Administration should be knowledgeable of the applications they learn in the classrooms. Topics like regression, data collection and analysis, SPSS, STATA must be applied practically, needless to mention the quick book”
He continued: “And we are going to advocate for this to happen because it prepares us for Master programs, it prepares us to challenge other countries around the globe and it makes us better at least to understand the field. Because the world is advancing now, technology is so high, everybody works in offices, they are no more want to go manual, they go digital. We need to grow, we don’t have to remain where we are. And by the help of the administration and that of the Student Governing Council and the senior class, we are optimistic of achieving this goal.”
With the cooperation of the students, he also pledged his leadership’s commitment to reconstruct the student center that was gutted by fire few months ago.
Breaking the Glass Ceilings
Barry made history in the student community in Liberia by becoming the first person of the Fula tribe to serve in such capacity. The Fulani in Liberia are best known as small and medium sized businesses people. They play minimum role in politic. Despite being a key player in the Liberian economy, they are not recognized as citizens until they become naturalized. At his induction ceremony, a huge number of his kinsmen graced the occasion and pledged their support to his leadership.
However, Barry said while his feat was a milestone for him and his people, what was more important is the confidence reposed him by his colleagues and the students to lead them at the critical juncture of their learning process.
He paid homage to the gallant men and women of the Strategic Thinkers, the student movement that backed and propelled him to victory. He said it was the good deeds of the movement that led him to join them, together, they have been advocating for students and rendering financial aid prior to his elections.
Now, they are more determined to carry on their work and called on every student, irrespective of their political affiliation to join them.
He thanked Minister Tweah, Dr. Attah and the faculty of AMEU for the support and cooperation so far, and pledged to work with them to make the institution one of the best in Liberia.