By Lincoln G. Peters
Families, friends, comrades and associates of the late Dr. Amos C. Sawyer on Wednesday, 15 June 2022 held a one-day symposium to reflect on the life and work of the deceased former Liberian interim president and academic.
The symposium was also used to celebrate the late Professor Sawyer’s 77th heavenly birthday anniversary.
The program was held in the Ball Room of the Monrovia City Hall and brought together several government and non-government officials.
President George Manneh Weah, the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill, and Justice Minister Cllr. Frank Musa Dean were among high-profile government officials at the symposium.
Also in attendance from various political parties were Alternative National Congress political leader Mr. Alexander B. Cumming, Liberty Party Chairman Musa Bility, and Benyan Kota, President of the Christian Association of the Blind.
Comrades of the late Dr. Sawyer and members of the progressive included Comrade Conmay B. Wesseh, Senator of River Gee County, Dr. Tokpah Nah-Totepeh, and Cllr. Kabineh M. J’aneh, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, among others.
Delivering the keynote address via zoom, Dr. Sawyer’s long-standing comrade, Dr. H. Boima Fahnbulleh, said the late Dr. Sawyer was very unique.
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Dr. Fahnbulleh said one of Dr. Sawyer’s strengths was that he had the ability to attract everyone from every work of life.
“Dr. Sawyer’s personality made many to get attracted to him and he worked for peace, social justice and academic freedom in Liberia and Africa at large,” said Dr. Fahnbulleh.
He said the deceased was a man who believed strongly in the people and care about equality, equal distribution and fairness in government and deliverables for all.
Fahnbulleh indicated that Dr. Sawyer worked tirelessly even though he encountered challenges, lies were told about him and he was imprisoned.
In spite of all the challenges, Dr. Fahnbulleh explained that Dr. Sawyer never got tired of fighting for political equality and fairness for the people.
Fahnbulleh vowed to return to Liberia and honor the late Dr. Sawyer by devoting himself to the study and teaching of his ideas.
He urged that Liberian should never allow the vision, ideas and memory of Dr. Sawyer to fade.
Giving an opening statement, the wife of the late Dr. Sawyer, Madam Thelma E. Duncan-Sawyer, said she had known Dr. Sawyer for about 44 years, and she was married to him for over 38 good years.
According to her, they understood each other to the point where they had public communication through body and sign language that many could not understand.
She added that Dr. Sawyer was her father, husband, and friend. Madam Duncan – Sawyer said she misses Dr. Sawyer so dearly.
“Sweetheart as I usually called him, I just could not understand the brain of my husband. And he really loved Liberians that even on his sick bed, he was still thinking about peace, unity and fairness of Liberia and how to enhance space for all,” she said.
“My husband worked tirelessly in putting in place systems for all Liberians and headed many institutions and put many together,” she said.
“My sweetheart took seven years working on a book and his quest was to see it released to the Liberian people.”
