Maybe enough is now enough, or enough should be enough. The Student Unification Party (SUP) at the University of Liberia (UL) has had its way far too long to the annoyance of many Liberians and some members of the university's administration and staff.
Some of those are now fed up and have expressed readiness to stand up to the contentious students' group.
"I think enough is enough now and someone needs to stand up to these guys and put an end to the constant threats they often pose to the lives of their fellow students, members of the administration, our staff, and faculty members," a top official of the University, who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Daily Observer in a phone interview Wednesday evening.
His statement was in reaction to a protest by SUP members on the university's main campus in Monrovia on Wednesday, July 10, where the agitating students blocked the road leading to Capitol By-Pass, disrupting traffic, and demanded the resignation of the Vice President for Students Affairs, Associate Professor Sekou Konneh.
The campus-based political group accused Konneh of being an ally of Jefferson Koijee, Secretary General of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) former City Mayor of Monrovia. The students also accused the Dean of Students of corruption, and that he often infringes on their rights -- though they failed to substantiate their accusations. He termed his reported alignment with Koijee as a baseless accusation.
SUP, during yesterday's protest, threatened to disrupt the final exams for the academic semester, scheduled for Monday, July 15, 2024, if Konneh does not resign.
"These students have had their way too long and we must put an end to their madness. They feel that the university and even the country should be run at their will and pleasure. This is complete madness," the official said. "Those acts of hooliganism and gangsterism could only be accepted during the junta regime in the 1980s and the rebel government of the 1990s and the early 2000s. We are now in a civilized, peaceful and stable society and we need to act like intelligent and sober people.
The official said that SUP and its membership need to strategize as to how to engage the administration and other stakeholders in a more peaceful, organized, and respectful manner and disregard the instigation of violence as the only means of solving problems.
"They need to act like intelligent people who will call and sit for dialogue," he said. "We are fed up with their nonsense and we are preparing to get rid of this."
SUPists, as members of the campus-based political party are known, have been terrorizing fellow students and practically holding the university hostage for many decades -- though proponents say for just cause -- but the manner and form in which they go about doing so is nothing short of violence. Some people refer to the khaki-clad students who often appear as "militias" or "gangsters".
However, in response to protests by SUP members demanding his resignation, Konneh affirmed the administration's commitment to curbing disruptive behavior and maintaining order at the university.
"I was not appointed by students to demand my resignation. My appointment was approved by the Board of Trustees; if they see fit, that's a different matter," Konneh said in an interview with newsmen.
He highlighted cases of misconduct, including a disturbing attack on a female student, and emphasized his office's efforts to address such issues in accordance with university regulations, especially activities of SUP.
"A male student nearly stripped a female student in public," he said. "The Dean of Students' office is always open to address these matters."
He described other incidents involving students cheating, fighting lecturers, and engaging in violent behavior as "complete gangster behavior." He emphasized that his office, with the UL Student Handbook as its guide, has taken stringent actions against those involved in such acts to restore order to the university. "If those protesting are among those punished, I have no regret," he added.
Konneh criticized the university administration's leniency in dealing with unruly students, calling for stricter enforcement of disciplinary actions. "This issue of leniency in decision-making is harming us," he said.
He clarified that his appointment was approved by the Board of Trustees and expressed readiness to uphold disciplinary measures against students engaged in disruptive activities.
Regarding SUP's threat to disrupt final exams, Konneh asserted that the group represents a minority of the student body and assured that necessary security measures would be in place to prevent disruptions.
"No one has the power to disrupt the exams, and that's why we have the Liberia National Police to put mechanisms in place. We've informed the government, and they've responded appropriately," he asserted.
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He refuted allegations of corruption and political alignment, urging dialogue as a means to address student concerns and advocating for responsible behavior among students benefiting from the Tuition-Free Policy.
"This office has absolutely nothing to do with money. We don't collect students' graduation fees here," he said. "Students Affairs regulates activities, but the Business and Finance department handles payments."
Konneh also advocated for stricter enforcement of disciplinary actions and reaffirmed the suspension of political activities on campus, emphasizing the importance of maintaining order and upholding university regulations.
He urged students to use dialogue to resolve their issues rather than disrupting classes and making unfounded allegations.
He expressed support for the government's free tuition program but suggested that a minimum GPA of 2.5 per semester should be required to ensure students value the opportunity. "Anything that is just free is not respected. There should be a standard to ensure students appreciate the benefits," he noted.
