The Supreme Court of Liberia has lifted a temporary ban that had prevented the Global Methodist Church (GMC) from accessing disputed properties at the Ganta Mission Station in Nimba County, allowing the breakaway denomination to proceed with its First Annual Conference, which began Monday, February 22, 2026.
In a communication dated February 24, 2026, and signed by Cllr. Sam Mamulu, Clerk of the Supreme Court, the Court informed the leadership of the GMC that Associate Justice Yussif D. Kaba had declined to issue the writ of prohibition requested by the Liberia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC/LAC).
"By directive of His Honour Yussif D. Kaba, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, you are hereby informed that the Justice has declined to issue the writ of prohibition prayed for by the petitioner," the notice read.
The Court further ordered that the stay previously placed on the use of the Ganta Mission Station--covering the gymnasium, midwifery facility, school, hospital, guest house, administrative offices, and surrounding grounds--be lifted.
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The decision came less than 24 hours after a writ of prohibition had been served on February 23 under Justice Kaba's directive. That earlier order halted the GMC's access to the facilities and instructed both parties to appear before the Court on March 3, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., while refraining from further action regarding the disputed properties.
The swift reversal has raised questions among some citizens, who wonder why the Court declined the writ so quickly despite a hearing date already set.
Following the lifting of the stay, the GMC returned to the gymnasium at the Mission Station to continue its annual conference. The gathering is being presided over by a Ghanaian bishop, as Liberia falls under the Grain Coast District of the Global Methodist Church.
Observers noted a subdued atmosphere at this year's convention compared to last year's gathering in Ganta, which was described as lively and celebratory. Some participants reportedly expressed concerns about tension, with one conventioneer remarking, "We don't want noise," in apparent reference to fears of confrontation.
A Deepening Institutional Divide
The legal contest is the latest development in a widening schism within Liberia's Methodist community, reflecting a broader global split within Methodism over issues including LGBTQ+ inclusion and church governance reforms.
In 2022, conservatives formally launched the Global Methodist Church as a breakaway movement from the United Methodist Church. In Liberia, where Christianity holds strong social influence and the culture remains largely conservative, the split quickly evolved into competing claims over leadership and property.
At the center of the dispute is the Liberia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, which maintains that the Ganta Mission Station and its associated facilities belong to the UMC. The properties include not only church buildings but also schools, a hospital, a midwifery training facility, administrative offices, and guest houses--institutions that serve thousands of Liberians.
Key figures in the dispute include Rev. Ebenezar M. Belleh, Rev. James Y. Korloblee, and Rev. Jerry Kandea--former UMC/LAC leaders who aligned with the GMC but allegedly retained control of mission properties.
Last year, a Circuit Court in Nimba County dismissed a summary proceeding filed by the UMC/LAC seeking to regain possession of the properties. That ruling allowed the GMC to consolidate its presence on parts of the Mission Station.
Since then, visible changes have reportedly been made on portions of the campus under GMC control, including the removal of UMC insignia, repainting of buildings, changes to school uniforms, and renaming of facilities.
Today, the Mission Station appears physically divided. Areas opposite the hospital are said to be largely controlled by the GMC, while the hospital, College of Health Sciences, and related institutions remain under UMC/LAC oversight.
Beyond Doctrine: A Community at Stake
What began as a theological disagreement has now evolved into a full-fledged property and institutional battle. In Nimba County, Methodist institutions are more than houses of worship--they are pillars of social infrastructure.
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Schools and hospitals run under the Methodist banner serve the broader public, regardless of denominational alignment. Any prolonged legal uncertainty or disruption could affect access to education and healthcare.
Local residents have voiced concern about overlapping conference schedules, as both denominations traditionally hold their annual gatherings in February.
"Suppose the UMC/LAC had decided to hold their annual conference in this region--what would the atmosphere be like?" asked Edwin, a Ganta resident who declined to give his full name.
For now, the Supreme Court's decision has allowed the GMC to proceed with its conference. But with a March 3 hearing still pending, the deeper question--who ultimately controls the Ganta Mission Station--remains unresolved.
What is clear is that Liberia's Methodist crisis has entered a decisive new phase, where the battleground is no longer confined to theology, but extends to land, leadership, and legacy.
