by Embassy Staff
President George Manneh Weah, the Government, and people of Liberia, mourn the death of former president of the Interim Government of National Unity of Liberia, Dr. Amos Claudius Sawyer. This sad event occurred on February 16th , 2022, at the Adventist Hospital in Shady Grove, Maryland, U.S.A.
Dr. Sawyer was born in Sinoe County, Liberia, to the Union of Abel and Sarah Sawyer, on June 15th , 1945.
Affectionately called “Doc” by both his students, and his colleagues of varying professional backgrounds, Professor Sawyer received his elementary and secondary education in Sinoe county and Maryland county, Liberia. He matriculated to Liberia College, now University of Liberia, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1966. He is an alumnus of Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois U.S.A., where his post graduate distinctions included both masters and doctoral degrees by 1973.
Dominating the career of this politician, leader, scholar, philanthropist, and activist, was his passion for education. In the years prior to, and immediately following the Liberian 1980 Coup d’état, Dr. Sawyer taught classes in adult literacy in Monrovia as well as college courses in political and social sciences at the University of Liberia, while simultaneously serving as Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Acting Director of the University. He was a founding member of MOJA, the Movement for Justice in Africa.
The illustrious career of Professor Amos Claudius Sawyer culminated in the selection of him, by a group of 35 Liberians representing various political parties, as the first President of the Interim Government of National Unity. His performance as the leader of a country facing internal conflict, brokering peace between warring factions of the Liberian civil war, made him renowned in Africa and the world.
Under the elected government of the first female president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Dr. Amos Sawyer served as Chairman of the Governance Reform Commission in Liberia. His craft, in promoting the principles of governance, through seminars, conferences, speeches, and deliberations, earned international fame abroad, and recognition by his countrymen as the leading governance and constitutional statesman of his time.
His Excellency President George Manneh Weah, the government and people of Liberia, extend their thanks and appreciation to the family of Dr. Amos Claudius Sawyer, for all services rendered Liberia, and hereby extend our heartfelt sympathy for the loss of this great Leader, Educator, Statesman and Patriot Dr. Amos Claudius Sawyer. May his soul rest in peace.
Professor Sawyer leaves mourning his departure, his wife and "'Sweetheart", Thelma Eleatian. Duncan Sawyer, (Comfort), Children: Reza Sawyer (Marie), Frantz Sawyer(Monica), Fecelia Sawyer Akhigbade (Arthur), Mendea Sawyer, Tiawanlyn T Apkan (Godwin) and, Etta Gbeizon-Bornor.
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