As the United Methodist University (UMU) puts out of its walls over 600 students today, March 31, 2026, Liberia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, has issued an urgent call to action, urging graduates to be agents of change and integrity in rebuilding broken systems across the country.
The Baccalaureate speaker of the UMU 21st Commencement Convocation, held Sunday, March 29, 2026, emphasized that Liberia’s progress depends not merely on structures and institutions, but on the character and commitment of the people.
Drawing from biblical accounts in Exodus 18, she recounted how Moses, overwhelmed by the burden of leadership, was advised to appoint capable and God-fearing individuals to help govern effectively. She stressed that even well-designed systems fail without leaders of integrity.
“A human system depends on human infrastructure. The system will crumble if the people inside it lack truth, discipline, and accountability,” the Minister told the graduates. She challenged them to go beyond earning degrees and take responsibility for fixing the dysfunctions in society.
Minister Beysolow-Nyanti said that Liberia, like many nations, faces systemic challenges in governance, education, healthcare, and family structures, issues she said require ethical leadership and collective responsibility to resolve.
“God does not just need educated people. He needs educated people who will take responsibility, graduates who will not only look for opportunities, but who will solve problems and strengthen systems,” Minister Nyanti narrated.
However, she warned against complacency and poor work ethics, criticizing attitudes of minimal effort and lack of dedication in workplaces, urging graduates to adopt discipline, integrity, and a strong sense of purpose as they transition into the workforce.
“Wherever you go, ask yourself: What problem am I solving; what system am I strengthening?,” she said. The Minister also highlighted the breakdown of traditional family systems, describing them as a reflection of wider societal decay. According to her, rebuilding Liberia must begin at the household level, where values, responsibility, and structure are first instilled.
Despite the challenges, Nyanti struck a hopeful tone, expressing confidence that the graduating class holds the potential to transform the nation. “This nation will rise, this nation will move forward, but it will require people who are willing to fix what is broken,” she said.
