Monrovia – Cuttington University has officially launched the Cuttington University Leadership Institute, with university officials and national leaders declaring that Liberia can no longer afford what they described as “accidental leadership” if it hopes to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh
The launch ceremony, held at the Impact Center on Old Road in Sinkor on Wednesday, June 10, brought together government officials, academics, professionals, members of the diplomatic corps, students, and emerging leaders for what organizers described as a landmark step toward strengthening leadership development in Liberia.
The institute is intended to serve as a hub for leadership training, executive education, research, mentorship, and policy dialogue, with a focus on producing ethical, innovative, and transformational leaders.
Serving as guest speaker, Liberia National Tourism Authority Director General Princess Eva Cooper challenged Liberians to confront what she described as the country’s persistent leadership deficit, as Cuttington University officially launched its Leadership Institute with a declaration that “the era of accidental leadership is over.”
The launch ceremony, held at the Impact Center on Old Road in Sinkor, brought together government officials, academics, professionals, students, and emerging leaders for what organizers described as a major investment in developing ethical and transformational leaders for Liberia.
Designed as a center for leadership training, executive education, research, mentorship, and policy dialogue, the Cuttington University Leadership Institute seeks to address what speakers repeatedly identified as one of Liberia’s greatest development challenges—the shortage of leaders grounded in integrity, service, and accountability.
Madam Cooper, officially launching the institute, said the creation of the center was both timely and necessary given Liberia’s longstanding leadership struggles.
“Some may ask why one of Liberia’s oldest universities still needs a leadership institute,” Cooper told attendees. “The answer is simple: Liberia has suffered for too long from a leadership deficit.”
According to Cooper, the country’s development challenges are not primarily the result of a lack of resources, but rather a failure to consistently cultivate leaders committed to service and ethical conduct.
“We have had administrators, bosses, and people with impressive titles and privileges, yet our country remains underdeveloped,” she said. “We have had many people in charge but very few in service. We have had many directives but very little direction.”
She argued that Liberia’s education system has traditionally focused on academic achievement while paying insufficient attention to character development.
“We teach our children to pass examinations, but not always to pass the test of temptation,” Cooper remarked, drawing applause from the audience.
The Tourism Authority boss challenged conventional assumptions about leadership, insisting that leadership is neither defined by titles nor popularity.
“Leadership is not a position,” she said. “You can hold a title and still fail to bring hope to a single person.”
She also cautioned against confusing eloquence with leadership.
“We have heard beautiful speeches from leaders who steal in silence. Eloquence without ethics is entertainment, not leadership,” she declared.
Cooper said the ultimate measure of the institute’s success would not be the number of certificates it awards, but the quality of leaders it produces and their impact on society.
“If this institute produces leaders who can design brilliant policies but cannot improve the lives of people, then we have failed,” she warned. “If it produces leaders who can win elections but lose their integrity, then we have failed.”
She further urged administrators to ensure that leadership training remains connected to Liberia’s realities and not confined to academic theory.
“Context matters,” she said. “Without understanding the realities facing our communities, leadership training risks becoming theoretical rather than transformational.”
Among her recommendations, Cooper called for participants to undertake community-based legacy projects and for the institute to draw lessons from practitioners, including healthcare workers, traditional leaders, peacebuilders, and other citizens whose experiences reflect resilience and practical leadership.
Cuttington University President Dr. Romelle Horton underscored the rationale behind the institute, declaring that Liberia must move beyond what she described as “accidental leadership.”
“Liberia has treated leadership as an accident of birth, a by-product of charisma, or merely a title bestowed by election or appointment,” Dr. Horton said. “Today, Cuttington University declares: the era of accidental leadership is over.”
Dr. Horton said the institute represents more than a new academic program and reflects a commitment to preparing leaders capable of addressing the complex challenges confronting Liberia, Africa, and the wider world.
“The future of Liberia, Africa, and the world depends entirely on one thing—the quality of leadership we cultivate right now,” she said.
She stressed that leadership should be viewed as a responsibility rooted in service rather than a position of privilege.
“Our core belief is that leadership is not a position one occupies; it is a responsibility one embraces in service to others,” Horton said.
The university president also highlighted the importance of integrity, vision, mentorship, and accountability in leadership development, urging Liberians to embrace constructive criticism and collective responsibility.
“We have to learn to correct, not to shame and not to embarrass,” she said. “We cannot do this alone.”
The Vice President of Cuttington Graduate School and Professional Studies, Dr. Rudolph Monsio Bropleh, described the newly launched Leadership Institute as a natural extension of the university’s mission to develop leaders and build capacity across Liberia and beyond.
Dr. Bropleh said the initiative is closely aligned with the goals of the Graduate School, which seeks to educate, inspire, and empower individuals to become effective leaders in their communities and professions.
According to him, leadership remains one of the most important factors in shaping families, communities, organizations, and nations.
“Organizational success often rises or falls on the quality of its leaders. Leadership matters in the family, in the community, across the country, around the region, and around the world,” Dr. Bropleh said. “If leadership matters, then leadership development must also matter.”
He explained that the Graduate School’s core mission is to raise and strengthen leaders by sharing knowledge, generating inspiration, creating motivation, and encouraging action.
“That’s what we’re really doing,” he said. “We’re trying to raise up leaders. We’re trying to build capacity in leaders. We share information, generate inspiration, create motivation, and inspire action.”
Dr. Bropleh noted that the establishment of the Leadership Institute reflects Cuttington University’s commitment to making leadership training accessible to a broader segment of the population, including individuals who may not be able to enroll in traditional degree programs.
He emphasized that education is not limited to formal academic programs and that leadership development can occur through short-term courses, workshops, seminars, and conferences.
“Not all education is formal,” he said. “Not everybody is going to sit in a classroom for two years, four years, or beyond. But if you attend a one-day leadership conference, a one-week workshop, or a three-month leadership module, you are building capacity to become an influencer and a difference-maker.”
According to Dr. Bropleh, the Leadership Institute will provide flexible learning opportunities designed to equip participants with practical leadership skills while extending the university’s reach beyond its physical campuses.
He highlighted Cuttington University’s growing presence across Liberia through its multiple campuses, including its main campus in Suacoco, Bong County, the J.J. Roberts College of Business and Public Administration in Kakata, the Graduate School in Monrovia, and its expanding virtual campus.
“At the Graduate School, we understand that not everyone can come to us, and that’s okay,” he said. “We will go where the people are. That’s why the virtual campus is so important, and that’s why the Leadership Institute fits perfectly within our model.”
Dr. Bropleh disclosed that university officials are already engaging communities across the country to promote the importance of leadership development and provide educational opportunities closer to where people live and work.
“We’re circulating around the country making the case that leadership matters,” he said. “The Graduate School will come to you, the Institute will come to you, and together we can impact lives and transform communities.”
Speaking earlier, Executive Director of the institute Effua McGowan recounted the decade-long journey that culminated in the launch of the Leadership Institute.
McGowan, a Cuttington University alumna and former senior executive at J.P. Morgan Chase, said the idea was first conceived during a leadership seminar at the university more than ten years ago and was sustained through the commitment of alumni, university administrators, and development practitioners.
“The idea of a leadership institute at Cuttington was birthed long before my time,” McGowan said. “But we remained steadfast, worked with principle, sought to understand the environment, and today we are planting the seed of what we hope will become a transformational force for Liberia.”
Quoting Liberia’s first president, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, she reminded participants that “history remembers those who dare to shape the destiny of their people,” encouraging them to become agents of national transformation.
As Liberia continues to grapple with governance, economic, and social challenges, speakers expressed hope that the institute will help nurture a new generation of ethical leaders capable of driving sustainable national development and closing the leadership gap that has long hindered the country’s progress.
