At Cuttington’s commencement ceremony last Saturday, students were told they were future ministers, future doctors, future lawyers, and overall, the future leaders of the country.

A handheld fan wielded by a graduate had the messages “excellence in higher education since 1889” and “Liberia’s award-winning university.”

Cuttington University is generally assumed to be the best university in Liberia. It’s certainly the most expensive, and it generally attracts wealthier Liberians – those who are unable to send their children outside the country for education.

However, if the youth are our future, and Cuttington is supposed to be the breeding ground for Liberia’s leaders, what I witnessed at the university’s commencement ceremony does not bode well for the country.

When I arrived on the campus, I noticed that the path to the main hall was incredibly muddy and not proper for walking. The relatively short section of road leading to the main hall isn’t even covered with gravel. Apart from the astronomical charges for tuition and fees, Cuttington has way too many prominent alumni and connections with businesses that an excuse of lack of funding cannot be the true reason why the institution has not improved the road’s condition. It has to be a lack of vision or will on the leadership of the university.

Guests stand on muddy ground. Photo: Jefferson Krua

At the hall where the event was being held, there were no more available seating for guests. The number of people outside the venue far outnumbered those who were able to find seating. The situation is unacceptable given that it is quite predictable. It happens every year, yet the university does not plan adequately to accommodate the family of graduates. Guests were drenched in the rain or had to sit under buildings far away from the main event.

Some guests seek shelter from the rain. Photo: Jefferson Krua

My advice to the relatives of graduates would be to skip the ceremony because you are unlikely to find seats unless you come very early and save yourself some space. Even if you do manage to save some space, you are not guaranteed to enjoy the ceremony.

As the building is not enclosed, anyone can hear the loud noises immediately outside the venue. Bands comprised of young people play tunes and celebrate as traditional drummers entertain the crowd in an attempt to make money. Revelers, most of whom are family members, also join in the noisemaking to ensure that it is hard to hear when you are within the facility.

The few who are able to position themselves in an area where they can clearly hear the commencement speakers may find their vision impeded by individuals who, when they cannot find a seat, stand in the aisles and block the view. The ushers are useless in bringing order to the situation.

While all these issues are of concern, they pale in comparison to the lack of public bathrooms for guests. The bathrooms in the nearby administrative buildings were all locked. There were no portable toilets visible on the campus in addition to a lack of signs directing guests to the bathrooms.

I saw elderly women cast away their dignity and urinate on the side of walls because there was nowhere else.

A wet wall resulting from public urination. Photo: Jefferson Krua

My comments are not based on a one-time observance; this is my third time attending a Cuttington graduation ceremony, and I have seen no improvement in how the ceremony is planned or run.

Cuttington should not pretend like it is some prestigious university if it will continue to stage commencement ceremonies that are plagued by so many issues. No wonder these same issues of incompetence, poor planning, and the lack of vision are replicated on a greater stage in society when these young people are thrust into leadership roles in government and the private sector.

Featured photo by Jefferson Krua