By Moses M. Tokpah
-Margibi
A group under the banner the “United Churches Of The World (UCOW, INC.)” has disclosed plan for the holding of three regional peace and unity conferences and a national convention in Liberia.
The Executive Director and the Director for Rehabilitation and Implementation of UCOW, INC., Johnson Sumo and Bishop Philip Nelson, told the Inquirer in Kakata over the weekend that the organization will conduct the conference in three regions in the country.
According to them, region one conference will be held in Gbarnga City, Bong County, from March 19-21, 2025 with participants coming from Margibi, Bong, Lofa and Grand Bassa counties.
Region two conference, they said, will be held in Tubmanburg City, Bomi County from June 25-27, 2025 and participants will be drawn from Bomi, Montserrado, Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu and River Gee counties, while region three conference will take place in Greenville City, Sinoe County from September 24-26, 2025; and participants will come from Sinoe, Maryland, River Cess, Grand Kru and Grand Gedeh counties, respectively.
They stated that various topics such as unity, peace building, conflict resolution, culture values; drug addiction, violence, teenage pregnancy, rehabilitation, reconciliation, investments, early warning issues, trucking during elections, rule of law and the role of the media will be discussed during the regional conferences.
The conference will bring together former and current government officials, traditional leaders, local chiefs, elders, youths, women and many others.
In addition to the conference, the UCOW officials said a peace and unity building tournament will take place from October 1-31, 2025, which will bring together all 15 counties and winners will be given various prizes.
They said the organization is anticipating giving out a vehicle, motorbike and an android phone to each of the counties that will emerge as ambassador of peace, queen of peace, king of peace and head of secretariat.
The UCOW bosses announced that a three-day fast and prayer for the nation and its people will follow beginning December 11-13, 2025, where prayer teams will be posted at various points including the Capitol Building, the Executive Manson and in Butuo, Nimba County.
Lastly, Rev. Sumo and Bishop Nelson, said all these activities will be climaxed with a national convention that will be held in Gompa City, Nimba County, from December 15-19, 2025 bringing together Liberia’s fifteen counties.
The aim of the different activities according to the organizers, is to bring lasting healing and peace for the injustices Liberians have faced, confront their fears of the past, and expanding the peace building process.
Additionally, the UCOW executives said the conference is also meant to unite the youths, the adults and the elderly; sending a message of peace, love, and understanding amongst others.
They asserted that Liberians are sitting on a time bomb that might erupt in the next three to five years, unless some constructive conflict analysis for healing is done, noting that Liberians have not done enough to unify themselves since the devastating civil war which destroyed the very fiber of the Liberian society.
The two executives said the ongoing situation surrounding the lawmakers coupled with the fact that Liberians continue to be tribalistic, has brought them to the realization that something needs to be done quickly to heal our wounds and unite us as a people.
The men of God explained that there is a culture of violence building among Liberians from all sides indicating that violence of all kinds has grasped the nation from the burning of police stations to setting the capitol building on fire while political conflicts, land disputes, child abuse and other like-crimes are becoming the normal.
They believe that Liberians seem not to see their condition from a nationalistic perspective adding that UCOW is now resolved to begin the healing of the Liberian people in this manner.
Sumo and Nelson, said several means have been tried to unite us as a people, but those means failed us believing that the Church and the Mosque are in a better position to unite the Liberian people.
They said the mission of the different conferences is to empower them with information and knowledge regarding our existence as family, tribal group, and people of one nation under God amongst others.
At the end of the conference, the two officials said UCOW will establish and support offices to be pillars of unity and togetherness within the fifteen counties, and will be charged with the responsibility of bringing unity, stability, and development to the country.
Meanwhile, in order to have these activities successfully conducted, the UCOW officials are pleading with all Liberians, local and international organizations as well as international partners to make a financial support.
The amount being budgeted for the different activities is about US$397,250.00 and will cover transportation, feeding, lodging, media, publicity, set-up, mattresses, chairs, maintenance and miscellaneous.
