Message to the 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Vanguard Student University Party (SUP) by Dougbeh Chris Nyan, Chairman of SUP – 1987/88

I bring you greetings from veterans, cadres and sympathizers of the Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) living across the length and breadth of Liberia and in the Diaspora. This year 2020 marks a very historic and significant landmark in the existence of our Vanguard Party as we commemorate our 50^th Anniversary. This is a huge accomplishment. We have existed for half a Century already since October 1970. Unarguably, this milestone makes SUP the oldest and only pan-Africanist progressive campus mass-based political party with the unique philosophy of MASSECRACY on planet Earth.

During the past 50 years, we have surmounted many political challenges in defending the rights of students and the masses for academic freedom, unity, freedom of speech, social economic justice and peace. We fought against oligarchies for mass participation in national life. For 50^th years we waged a relentless struggle against tyranny for democracy. SUP fought against (military) dictatorships for genuine multiparty democracy in Liberia that we have today. Importantly too, SUP, for half a century, fought on the side of the colonized and oppressed peoples of Africa for the liberation of the rest of Africa from western colonial rule, imperialism and neo-colonialism. All these years we have fought for Unity and Success in Liberia, for pan-Africanism and Humanity.

As we celebrate this milestone, we remember the tremendous sacrifices of our founding heroes and heroines and the sweat of our fallen brothers and sisters upon whose blood the river of democracy is flowing today. I congratulate all of you militants, cadres and leaders of the Vanguard Party. Thank you for protecting this sacred Institution, our dear SUP, that has withstood every external threat of destruction from past governments and the current government of economic scavengers, sycophants, and destroyers – a government that has betrayed the interest of the Liberian people, damaged the international reputation of our country and is now slowly dying.

In Liberia today where corruption and opportunism has become a lucrative career for some political institutions and actors, SUP continues to stand firm on the side of the people for economic justice and social democracy. Throughout its history in the democratic struggle, SUP remains the last bastion of hope for our people. We remain the most visionary institution.

Therefore, let us move into the next decades, harnessing all the good patriotic qualities of our veterans, militants and supporters in all the current political institutions with the resolved to leading our country to equality, social economic justice and genuine democracy. We must continue to unite the Liberian people and students, and build a country with good governance where all are equal under the law, a country that will flourish in science, medicine, technology, agriculture, and as a leader of the African continent with a positive geopolitical impact.