Wilton G. S. Sankawulo
Encyclopedia
Wilton Gbakolo Sengbe Sankawulo, Sr. (July 26, 1937 – February 21, 2009) was a Liberia
n politician
and author
.
Sankawulo was born in 1937 in Haindii in Lower Bong County. He entered Cuttington College and Divinity School (now Cuttington University
) in 1960. He began his literary career there by publishing his short stories in the Cuttington Review, the college's literary magazine. Upon his graduation in 1963 he was awarded a fellowship to study at Sacred Theology at the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
in Berkeley, California
. He earned his master's degree in divinity and subsequently attended a writers' workshop at the University of Iowa
, which led him to earn a second master's degree in English.
Upon his return to Liberia
in the late 1960s, Sankawulo was employed at the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs (now Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism), where he served first in the Press Bureau and was later appointed Director of the Overseas Press Bureau. During this time, he maintained a teaching position at the University of Liberia
, where he rose to the post of Associate Professor from 1985 until 1990. He also taught English and Literature at his alma mater, Cuttington.
Sankawulo began his fame as a writer in the early 1970s. In 1974, he published The Marriage of Wisdom, and Other Tales, a collection of Liberian stories. He subsequently published Why Nobody Knows When He Will Die. In 1979, he wrote a novel, The Rain and the Night. He also authored Sundown at Dawn: A Liberian Odyssey and produced an anthology of African stories entitled More Modern African African Stories.
When William R. Tolbert became President in 1971, Sankawulo, while still in the employ of the Ministry of Information, wrote a biography of the new President entitled Tolbert of Liberia. After serving as Research Specialist at the Ministry of Information, he was transferred to the Executive Mansion, where he spent almost a year as Assistant Minister of State for Presidential Affairs. He served as Director General of the Cabinet from 1983 until 1985 and subsequently as Special Assistant for Academic Affairs to President Samuel K. Doe. It was in the latter position, as Doe's teacher, that he helped Doe to complete his academic work, leading to his graduation from the University of Liberia in 1989.
Sankawulo served as the leader of Liberia from September 1, 1995 until September 3, 1996 as chairman of the Council of State, which then governed Liberia. The council functioned as a collective presidency of the Liberia National Transitional Government. His predecessor, from March 1994 to September 1995, was David Kpomakpor. The council of state consisted of a civilian chair and members Charles Taylor, United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy-K
leader Alhaji Kromah, Liberia Peace Council
leader George Boley
, and two other civilians.
Sankawulo stepped down from office on September 3, 1996 and was succeeded by Ruth Perry
as chairwoman of this Council of State, who served until August 2, 1997 when she handed power to Charles Taylor, following elections
held in July 1997.
Sankawulo died from congestive heart failure
on February 21, 2009. He was 71 years old. He had been hospitalised for three weeks prior to his death at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Monrovia.
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
n politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
.
Sankawulo was born in 1937 in Haindii in Lower Bong County. He entered Cuttington College and Divinity School (now Cuttington University
Cuttington University
Cuttington University is a private university in Suacoco, Liberia. Founded in 1889 as Cuttington College by Episcopal Church of the United States , it is the oldest private, coeducational, four-year, degree-granting institution in sub-Saharan Africa.-History:In 1887, Robert Fulton Cutting,...
) in 1960. He began his literary career there by publishing his short stories in the Cuttington Review, the college's literary magazine. Upon his graduation in 1963 he was awarded a fellowship to study at Sacred Theology at the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California is a seminary affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is a member school of the Graduate Theological Union...
in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
. He earned his master's degree in divinity and subsequently attended a writers' workshop at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
, which led him to earn a second master's degree in English.
Upon his return to Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
in the late 1960s, Sankawulo was employed at the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs (now Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism), where he served first in the Press Bureau and was later appointed Director of the Overseas Press Bureau. During this time, he maintained a teaching position at the University of Liberia
University of Liberia
The University of Liberia is a publicly funded institution of higher learning located in Monrovia, Liberia. Authorized by the national government in 1851, the school opened in 1863 as Liberia College and became a university in 1951. The school is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning...
, where he rose to the post of Associate Professor from 1985 until 1990. He also taught English and Literature at his alma mater, Cuttington.
Sankawulo began his fame as a writer in the early 1970s. In 1974, he published The Marriage of Wisdom, and Other Tales, a collection of Liberian stories. He subsequently published Why Nobody Knows When He Will Die. In 1979, he wrote a novel, The Rain and the Night. He also authored Sundown at Dawn: A Liberian Odyssey and produced an anthology of African stories entitled More Modern African African Stories.
When William R. Tolbert became President in 1971, Sankawulo, while still in the employ of the Ministry of Information, wrote a biography of the new President entitled Tolbert of Liberia. After serving as Research Specialist at the Ministry of Information, he was transferred to the Executive Mansion, where he spent almost a year as Assistant Minister of State for Presidential Affairs. He served as Director General of the Cabinet from 1983 until 1985 and subsequently as Special Assistant for Academic Affairs to President Samuel K. Doe. It was in the latter position, as Doe's teacher, that he helped Doe to complete his academic work, leading to his graduation from the University of Liberia in 1989.
Sankawulo served as the leader of Liberia from September 1, 1995 until September 3, 1996 as chairman of the Council of State, which then governed Liberia. The council functioned as a collective presidency of the Liberia National Transitional Government. His predecessor, from March 1994 to September 1995, was David Kpomakpor. The council of state consisted of a civilian chair and members Charles Taylor, United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy-K
United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy-Kromah faction
The United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy–Kromah faction was a rebel group that was active during the First Liberian Civil War....
leader Alhaji Kromah, Liberia Peace Council
Liberia Peace Council
The Liberia Peace Council was a rebel group that participated in the Liberian Civil War under the leadership of George Boley.The LPC emerged in 1993, partly as a proxy force for the Armed Forces of Liberia...
leader George Boley
George Boley
George Eutychianus Saigbe Boley is a Liberian politician and former rebel leader. He is a member of the Krahn ethnic group. He is currently detained by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on charges of lying in order to enter the United States and committing extrajudicial killing in...
, and two other civilians.
Sankawulo stepped down from office on September 3, 1996 and was succeeded by Ruth Perry
Ruth Perry
Ruth Sando Fahnbulleh Perry was Chairwoman of the Council of State of Liberia from 3 September 1996 until 2 August 1997, following the First Liberian Civil War...
as chairwoman of this Council of State, who served until August 2, 1997 when she handed power to Charles Taylor, following elections
Liberian elections, 1997
The 1997 Liberian general election was held on 19 July 1997 as part of the 1996 peace agreement ending the First Liberian Civil War. The presidency, as well as all seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate were up for election...
held in July 1997.
Sankawulo died from congestive heart failure
Congestive heart failure
Heart failure often called congestive heart failure is generally defined as the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance. The condition...
on February 21, 2009. He was 71 years old. He had been hospitalised for three weeks prior to his death at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Monrovia.