Amos Sawyer

**Amos Claudius Sawyer** (15 June 1945 – 16 February 2022) be one Liberian politician den academic wey serve as interim president of Liberia from 22 November 1990 go 7 March 1994. Dem vote am into office by 35 leaders wey represent seven political parties plus eleven interest groups.

## Biography
Dem born Amos Claudius Sawyer insyd 1945 to Abel plus Sarah Sawyer; ein siblings dem include Joe Sawyer. De Sawyers be one big family insyd Sinoe County, wey get demma roots from free African-American ancestors wey come as colonists go place wey dem dey call "Maryland insyd Africa", wey de Maryland Colonization Society found. Dis colony later become independent as de Republic of Maryland before e join Liberia insyd 1857.

Sawyer take ein early school insyd dem local schools den e graduate insyd 1966 from Liberia College (wey now be University of Liberia). E later travel go United States for graduate studies, wey e get ein M.A. plus Ph.D. for political science from Northwestern University insyd metropolitan Chicago, Illinois.

Wen Dr. Sawyer come back, e work as academic but e sana become activist plus politician. E contest for Mayor of Monrovia, wey be de capital, as independent instead of go under de True Whig Party. Dis True Whig Party been rule de country for over 100 years.

After de 1980 coup d'état, Sawyer go back to academia small time, wey e take position as professor of political science for University of Liberia. Insyd December 1980, dem appoint am as dean of de College of Social Sciences plus acting director for de university.

E be one of de people wey start de Movement for Justice insyd Africa (MOJA) den insyd 1983, e start de Liberian People's Party. After dem kidnap (plus later kill) President Samuel Doe, from 9 September 1990 go 22 November 1990, de main mutineer Prince Johnson plus ein co-conspirator Charles Taylor both talk say dem be president. Insyd late August, one emergency conference happen for Gambia wey 35 Liberians wey represent seven political parties plus eleven interest groups take attend. Dem vote Sawyer as interim president den Bishop Roland Diggs as vice-president, make dem fit form government.

Insyd 1992, Sawyer write one book wey e name *The Emergence of Autocracy insyd Liberia: Tragedy den Challenge*. For dis book inside, e talk how dictatorship start from de way patrimonial power system take grow, wey all de power for governance dey always gather for de hands of each president wey come. Dis kind system of absolutism no be say e wicked by einself, but e end up turn military tyranny.

Some of de leaders come extend Sawyer ein one-year term go four years sake of de civil war wey rebels wey Charles Taylor, Johnson, den David Nimley lead. For 1994, Sawyer no get choice than to step down as part of de peace process. After dat, de person wey dey act as official leader of Liberia no be president again but de chairmen of de Council of State. Fighting start again for 1996 den e still continue during Charles Taylor ein presidency from 1997 go 2003.

Sawyer go back US for some time after dem invite am make e serve as associate director den research scholar for de Workshop insyd Political Theory den Policy Analysis for de Department of Political Science for Indiana University for Bloomington, Indiana.

Sawyer be de chairman for de Governance Reform Commission for Liberia, wey now dem dey call am de Governance Commission. Ein book wey e write for 2005, *Beyond Plunder: Toward Democratic Governance insyd Liberia*, e explore how multi-party democracy dey grow for de country. E support Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for de elections wey happen for October 2005 den 2011.

## Personal life den death
Sawyer die at de Johns Hopkins Hospital insyd Baltimore, Maryland, on 16 February 2022, at de age of 76.

## Legacy den honors

* Na dem award Sawyer de Gusi Peace Prize insyd 2011.

## References


## External links

*Abdoulaye W. Dukule, "Life in Monrovia", *The Perspective*, 26 November 2001.
*Indiana University: Profile of Dr. Amos Sawyer
*J. Peter Pham, "A Nation Long Forlorn: Liberia's Journey From Civil War toward Civil Society", *The International Journal of Not-for-Profit Law* (*ICNL*), Volume 6, Issue 4, September 2004.