Monrovia, Liberia — The University of Liberia’s Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law is at the center of a national academic controversy after the Board of Trustees of the University, chaired by Sen. Numene T. H. Bartewka, overturned the previous decision naming Ms. Izetta Jones-Howe as the Valedictorian of the 2025 law school graduating class. The decision was announced on Wednesday, February 26, 2026.
Liberian activist in exile Martin K. N. Kollie had earlier alarmed and challenged the declaration of Ms. Jones-Howe as the Dux, labeling the decision as “an alleged fraud.” Kollie presented pieces of evidence asserting that Jones-Howe was not and cannot be the top performing graduate, disputing the official position of the President of the University of Liberia.
Amid huge public attention caused by Kollie’s alarm, confusion arose from a social media post by law school professor Cllr. Gongloe on his official page. Gongloe clarified that he did not personally congratulate Jones-Howe as Dux, stating that the post was made by a member of his administrative team without his consent. In a Facebook statement, Gongloe explained:
“A communication was published on my official Facebook page by a member of my administrative team prior to the conclusion of the University’s internal review process, relying on information from some journalists and the grapevine. I accept full responsibility for the negative effect of the post and instructed the administrator to remove it, informing him that the university had not yet given the information that formed the content of the post.”
Following the Board of Trustees’ reversal, activist Kollie emphasized the validity of his investigation and subsequent findings. He wrote on social media:
“The weight of our evidence cannot be challenged. She is NOT the Dux. Decision overturned and Dux-ship cancelled. Today, our hard pieces of evidence were presented to the Board. Our ironclad evidence cannot be ignored.”
The controversy was evident during the official graduation ceremony held on Friday, February 27, 2026. The Dean of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law did not mention Jones-Howe as Dux, despite her previous claim on social media declaring herself as “The Dux.” Instead, Abraham Zaqi Kromah who is widely considered as “The Real Dux” was called out first to receive his honor (Magna Cum Laude) at the graduation ceremony.
The incident has sparked widespread debate about academic integrity, quality assurance, and meritocracy in Liberia, particularly at the state-run university.
As the Board-commissioned investigation continues, the identity of the 2025 Dux of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law remains uncertain, leaving the academic community and the public awaiting clarification.
