IN HIS MEMORY
“In each of us there is a glow… Add a little bit of fuel to it, and it becomes an inferno.”
--Bishop John K. Yambasu
Bishop Yambasu was a leader’s leader. He led with vitality, integrity, bold faith, and great joy. Over his early career as a committed teacher, youth and young adults director, and missionary across Africa, he saw the challenges that come with poverty, broken education systems, and the temptations of power. A vision began to form of “education, education, and education as the one single thing that will transform the entire face of Sierra Leone.”
From this vision and by the hard work of Bishop Yambasu, the United Methodist University was born.
“What we need in this country are visionary leaders. Leaders who always believe that they cannot lead without God. Leaders who are satisfied with serving and giving rather than being served and receiving. That’s what we need. That’s what we need.”
—Bishop John K Yambasu
It would not be a secular education, but rather an education that instills in students the values of excellence, integrity, and service. It would be the kind of education that molded students into leaders.
Tragically, on the 16th August, 2020, Bishop Yambasu was involved in a motor accident and passed away. The university was devastated by this loss. A year later, his absence is still deeply felt. But the United Methodist University Sierra Leone still stands with the vision of its founder to transform Sierra Leone through education.
ABOUT US
The United Methodist University (UMU) – Sierra Leone was born for the purpose of raising up a generation of visionary leaders who will transform every segment of Sierra Leone. Through intentional value-based leadership education and innovative teaching practices, the UMU is investing in students to lead with integrity, excellence, and service.
We meet corruption with integrity. We meet a broken education system with excellence in all we do. We meet disempowerment with a call to serve. We train our students to become leaders that do the same.