MASSAQUOI, NATHANIEL VARNEY
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Massaquoi Nathaniel Varney (1905-1962), Secretary of Education for the Republic of Liberia, 1957-1962.
PHOTO CAPTION: Massaquoi Nathaniel Varney, SOURCE: EA Library
He was born in Gandima, Sierra Leone, on June 13, 1905, and educated in the College of West Africa, Oberrealschue in Eimsbuttel, Hamburg; Hamburg University; Frederick Wilhelm University of Berlin; and Technical University in Berlin-Charlottenburg, where he received a degree in engineering.
Returning to Africa, he first taught at St. Edward’s Secondary School in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and from 1936-1940, he was a professor of mathematics and physics at Liberia College in Monrovia. Being a man of many talents, in addition to his technical training, Professor Massaquoi studied law and qualified as an Attorney and was admitted to the Liberia bar in 1945. A year later he was appointed Stipendiary Magistrate of the District of Monrovia.
While serving as Magistrate for the District of Bondiway, Professor Massaquoi was named a member of the Liberian Delegation to the 5th Session of UNESCO in Florence. In 1951 he represented Liberia at the 6th Session of UNESCO in Paris and again in the Extraordinary Session of 1953. Liberia benefited from his participation in UNESCO and he was appointed Assistant Secretary of Public Instruction in 1952 with emphasis on UNESCO affairs. He later became Under Secretary for UNESCO and other International Agencies, being the first Liberian to hold the post. Under Secretary Massaquoi attended, as Chairman, every major UNESCO Conference from 1951 to 1957.
He became a member of the Executive Board of UNESCO and one of the Vice Chairman during the 8th Session. In this position as Under Secretary for UNESCO he supervised UNESCO’s participation in the following projects in Liberia: Science Teaching at the University of Liberia; introduction of Fundamental Education and erection of the first National Fundamental Education Centre in Klay, Liberia; recruiting of persons for UNESCO fellowships and scholarships, and later, as Chairman of the Liberian National Commission of UNESCO, he encouraged the formation of UNESCO clubs in high schools and the formation of the Liberia United Nations Association in 1952.
In 1957 he was appointed Secretary of Education. As Secretary of Education Honourable Massaquoi drew up a formidable but practical ten year education plan for Liberia. His last important official act was his attending the Conference of African Education Ministers held in Addis Ababa in late 1961 where the plan was developed to eradicate illiteracy in Africa by 1970.
He resigned his post in 1962 and died in Germany on October 4, 1962. Thus ended the life of this dutiful man, an engineer, a social scientist, an internationalist, a great educator, and an effective administrator. In 1950 Pope Paul XII made him Cavalier of the Pontifical Order of St. Gregory. Among his publications are “Mutability versus Dogmatism”, an oration; and he was co-author of “Physics for Liberian High Schools.
OSBORNE K. DIGGS
