The United Methodist Hospital in Ganta had come under threat of seizure from the breakaway members of the Global Methodist Church (GMC) after the replacing of the United Methodist Church (UMC) logo in the church building in the mission station to a signboard bearing Global Methodist Church.
Early Monday, June 9, 2025, some members of the breakaway Methodist headed by lay leader Morris Nyeequoi moved to the Administrative Building of Gompa District of the United Methodist Church, locked the main door of the office, painted out the UMC’s name as well as the logo.
The GMC members allegedly locked the administrative building, and the keys were given to the city mayor.
They in turn placed a signboard over the main church building in the compound to Miller McAllister Global Methodist Church, Ganta Mission Station, Nimba County.
The police had confirmed the incident, saying when they got at the compound, the GMC members had locked the door on some members of the United Methodist Church and where in the process of removing the UMC logo, they tried to stop them, but the GMC group could not listen to the police.
The situation prompted the immediate response from the office of the City Mayor Samuel Hardt, who invited the two parties, the representatives of United Methodist Church and that of the breakaway Global Methodist Church.
At the conference with the City Mayor of Ganta, the representatives of the United Methodist Church refused to turnout, citing fear of their security among the breakaway, who were in majority at the conference.
One of the representatives of UMC, Mr. Zawolo Z. Zuagele was quoted by the City Mayor Ganta as saying that his home was attacked by some motorcyclists believed to be loyal to the GMC.
The Daily Observer later contacted the Zuagele and he confirmed that over 40 bikes chased him and attempted burning his home in Blagay Town.
Those accused immediately denied sending someone to harm Zuagele, when the City Mayor announced that.
Zawolo Zuagele was the only representative of UMC during the court ruling and received the copy of ruling on behalf of the UMC.
The breakaway members, headed by lay reader Morris Nyeequoi, Rev. Jerry Kandea, Rev. Ebenezer Belleh told the city mayor their action was based on the recent court ruling, which dismisses the ‘Summary Proceeding to Take Possession of Real Properties’ against three members of the GMC, including Pastor James Kologblee, Rev. Jerry Kandea and Ebenezar Belleh for refusal to relinquish their positions to the newly appointed staff from Bishop Samuel Quire’s office.
According to the members of the Global Methodist Church, the dismissal of the case against them gives all rights to ownership of all properties under the Gompa District of United Methodist Church and they have all rights to evict anyone from occupying any of the properties.
One of the pastors, who is at vanguard of the breakaway, Rev. Jerry Kanlea informed the mayor that during this year’s annual convention in Gbarnga, Bong County, the convention agreed for Gompa District of United Methodist Church to break away from the Liberia Annual Conference of United Methodist Church upon petitioning Bishop Quire to leave because of alleged gay rights in the church, but could not show any of the resolution copy.
They even threatened to move to the Hospital and the campus of the Winifred Harley College of Health Sciences and set up their own administration, causing fear among the staff of both institutions.
“We have been hearing the threat as hearsay, but nobody has come here yet to confront,” said Allen Zomoway, Administrator Ganta United Methodist Hospital.
After the warning to halt all actions from going to the premises of the both institutions, because it tarnished the reputation of Ganta and county at large, Rev. Belleh concurred, but added that for now they will not go there because school is in session, but during the next school year they will remove all staff under LAC -UMU and further ask the administrator of Ganta Hospital to leave.
However, Mayor Samuel Hardt had told the breakaway Methodist that dismissing a case doesn’t give them any right to evict anyone by taking law into their own hands and further urged them to seek the legal means in evicting anyone.
Mayor Hardt also told the congregants of GMC to hold their peace and remain kind as he has already informed the Ministry of Justice and the Liberia National Police.
The intensity of the saga came, when the newly District Superintendent of Gompa District recently held a leadership retreat in one of the halls around the Methodist Hospital, appointing new core of officers to steer the affairs of the church district, since most of those in power have defected to other denomination, mainly the Global Methodist Church.
The aggrieved including females and youth were very agitated during with city authority, urging the city to stop the Bishop Quire newly appointed leaders to stay away from the Administration Building and stop moving the district reconvening their members.
Gompa District of United Methodist Church is one of the leading clergical districts of the LAC/UMC, extending as far as Gborplay, near Ivory Coast border, but the issue of same sex marriage or gay marriage had cause great resentment in minds of the congregation, leaving most of them defect to joining other churches, while those who left, including some senior pastors and lay leaders joined the Global Methodist Church.
The Global Methodist Church, which is said to have originated from the United States, consisted of some methodists in the USA, who also breakaway because of same sex marriage.
The renegants Methodist are arguing the properties in Ganta was given to preach the Gospel, educate the people and also heal the people, but it was not given for same sex marriage as it is alleged, therefore, the ownership of the said properties in question should the children of those who gave the Dr. George Way Harley in the early 20s, since the church is now engulfed with same sex marriage.
But some analysts are saying, since some Methodists decide to breakaway, they should leave the Church and stop causing problems or holding onto United Methodist properties.
“If you don’t like the church because of a change in doctrine, you leave and go to where you can find your salvation or where you believe there is true worship, instead causing confusion,” said one Johnny, an elderly man.
However, there is a sign of tension building at the Methodist Compound in Ganta, over the ownership of the properties among the methodists
of which, if nothing is done promptly might likely cause chaos and jeopardise the smooth running of the hospital and the science college of the UMU.
Ganta United Methodist Hospital is one of the oldest referral hospitals in Nimba, serving other counties and even those from the neighboring countries, but the division is also undermining the smooth running of the hospital because of fear of being either targeted by the GMC or UMC.
