The Liberia Media Center (LMC) and the Press Union of Liberia along with the media community of Liberia were awaken yesterday by the shocking news of the death of a media expert and Executive Director of the LMC, Prof. S. Kpanbayeazee Duworko, II. Professor Duworko was reported dead upon arrival at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center early Thursday morning of August 27, on the day of the anniversary of the LMC after a brief illness.
According to sources, Mr. Duworko contracted the illness late March and was hospitalized at the JFK for some months, but later recovered and returned to work for a few weeks before he fell sick again, and was reportedly taken to the JFK Hospital death before arrival early yesterday.
The news of the death of Prof. Duworko was greeted with mixed feelings in the media community, with dozens of journalists expressing comments of condolences on his ward on the Facebooks while others went at the LMC Compound to ascertain the shocking news regarding the death of the researcher, author media trainer and teacher.
The late Prof. S. Kpanbayeazee Duworko, II, an English lecturer at the University of Liberia, was a full member of the Press Union of Liberia. He was also an IREX Fellow who studied Media Leadership from the Sol Plaatje Institute (SPI) at Rhodes University in South Africa,
Duworko ascended to the directorship of the in March, 2018. He replaced the founding executive Director of the media development institution, the late Lawrence Togar Randall following an interim leadership headed by Attorney Lamii Kpargoi as Officer in Charge for about five years.
Professor Duworku authored and co-author several books and researched articles. He and the late Professor Joe Wolobah Mullbah along with some Ghanaian writers research and authored the Liberian Elections Reporting Handbook for the 2011 elections of Liberia. He also authored an internship handbook for Liberia journalists for the LMC and conducted researches for local and international entities as contractor.
The mortal remains of the late Samuel Duworko is said to be deposited at the Samuel Striker Funeral Parlors pending funeral arrangement. He is survived by his wife and children.