Former footballer of the year George Weah sworn in as Liberia’s new president
Jan 23, 2018 , https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...erias-new-president/
Daily Mail – Former footballer of the year George Weah has been sworn into office as Liberia’s new president.
Dressed in all white, the new leader stood at the podium amid tens of thousands of cheering Liberians, taking the oath of office around midday yesterday.
The 51-year-old, who won FIFA’s 1995 prestigious Ballon d’Or during his time at AC Milan, sealed the runoff vote on Boxing Day against the outgoing vice president and his swearing in, fittingly, was held at a football stadium.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – Africa’s first female president – served for 12 years, guiding Liberia through the destruction of back-to-back civil wars that ended before her tenure and facing the challenge of the Ebola crisis that killed thousands there.
Weah, who has run for the presidency before but is relatively new to national politics, inherits a weak economy along with poor health and educational sectors.
Liberians held prayer services for 48 hours leading up to yesterday’s inauguration of Weah, who served three years in the senate more than a decade after retiring from a glittering international football career in which he played in France, Italy, the UK and elsewhere.
Many of Weah’s critics are still skeptical about his ability to deliver in a country that is faced with youth unemployment and other challenges.
His running mate, Vice President-Elect Jewel Howard-Taylor, has political experience that surpasses his.
She was married to the nation’s former leader Charles Taylor during his time in power.
After they divorced, she was elected senator in 2005, building a political career in her own right.
Evangelical preacher Nathanial Zarway prayed, asking God to grant George Weah ‘the grace and favor he needs to make a significant difference that will surprise the world.’
He was giving an opening prayer at Sunday’s service attended by Weah, his wife Clar and Sirleaf at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion in downtown Monrovia.
The congregation responded with a resounding ‘amen’ when the preacher shouted: “God, don’t let him fail you and don’t let him fail the Liberian people who have reposed their confidence in him.”
A similar prayer service was held in a leading mosque on Friday and Weah, who once went by a Muslim name Ousman, attended.
In the lead-up to the inauguration, Weah played in an exhibition soccer match Saturday, featuring his Weah All Stars team, which was comprised of his former national teammates.
Weah, who played for both Chelsea and Manchester City during a stellar career, scored the first of two goals against Liberian army’s football team.
Weah said he was happy about the calm that has characterized the transition process so far.
‘Her Excellency Madam Ellen (Johnson Sirleaf) will be bringing down the flag, while I raise the flag – it is a new day for Liberia,’ Weah said of yesterday’s activities.
‘It is a smooth transition, no-one is running around the streets.
‘This tells you that we came from a war to peace,’ he said.
The swearing in was at Liberia’s international football field, the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, about seven miles southeast of Monrovia – the first time such an event took place there.
About 10 heads of states attended, according to Chief of Protocol Javis A. Witherspoon. The U.S. will be sending a delegation.
‘When you look at his legacy as a star, where he ascended to the level of a celebrity, it actually started on the football pitch,’ Witherspoon said, adding that Weah asked for the inauguration to take place there so that his supporters could also attend. ‘We want to give everybody an opportunity to watch this historical inauguration ceremony.’
Thousands of people stormed the field early yesterday to get a chance to see the new president sworn in.
Weah’s new government should launch a ‘self-sufficiency in food programme’ to boost agriculture and tackle the problem of unemployment, said James Mulbah, an agricultural extension expert.
‘Any country that does not feed itself, you are at the mercy of those that will feed you, that has been the problem in this country and it has continued to exist,’ he said.
Liberians should not see Weah as ‘a magician’ who can solve all Liberia’s problems alone, said Florence G. Dukuly, a public administrator.
‘Liberians have this dependency syndrome,’ depending on the government to do all, she said. ‘We have to help him make it.’ She said the Weah government should ‘work toward stabilizing the economy.’
The Weah government was urged to ensure ‘continuation of the programmes that have been put in place by the outgoing government so that we remain on the path of development,’ said Julia Duncan-Cassell, former Gender, Children and Social Protection minister.
The stadium’s playing pitch has been transformed into a huge, raised platform from where guests were entertained by live performances. The nation’s red, white and blue colors adorned the VIP block of the field, and giant-sized portraits of Weah and Taylor are planted along the perimeters.
Young supporters of Weah’s Congress for Democratic Change party carried out a national clean-up ahead of the ceremony.
‘We are all overwhelmed with joy,’ said Janjay Jacobs, a former midfielder and now coach who played soccer with Weah on Saturday. He said Weah can bring growth and development to Liberia.
‘He has been a very inspirational person, very much motivating, never gives up in any situation,’ Jacobs said. ‘If all odds are against him, he still stands up for what he believes in.’
pic – Liberia’s new President George Weah raises his hand during the swearing-in ceremony at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Monrovia, Liberia. (Reuters)
– Dressed in all white, the new leader (left) stood at the podium amid tens of thousands of cheering Liberians, taking the oath of office around midday yesterday. (Reuters)