HISTORIC FEAT IN LIBERIA:
‘GOD, LIBERIAN People made me PRESIDENT of LIBERIA’-George WEAH, 25th President of Liberia
…Three-time African Footballer of the Year, first African player to win Ballon d’Or succeed the first elected female President
*Says: ‘My Victory has changed the face of Politics in Africa, Youths are eligible to contest and become President’
* ‘60% of our population, Liberian Youths under the age of 30 voted for me’
* ‘The Lord help me Defeat Joseph Boakai former Liberian Vice-President in power for 12 years, Don’t you ever give up your Dreams’
* Ex-FIFA World Player of the Year fights illiteracy, Graduates in Bachelors Degree with Distinction in Business Management from Devry University, USA
*Had Masters degree in Management from Keller Graduate School of Management, Devry University
* Arsene Wenger, Arsenal’s Football Club Manager Congratulates WEAH: “I congratulate one of my former players, who became president of Liberia”
* “This is a challenge to Nigeria’s former Super Eagles’ Superstars..Austin Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Kanu Nwankwo and rest to freely contest Nigeria’s Presidency in 2019”-Nigerian American Press Association
BY ROSEMARY ABBOT, STAFF REPORTER, MONROVIA
GEORGE WEAH, FORMER Chelsea and Manchester City star has made repeated history as first former World Footballer of the Year to have successfully won a landslide victory having defeated Joseph Boakai former Liberian Vice-President in power for 12 years to become the President of Liberia. He has attributed the victory to the invincible, omnipotence of God and the Liberian peoples’ vote.
Weah, never backed down on his belief, set eyes on victory as he won comprehensively, clinching 12 of the 15 counties in the West African country. His outstanding victory rubbished the earlier accomplishments of Boakai, who only had two counties vote for him. For once, Liberian youths collectively believe their voice must be heard in the election.
Weah – the first African to win the Ballon D’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year took to Twitter to confirm the victory. Though the former Chelsea man is not known for his political nous but his clout as a footballing icon garners him significant support amongst the youth of Liberia, where 60% of the population is under the age of 30.
Weah topped the first round of voting in October but didn’t secure the 50% needed to win outright. The runoff was delayed twice after allegations of voting fraud and irregularities but Weah’s popularity won out in the end.
A top aide of Weah, who would not want his name mentioned confided in our reporter that after he has been announced winner of the election in Liberia, he quickly had a think-tank meeting with his electioneering team as he said: “My victory has changed the face of politics in Africa. Youths are now eligible to contest and become President of any African country. We all must learn to permanently depend on God in all our human endeavors. The Lord help me defeat Joseph Boakai former Liberian Vice-President in power for 12 years because all power belong to God alone. Don’t you ever give up your dreams.”
Weah is to take over from Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who beat Weah in an election back in 2005. Weah’s lack of education was seen as the main reason for his loss. For the records, the 51 year-old former striker was signed by Chelsea in 2000 on loan and had an immediate impact, scoring a header on his debut in a derby game against Tottenham.
Weah scored five goals in 14 matches for the club, starting the 2000 FA Cup final against Aston Villa as they beat the Midlanders 1-0. He also played under Arsene Wenger at Monaco, calling him a “father figure” and attributing his considerable success to the Frenchman. Moving to Europe in 1988 he went on to spend 14 remarkable years playing for Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan before short stints at Chelsea and Manchester City, finishing his European career in Marseille.
It was during his five years at the Rossoneri from 1995 to 2000 that he confirmed his reputation as one of the world’s most fearsome strikers, winning the Ballon d’Or in 1995 and FIFA World Player of the Year in 1996. The Liberian powerhouse was known for his work-rate, instinctive ability and athletic attributes and was seen, along with Ronaldo and Romario , as a modern breed of striker who could finish and run with the ball effectively.
A highly decorated professional, he won African Footballer of the Year three times, the Serie A twice, Ligue 1 once and a smorgasbord of domestic cups in France and Italy. Back in October, Arsenal boss Wenger mistakenly congratulated Weah on the presidential victory.
Wenger during his pre-Watford press conference on October 12 said: “I would like to congratulate one of my former players, who became president of Liberia
It is not often that you have a former player who becomes a president of a country.”
Weah was earlier called an illiterate 13 years ago when he first contested for president in Liberia, to fight illiteracy, he brushed himself up, had Bachelors degree with distinction in Business Management with emphasis in small business and entrepreneurship from Devry University, Florida, United States.
This Liberian football legend turned politician, leader of the Congress for Democratic Change Party (CDC) earned Masters degree in Management from the Keller Graduate School of Management, Devry University. He received his second academic credential recently during an occasion which took place at the Coro Spring Center for the Art in Florida.
Meanwhile, Nigerian-American Press Association, foremost media pressure group, convergence of 30 journalists in United States and Nigeria media establishment congratulates the newly elected President of Liberia. In a press statement issued by NAPA’s National President, George Elijah Otumu, it reads: “NAPA will like to use this medium to congratulate George Weah, as the 25th President of Liberia for his well deserved victory. He fought, he persevered and won eventually. This is a challenge to Nigeria’s former Super Eagles’ Superstars..Austin Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Kanu Nwankwo and rest to freely contest Nigeria’s Presidency in 2019. Africa is on the rise to stardom.”
