During his football career, he played as a striker. id: "f0fe0e87-d043-41f5-8fcf-4b4f86220ee6", George Weah: From football star to Liberian president From Cameroon to France. Whatever happened to them before is what can easily happen to them again, though it should be the least of the things anyone should hope for. Now the questions are: will George Weah be a good President? The little the Ghanaian statesman said cannot be all that there is to determine how good Mr. Weah will fare as President. The African Union had characterized the elections as "peaceful, transparent, and fair". THE CAPITOL BUILDING. Report by Lennart Dodoo, ldodoo@frontpageafricaonline.com & Bettie Johnson-Mbayo, bettie.mbayo@frontpagafricaonline.com Senator Weah … [29] Weah finished by rifling the ball into the bottom left corner before an exuberant goal celebration. MONROVIA, LIBERIA . Can he deliver the goods? That alone seems to make Liberia a producer of ‘wonder’ stories, especially in recent times; having been the only country in Africa to have produced Africa’s first elected female Head of State. (Accra: DigiBooks, 2015), 160. But inferring from the text above, it is sure that he could make a good president. He signed for A.C. Milan in 1995 where he spent four successful seasons, winning Serie A twice. George Weah. Weah could be a good president because he has shown in the past that he loves his country and his continent, and he's already rich. [73] Off the football pitch, he stood out throughout his career for his initiatives to fight against racism in the game. ZWEDRU, Feb. 21 (LINA) – President George Weah appeared to take a swipe at ANC leader Alexander Cummings, and Montserrado County District #10 Representative, Yekeh Kolubah, without mentioning their names when he addressed thousands … [24] Scoring such a goal in Serie A – the best defensive league in the world – saw media outlets such as Gazzetta dello Sport running pages of analysis for days afterwards, and calling it the greatest strike of all in Italian football. { He personally bankrolls his national team. In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the former international footballer showed that he is not surprised by the current leading Serie A team: “Several months ago they … [112], Weah was sworn in as president on 22 January 2018, making him the fourth youngest-serving president in Africa,[113] marking Liberia's first democratic transition in 74 years. He ended his career with Al-Jazira in 2003. [125] Currently, Weah again practises Protestantism. The meeting was also attended by Didier Drogba, Kylian Mbappé and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. [24], Named African Footballer of the Year three times and the first African to win the Ballon d'Or and be named FIFA World Player of the Year, Weah's prominence in the 1990s led him to be nicknamed "King George". Geoges Weah the Liberian president is still very attached to his former club AC Milan. [7] He moved to the Premier League towards the end of his career and had spells at Chelsea and Manchester City, winning the FA Cup at the former, before returning to France to play for Marseille in 2001. Both of his sons became footballers and signed for Paris Saint-Germain,[121] although only Timothy played for the first team. Back home, they call him King George and adore him so much they wish he will one day become president. [47], Since making his debut for the Liberia national team against Sierra Leone in 1986, Weah played 75 games over 20 years, scoring 18 goals. A brief background to the portion above of Gold Coast Boy I culled is, the author, Dr. Addo-Kufour talking about his time as the acting Minister of the Interior, even while he held the substantive post as Minister of Defence between 2001 and 2007. [20] He has three brothers, William, Moses and Wolo. [33], —Amy Lawrence of The Guardian, writing in April 2000. [5] He is the first African former professional footballer to become head of state. [23], Weah was banned from six European matches for breaking the nose of the Portuguese defender Jorge Costa on 20 November 1996 in the players' tunnel after Milan's draw at Porto in the Champions League. Weah was the top vote getter in the first round of voting, winning about 38 percent in the October 10 poll. Weah defeated Robert Sirleaf, the son of President Sirleaf, becoming the first Liberian international athlete elected to represent a county in the Legislature. [50], During his prime in the 1990s, Weah was regarded as one of the best strikers in the world. "[57], One such goal that exemplified this ability was against Verona in 1995 where he received the ball in the edge of his own penalty box and ran the length of the field. [60][61] In 2013, Milan great Franco Baresi named Weah in the greatest XI he has ever played with. [12][55][56] Among the next generation of strikers who were inspired, Thierry Henry states, "George Weah, Romário, and Ronaldo changed the game for me. 25 JANUARY 2021 . Ever since he had made his first attempt at the highest office in his country over a decade ago, it would have been easy for anyone to consider his thirst for the presidency a vainglorious goal—a fantasy or even, a chasing after the wind! Analysts also noted Weah's lack of experience, calling him a "babe-in-the-woods", while Sirleaf had served as minister of finance in the Tolbert administration in the 1970s and had held positions at Citibank, the World Bank and the United Nations. According to Article 60 of the Constitution, the salaries of the President and the Vice President are established by the Legislature, and cannot be increased or reduced during the period for which they are elected. After some unpromising years of trial and patience, the efforts appear to have now clearly yielded dividends, as today, Monday, January 22, 2018; a man who once used soccer boots—as tools of his trade, is set to be out-doored as the new President of Liberia. However, he lost the run-off to Sirleaf on 8 November, garnering only 40.6% to 59.4% for Sirleaf. Maybe that dressing room, or more specifically … George Manneh Oppong Weah is a Liberian politician and former professional footballer who is currently serving as the 25th President of Liberia, in office since 2018. Before as a number nine, people would say ‘stay within the line of the box, don’t move too much, don’t go to the wings, don’t drop, stay.’ Then I saw George Weah. [70] At the 2004 ESPY Awards at the Kodak Theatre, Los Angeles, Weah won the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for his efforts. We can only wish him and the people of Liberia well. [17] Before his football career allowed him to move abroad, Weah worked for the Liberia Telecommunications Corporation as a switchboard technician.[18]. "[116], On 29 January 2018, Weah announced he would seek constitutional changes to allow people of "non-Negro" descent to be citizens and allow foreigners to own land. [20] He attended middle school at Muslim Congress and high school at Wells Hairston High School, and reportedly dropped out in his final year of studies. His number 14 shirt, worn by Weah at his playing peak, was retired after the friendly, with Weah receiving a standing ovation when he was substituted. Days before his inauguration, it appeared George Weah, president of Liberia, would have a problem with the musicians of his country. [8] A number of publications, including Scott Murray of The Guardian and Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times, in addition to FIFA, consider him to be one of the greatest players never to feature at the World Cup. Exhibiting skill, athleticism and goalscoring prowess, Weah became famous at Milan for scoring several notable goals, in particular a solo goal against Hellas Verona at the San Siro which saw him deftly control the ball from Verona's corner kick just outside his own penalty area, before he set off. And surely, the ‘monsters’ that haunt most leaders, especially in Africa, will also have a go at him, but he has to stand his ground and prove his mettle. He formed the Congress for Democratic Change and ran unsuccessfully for President in the 2005 election, losing to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the second round of voting. Liberia’s President George Weah marks half-time in the country’s top job on Friday, as he continues to face numerous challenges, not least delivering … [31] That year, Weah also won the African Player of the Year Award for the third time in his career, and was named to the Onze de Onze by the French football magazine Onze Mondial. I’m glad I chanced on a text in Gold Coast Boy, the autobiography of Ghana’s former Minister of Defence, Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor; who I believe sincerely had written what he wrote without having had a foretaste of the future of the one he wrote about. 'https' : 'http'; [100], Weah obtained a plurality of votes in the first round of voting on 11 October, garnering 28.3% of the vote. Paying for players to travel to matches, supplying kit, and even offering win bonuses have amounted to tens of thousands of dollars so far. [122] Both played youth internationals for the United States,[123] and Timothy was capped for the senior team. George Weah gets educated in quest for election. George Weah … But having a person with a bit of proven skill to manage conflicts or be a unifier as leader, we can be rest assured that chances of a faux pas in that regard are almost zero! [67][68], George Weah had already recorded a song against Ebola. [7] Despite their European dominance in the early 1990s, Milan were less successful in Europe during this time, however, with their best result being a quarter-final finish in the 1995–96 UEFA Cup. “It is not good for one man to be president for a … [23] In 1996, Weah finished second in the FIFA World Player of the Year ranking; he was also the recipient of the FIFA Fair Play Award, and was voted the African Player of the Century by sport journalists from around the world. George Weah is set to be President of a nation whose recent past has been chequered by a history of its ravaging civil war of the 1990s. [124], Weah practised Islam for ten years before converting back to Christianity. [105] Some analysts saw these moves as preparation for a repeat run for the Presidency in 2011,[106] and Weah did indeed later announce his intention to challenge Sirleaf in the 2011 election. "With the assessment that I gave you earlier of the poor condition of our economy, I believe that it is appropriate that we should all make sacrifices in the interest of our country. Monrovia – President-elect George Weah has come to the realization that he’s not a good public speaker, but he’s confident that good speeches would not impact the country under his watch, but good decisions, he said. [111], In April 2016, Weah announced his intention to run for President of Liberia in the 2017 elections,[70] standing for the Coalition for Democratic Change. [43] At City, he scored once in the league against Liverpool (as he did at Chelsea),[44] and three times against Gillingham (again as he had at Chelsea), this time in the League Cup; once in the first leg[45] and twice in the second. He won a landslide victory, receiving 99,226 votes, which represented 78.0% of the total votes from the 141 polling centers, while Sirleaf, his closest rival received 13,692 votes, which is nearly 11% in the election marred only by a low turnout. [115], On 29 January 2018, in his first annual message to the national legislature, he reduced his salary and other benefits by 25% with immediate effect. When footballer-turned-politician George Weah is inaugurated on January 22 as Liberia’s 25th president, he will face the challenging task of reviving a … George Weah met me at my office at the Ministry of Interior. They have never done anything for the nation." Weah subsequently played for Paris Saint-Germain (1992–95), with whom he won the Coupe de France in 1993 and 1995, the French league in 1994, and the Coupe de la Ligue in 1995 during a highly prolific and successful period; he also became the top scorer of the 1994–95 UEFA Champions League, with seven goals, after reaching the semi-finals with the club, one of which was a skilful individual "wonder-goal" against Bayern Munich in the group stage, on 23 November 1994. [127] Joshua was allegedly a key influence in Johnson's decision to endorse Weah's candidacy in the 2017 Liberian elections. [130], President of Liberia and retired association football player. God bless Liberia and safe the state. FourFourTwo named Weah one of the best players never to win the UEFA Champions League. "[24], — Amy Lawrence in The Guardian on The wonder of Weah. [8], At international level, Weah represented Liberia at the African Cup of Nations on two occasions, winning 75 caps and scoring 18 goals for his country. He was lauded for his speed, work-rate, stamina, and attacking instincts, as well as his physical and athletic attributes, which he combined with his finishing, technical ability and creativity. And it was like ‘hang on a minute, someone has lied to me’. During his football career, he played as a striker. would not be whining about the possibility of a third term for President Weah. On 25 May 2018, following a meeting with President Weah, the Liberian Football Association president Musa Bility announced that Liberia would vote for the Canada–Mexico–United States World Cup bid, breaking ranks with the rest of Africa, who were voting for the Moroccan bid. And then I saw Ronaldo. He invites the Liberian and African population to stand up by all means against this virus which is causing damage around the world. “George Weah is a good, humble and respectful person that should not be given the Liberian presidency, because he is being controlled by an evil hand,” … Regarded as one of the greatest African footballers of all time,[11][58] Weah was named African Player of the Century in 1996,[59] and is usually ranked among the three greatest African strikers ever, alongside Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto'o. Since the popular election of President George Weah, it has been the hope of many Liberians that he would have followed the tradition of the country’s previous leaders to place themselves in good stead with the country’s traditional friend, the United States of America. Liberia’s economy is stagnating under the impact of Covid-19. This qualified him to compete in a run-off election against Sirleaf, the second placed candidate. [42] He played 11 games in all competitions for City, scoring four times, before leaving on 16 October 2000 after becoming dissatisfied with manager Joe Royle for selecting him as a substitute too frequently; he had only played the full 90 minutes in three of his 11 games for the Maine Road club. [78], Following the end of the Second Liberian Civil War, Weah announced his intention to run for President of Liberia in the 2005 elections, forming the Congress for Democratic Change to back his candidacy. The whole world knows President Weah and is a good and competent leader! Weah joined A.C. Milan in 1995, with whom he immediately won the Italian league in 1996 under Fabio Capello, playing alongside Roberto Baggio and Dejan Savićević in Milan's attack, as well as Marco Simone, on occasion, and finishing the season as Milan's top goalscorer; he won the Serie A title once again in 1999. [23] Weah also won the Coupe de France in 1991, and he helped Monaco reach the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1992, scoring four goals in nine cup appearances. He later played with Al-Jazira in the UAE Pro-League, where he remained until his retirement as a player in 2003, at age 37. Those in Ghana can ably relate to how many Liberians call Ghana home today, owing to their escape to the country as refugees following the turmoil of the 1990s in Liberia. Weah ran for vice-president in 2011 and went on to easily win a seat at the senate in 2014 - beating the son of President Sirleaf, Robert, by clinching 78 per cent of … Photo: NYT . He was overwhelmingly elected to the Liberian Senate on 20 December 2014. Let's all stand together to fight this dirty virus an extract from President Weah's song on a reggae rhythm. Writing for the Liberian Observer, a reporter noted that though the former football star was supported by “several famous A-list local artists”, these same artists were set … [117], Upon his election to office, Weah first made an official visit in Senegal to meet with President Macky Sall, to "strengthen the bond between the two countries". College-bound George Weah gave us something to talk about. The best player on the planet, at his peak in 1995 he reigned as world, African and European footballer of the year, a trio of crowns never worn simultaneously before or since. However, after assurances that the vote was fair, several prominent African leaders called on Weah's supporters to accept the result with grace and dignity, and Sirleaf became President. (function(d) { Soccer great George Weah … After all, the standout question then was possibly this: what does a former footballer who happens to have had little formal education have to offer? After winning the first round of the 2017 election with 38.4% of the vote, he and Joseph Boakai of the Unity Party went into the second round of the election. [114] He cited fighting corruption, reforming the economy, combating illiteracy and improving life conditions as the main targets of his presidency. [107] After a series of failed alliances with other opposition parties, the Congress for Democratic Change chose Weah as its 2011 vice presidential candidate, running with presidential candidate Winston Tubman. [75], Weah was President of the Junior Professionals, a former football team he founded in Monrovia in 1994. [101], Weah's lack of education became a campaign issue. If he could excel as a footballer, being the only from Africa so far to have received the FIFA Player of the Year Award, then history is on his side to prove how much of a high achiever he is. [18] His father, William T. Weah, Sr.,[19] was a mechanic[20] while his mother, Anna Quayeweah (d. 2013),[21] was a seller. Politics-Opposition-Weah. The proceeds from this CD went to children's programmes in the countries of origin of the athletes involved. Costa strenuously denied the accusations of racism and was not charged by UEFA as no witnesses could verify Weah's allegations, not even his Milan teammates. He's never going to stop!'". His influence could therefore be useful in calming the situation and restoring normalcy. And I saw Romário in a different way before those two. + qs; Mistakes of the past can be easily repeated when lessons from them are not gleaned quickly and applied swiftly. This movement is intended to gather supporters and provide vital information Hon. I came into the game and made history too. For President George Weah, steering Liberia after its destructive civil war, economic crisis and an Ebola epidemic is a daunting task even for those experienced in statecraft, let alone a former football icon. Many factors will come into play to prove how well George Weah will perform in his tenure as the one at the helm of affairs in Liberia. "George Weah elected Liberian president". [23][28] During his time at the club, he also managed to reach the semi-finals of the 1992–93 UEFA Cup, and the semi-finals of the 1993–94 European Cup Winners' Cup; in total, he scored 16 goals in 25 European games. [63] During his playing career Weah was sponsored by sportswear company Diadora, and he became famous for his red Diadora boots while playing for A.C. In the 2011 election, he ran unsuccessfully for Vice President alongside Winston Tubman. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Gold Coast Boy: A Memoir. [13], Weah became involved in politics in Liberia following his retirement from football. In 2014, he ran for election to the Senate as a Congress for Democratic Change candidate in Montserrado County. [9][10][11], The status of Weah in the sport saw him feature in EA Sports' FIFA video game series where he was named in the Ultimate Team Legends in FIFA 14. During his playing career he became a UN Goodwill Ambassador. George Weah is the current president of Liberia and a former football player who played as a striker for many European clubs. [126] In October 2017, he was spotted in the prominent Nigerian church of Pastor T.B. Milan. var params = His prolific 18-year professional playing career ended in 2003. Weah moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 1992 where he won Ligue 1 in 1994 and became the top scorer of the 1994–95 UEFA Champions League. Mr. Weah’s wife, Clar Weah, was to his left. [102] Weah then pursued a degree in business administration at DeVry University in Miami.[103][104]. George Oppong Weah’s tenacity of purpose and ambition, now having materialized into a dream come true is an inspiration to many people. Prior to his election to the presidency, Weah served as Senator from Montserrado County. He was describing how managing the conflicts at the Budumburam camp—the camp for Liberians who sought refuge in Ghana during the civil war—had been one of the major challenges he had had to deal with in his time. Liberia's George Weah to Seek a College Degree. [62] FourFourTwo magazine named Weah one of the best players never to win the UEFA Champions League. d.getElementById("contentad127162").appendChild(s); However, in view of the very rapidly deteriorating situation of the economy, I am informing you today, with immediate effect, that I will reduce my salary and benefits by 25% and give the proceeds back to the Consolidated Fund for allocation and appropriation as they see fit. So when the question comes to your mind about his capabilities, or when you attempt to see the future of his reign and ask whether could he be a good President, remember this which I close my piece with; he could be a good president! [29] With all his teammates back defending the corner Weah made a beeline for goal, leaving his own teammates in his wake. Weah moved to Europe in 1988, for just £12,000 from Cameroonian club Tonnerre Yaoundé,[24][25] when he was signed by Wenger[26] – the manager of Monaco at the time – who flew to Africa himself prior to the signing,[17] and whom Weah credits as an important influence on his career. The ability to use one’s influence as well as tact and diplomacy to help in bringing about conflict resolution will be a useful asset to the man, George Weah, merely by studying the recent history of his country. Known for his acceleration, speed, and dribbling ability, in addition to his goalscoring and finishing, Weah was described by FIFA as "the precursor of the multi-functional strikers of today". Arsène Wenger first brought him to Europe, signing him for Monaco in 1988. It was a good meeting. I have never seen any player explode on to the scene like he did. Weah was a real surprise. [77], The Diya Group chairman and Indian entrepreneur Nirav Tripathi announced a multimillion-dollar partnership with George Weah in 2016, whereby global football academies would be established to help assist youth in both impoverished and emerging nations. [69], Weah is a devoted humanitarian for his war-torn country. I do not attempt to answer any of these conjoined questions myself. Former footballer George Weah is Liberian president. George Manneh Saykozie Weah, Best Man to Lead New Liberia", "Former Islander and soccer star George Weah elected president of Liberia", "George Weah – Football Stats – No Club – Age 50 – 1988–2008 – Soccer Base", https://www.11v11.com/players/george-weah-106/, "Champions Cup/Champions League Topscorers", "History of the BBC African Footballer of the Year award", "European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or")", "The 2004 ESPY Awards – Weah selected for Arthur Ashe Courage Award", "IFFHS announce the 48 football legend players", http://www.emansion.gov.lr/2press.php?news_id=4568&related=7&pg=sp. From 22 January when he took office, Weah was not under any illusion that running the country would be easy. Weah alleged that the election had been rigged through voter intimidation and ballot tampering, and many of his supporters protested the results in the streets of Monrovia. [46], Following his time in England, Weah returned to France and had a spell at Marseille, where he remained until May 2001. [11], Widely regarded as one of the greatest African players of all time, in 1995, he was named FIFA World Player of the Year and won the Ballon d'Or, becoming the first and to date only African player to win these awards. Weah Takes Veiled Swipe At Opposition, Urges Grand Gedeans To Remain Peaceful. Many factors will come into play to prove how well George Weah will perform in his tenure as the one at the helm of affairs in Liberia. He did not bring this economic hardship on Liberia. He is the first African former professional footballer to become head of state. Weah later attempted to apologise to Costa but this was rebuffed by the Portuguese, who considered the charges of racist insults leveled against him to be defamatory and took Weah to court. The agitations at the camp ended and Budumburam returned to normalcy. The most astonishing thing about Weah is that genius on the field and generosity off it come in equal measure. cb: (new Date()).getTime() The People’s Unification Party, an opposition party, is more severe on President Weah: “At the end of your first year in power, our people (…) are hungry, the bread equation (…) is becoming more and more complex. var qs = Object.keys(params).reduce(function(a, k){ a.push(k + '=' + encodeURIComponent(params[k])); return a},[]).join(String.fromCharCode(38)); [71] He has also been named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador,[72] a role which he has suspended in his political career. He is his country's best-known ambassador. GEORGE MANNEH WEAH. PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA. Well, for me not to take you through a long history and background profile of the man of the moment, let me shift focus to the purpose of my piece. Before switching on the Christmas Tree, President Weah described light as life, and invoked God’s blessings and merry tidings upon Liberians … He was discovered by Arsene Wenger who took it upon himself to make sure George … An exceptional goalscorer, it is no exaggeration to describe him as the precursor of the multi-functional strikers of today. But inferring from the text above, it is sure that he could make a good president. [6], After beginning his career in his home country of Liberia, Weah spent 14 years playing for clubs in France, Italy, and England. The world or nature, is not kind to predictions and that is true! })(document); A Survivor of June 3 Disaster Says "God Was Working That Night" | And I Say God Was Damn Drunk & Asleep, Ghanaian Graduates Are Jobless Because They Are Brainless, How to Start A Blog for Less than 100 GHS & Make As Much As Over 5000 GHS A Month Easily, Christianity Does Not Condemn Human Sacrifice, It Celebrates It, Water Bodies In Ghana Going Extinct – Plans To Import Water In The Pipeline, Demonstration Against Fetish Priests And Mallams Goes Awry As Ringleader Gets Arrested, Ghanaians Are Lucky To Be Getting $20million For Military Base Deal And Should Be Grateful – US Ambassador, Five-Year-Old Boy Boils To Death In Pot Of Hausa Koko. [128][129], He holds French citizenship and speaks the language fluently. After playing in the Liberian domestic league at the beginning of his successful career and winning several national honours (including the Liberian Premier League and the Liberian Cup),[23] Weah's abilities were discovered by the Cameroon national team coach, Claude Le Roy, who relayed the news to Arsène Wenger.
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