Liberian President-elect George Weah Set For Thanksgiving At Synagogue Church Of All Nations

A top insider told Sun that the visit of the president-elect is to thank God over his victory in the run-off election that led to his emergence as the Liberian President.

The 51-year old President-elect had attended one of the church’s Sunday service ahead of the election, accompanied by former Liberian Warlord and presently a Senator, Prince Yormie Johnson in October, last year.

Prophet Joshua, had during the visit, announced that Weah was God’s choice for the people of Liberia.


Prophet Joshua had said, “My brother is here today because he loves his country. He is not here to impose himself. What does God say about his country, Liberia? What is God’s opinion? That is why he is here.

“We are not herbalists or witch doctors, we are people of God. God’s choice is our choice. We cannot pray against God’s will.”

Weah was said to have had a special session with Prophet Joshua who assured him of victory in the November 7 rescheduled run-off election

Liberia, a nation founded by freed American slaves, is seeing its first democratic transfer of power in more than 70 years as Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf steps aside. Sirleaf, Africa’s first female president, led the country’s recovery after back-to-back civil wars and saw it through a deadly Ebola outbreak.

“Two days ago the world saw me cry, not because I won, but for the lives of partisans who lost their lives in the struggle for change,” President-elect Weah said after being introduced by his running mate, vice-president-elect Jewel Howard-Taylor.

President-elect Weah honoured his predecessor Johnson Sirleaf, calling her “the Iron Lady of Africa,” and promising to “build upon the institutional gains” her administration has made. President-elect Weah also paid tribute to Boakai, calling him “a statesman and neighbour. He called on Liberians living abroad to “come home; this is a new dispensation.”

He also called for foreign investments as the flow of aid to Liberia is in decline.

“To investors, we say Liberia is open and ready for business,” he said.

He vowed to fight the types of scandals that have plagued the West African nation, saying “Those looking to cheat the Liberian people through corruption will have no place.”

Benyan Kota, who listened to Weah’s speech on the radio, said he appreciated the statements about tackling corruption and about inclusion.

“Whenever the world inclusion is mentioned, it brings to us the feeling that a government wants to bring about protection for the underprivileged and underdeveloped,” said Kota, president of the Christian Association of the Blind.

Voter turnout for the runoff was low, but Weah drew overwhelming support from the younger generation, which makes up a majority of Liberia’s population of 4.6 million. Weah’s rags-to-riches story has been an inspiration to many supporters who call him “King George.”

Though hundreds sang his praises and chanted his name at the end of his speech, Weah did not mention how he intends to tackle the country’s economic woes, nor did he announce specific programmes to address unemployment.

Expectations will be high for President-elect Weah to lift the nation from poverty and create jobs. In addition to corruption, Liberia faces problems with electricity and a health care system decimated by the Ebola outbreak. Weah’s critics have said his brief experience in politics will be a challenge for the nation.

Weah had run in the country’s last two elections, winning the first round of the 2005 vote that eventually went to Sirleaf. He ran as the vice presidential candidate with diplomat Winston Tubman in 2011; they boycotted the runoff that granted Sirleaf her second term.

As Liberia grappled with the Ebola outbreak in 2014, Weah was elected as a senator, defeating Sirleaf’s son Robert for the seat.President-elect Weah is expected to take office in January.