By Atty. Isaac Jackson:
Former Deputy Information for Press and Public Affairs and former Liberia Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in the United Kingdom
There were many deeply embarrassing and disturbing moments for our country during President George Weah’s participation in an address to the 77th Session of the United Nations General
Assembly. For me, two stood out as amongst the worst. One occurred in the UN General Assembly Hall, and the other occurred outside the UN Headquarters.
Obviously restricted to within a 25-mile radius of the UN Headquarters, the President readied his officials with cameras to photo-bomb US Government officials regardless of their grades. President Weah embarrassingly scurried from his seat to greet US Secretaries and Ambassadors knowing they would not come to greet him, and that he was restricted from going to Washington, DC, for any meeting with US officials.
It is ok, they say, to fool some people sometimes. But when a leader believes in his own lies, the country he leads is in trouble. President Weah knows he was caged within a 25-mile radius of the UN Headquarters, and therefore, was unwelcome to the United States. Denigrating the Office of the President further, by photo-bombing US officials who would not formally meet with him, only to deceive Liberians at home that he is “engaging” with US officials, is disgraceful.
Secondly, playing with a dog he claims to be his, at a Brooklyn address, just outside Manhattan, the President said, on camera, “After four years, it’s good to be back home.” This is political blasphemy!
The President of our country was “glad to be back home”, in Brooklyn, New York, after being away for “four years”, working as the President of Liberia. Back home, not as in Gibraltar or Paynesville, but in the United States of America. Back home where his son plays for the US National Soccer Team. Back home where he keeps his Balon d’Or and other most valuable personal assets, including his dog, which might be too good to live where he works – in Liberia.
“I am a citizen of the world”, President Weah tried to taunt his critics and those who pointed to his restriction to within a 25-mile radius of the UN Headquarters, although he was doing so from within the 25-mile radius. All Liberians had hoped for, and candidate Weah had promised to be, was a good citizen of Liberia who would see Liberia as home, so he would care about the direction of the country and the wellbeing of the people.
Liberians were wrong. Weah does not care about Liberia – not about rising crimes and drugs robbing our young people of their future; not about an economy that is shrinking and families finding it harder and harder to make it; not about the raping of women, girls, and babies; not about stealing in the government which is keeping Liberians poor; and certainly not about jobs and opportunities for empowerment for Liberians. He does not care because, in his mind, Liberia is where he works and not his “home”.
Indeed, President Weah was born in Liberia and lived his childhood and youthful life there. But President Weah knows his future and valuable personal assets are stored away where his dog is – in his “home” in Brooklyn. When he became wealthy, Weah moved out of Liberia, and after his successful footballing career, resided in the United States. It has been credibly reported that he acquired US citizenship.
President Weah’s apologists may argue that he made a mistake. But the President’s mismanagement of our country over the last 5 years makes categorizing this embarrassing statement as a ‘slip of the tongue, difficult. In 2023, Liberians will correct this embarrassment. We will return Weah to his “home” and reunite him with his dog.
