George Weah: Footballer from the Slums to President of Liberia

It is not often that professional athletes or children from the poorest urban centers become the highest elected national leaders in any country of the world. In Liberia, on December 26th 2017 both breakthroughs in social traditions happened with the Presidential run-off election being won by the George Weah campaign representing the Congress for Democratic Change in Liberia political party. The actual election results were not without set backs for the George Weah campaign, as the first election held ended in a draw and the followup run-off election contested in court, which the Supreme Court of Liberia dismissed. On the 26th, The Republic of Liberia finalized its Presidential election with George Weah winning sixty one percent of the vote.

George Weah 2016

George Weah while playing on A.C. Milan 1996-1997

President Elect Weah achieved fourteen years of on the field football success playing for such notable clubs as A.C. Milan, Chelsea and Manchester City, French League 1 Marseille and United Arab Emirates Al-Jazira and most importantly to the people of Liberia, the countries national football team in African Cup matches. Upon retiring from football, George Weah entered the national politics of a war torn Liberia in 2005 by creating the political party Congress for Democratic Change in Liberia and running in a failed presidential campaign.

Opponents in that election like the presidential winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, noted and contested George Weah's entrance into politics without a degree from an accredited university or any political or business experience. President Elect Weah lost the election but not the lesson and started an accredited business management degree program through Devry University of Miami. Though Weah started his university classes in the United States, he returned to Liberia in 2009 to campaign for the political party he started in senate elections and returned again to run himself in 2014 for the Liberian Congress, successfully winning 78% percent of the vote from then President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's own son Robert Sirleaf. Regardless of the Liberian establishment loosing the election the nation can be proud to elect an ambitious son from the nations streets into the national first seat. Though Weah is now a practicing Christian, he has been a student and follower of Islam and hopes followers from both religious communities can heal as one family and one people in Liberia.