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George Weah sworn in as Liberia president

 

This is the stuff that dreams are made of. Having grown up in the slams of Monrovia in grinding poverty, he rose to become one of Africa’s greatest footballers and yesterday George Weah was sworn-in as Liberia’s president.

The only African to have won the coveted Ballon d’ Or in 1995, amid his incredible rags-to-riches tale, Weah becomes the 25th president of the West African nation, taking over from Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, with expectations running sky-high among Liberians.

Weah (L) in action against Liberian Armed Forces side in a friendly match two days before his inauguration

Several African football legends, including Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Kalusha Bwalya, Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha, Taribo West and Sunday Oliseh, attended the inauguration at Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium near the capital, Monrovia.

Weah also invited Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger who signed him in 1988 at Monaco in France.

“I have been invited by George to come to the day where he will be president. I believe I will be busy. Maybe if I am suspended, I will have time to go,” Wenger was quoted to have joked by The Independent.

“What’s important is when you look at his life, and I think the life of this guy is a real film, it’s unbelievable. You can make a fantastic film.

“I remember when I saw him for the first time in Monaco, coming in a bit lost, not knowing anybody, not being rated by anybody as a player and then becoming the best player in the world in 1995. Now he is the president of his country—it is an unbelievable story. But it’s down to the fact that George’s attitude is being strong mentally,” Wenger was further quoted as saying.

He said Weah, who joined politics in 2002, suffered for his country and showed care for others.

“I didn’t think at that point that he would become president of his country, but today when I look back I must say I have seen him crying when war was on in Liberia. It’s a happy story and I wish that he has a happy presidency.

“I would like to say he is an example for everybody who plays football today,” he said.

Flames legend Ernest Mtawali, who also played in the French top-flight league in the 1990s, said Weah’s fairy-tale experience should indeed inspire current footballers to strive for success in other spheres of life such as politics.

“It is a confirmation that where there is a will, there is indeed a way,” he said.

Weah, 51, starred in top-flight football at Monaco then Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France and AC Milan in Italy in the 1990s and briefly at Chelsea and Manchester City in England before joining politics. n

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