It seems that the recent “beef” between current Liberian president George Manneh Weah and his predecessor, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is far from being over as the ex-soccer legend continues to criticize the government of Africa’s first female head of state.
This was evident when president George Weah during his visit to the home town of former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Julijuah, Bomi County openly expressed disappointment that under the 12 years of madam Sirleaf she did little to improve the lives of the people of her birthplace.
During his brief interaction with the locals there who had outlined litany of challenges before him, he, among other things, said, “Opulence is when you work to improve the living standard of your people to be up to how you live. You cannot speak of opulence and do nothing to improve the lives of the people you lead. Opulence is when the Speaker and you are from the same district and nothing good is done for the people.”
Mr. Weah remark in Julijuah comes just 4 months when a tweet by former president Sirleaf last December that criticized the elegant ceremony held by President Weah to light up the national Christmas tree while civil servants were yet to receive their overdue salaries.
Madam Sirleaf tweeted: “The opulence displayed at the lighting of the Liberian President Christmas Tree was indeed impressive, but with the country’s economic climate, it is an affront to the thousands who have not been paid and are hungry.”
But Madam Sirleaf did not go scotch free with her tweet. On Facebook, President Weah who prides himself as achieving more developments in Liberia in three years than any other President in the country’s history achieves, posted a rejoinder to the tweet. He wrote:
Madam Former President, let me refresh your memory about what OPULENCE is:
OPULENCE is when Chevron gives 10 Million USD as CSR and you gave it to your son to squander.
OPULENCE is when you have 4 billion in foreign direct investment, but leave Liberia in abject squalor and poverty, the tweet by the president further added.
Sweet and sour relationship
Earlier, President Weah during the 2017 General elections graded former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf 80% for the level work done during her administration.
The party of former President Sirleaf in 2018 expelled her for allegedly supporting the candidacy of Weah in 2017, a claim the former Unity Party standard-bearer denies.
On one occasion, former President Ellen Johnson was seem with then presidential candidate George Weah breaking ground for a road project in Lofa County, move that was heavily criticized by madam Sirleaf supporters.
Many supporters of the former president have opted that why she was not seem raising the hands of her vice president Joseph N. Boakai instead was seem dedicating projects with Mr. Weah just months to the presidential election in 2017.
It remains on unclear why relationship between the two went sour with each of then openly belittling one another.
