President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s good works have paved way for her Vice President Joseph Boakai to step in, in continuation of what many say, is a trail blazing legacy of Madam President in her 12-year stewardship

Abubakar Hashim in Monrovia

President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf has fulfilled her long drawn destiny, which was foretold in her teens: A destiny of making things work, destiny of a better world to live. She was elected in 2005, when Liberia was on the brink of a failed state. However, in 2017, twelve years after, Liberia has stabilized, with electricity, running water, good roads and a functional educational system, though with some challenges. This trail blazing legacy of good works is today, what makes her thick in Liberia and in the world.

This legacy has put Liberia, once again, in the good books of the international community and a shining Lone Star on the world map.

This trail blazing legacy has brought Liberians together, united than ever before. A legacy is set in her vision of a united country, far from hate or malice, a far-cry from its bloody past.
Her Information Minister, Eugene Nagbe sums it up to this medium:”When Madam President resumed in 2005, our economy has suffered a collapse, unprecedented since Second World War. But through her strong leadership, she has brought Liberia from the button of the pit to the right trajectory of growth and development.”

Many Liberians today see in her a vision of hope. She has breathed a new life of unity among Liberians, irrespective of tribe and sectionalism. It is this symbolic united front that her vice, Joseph Boakai, hopes to replicate.

The London-based financial Times Magazine, Forbes of London in 2014, rated President Sirleaf to be among the top 70 women in the world in view of her impacts to global development.

Though she had some challenges in her 12-year rule, President Sirleaf is a symbol of unity, hope, freedom and development, not only in Liberia, but also in Africa and the entire world.

The scars of war have faded and metamorphosed into gigantic projects of development. Ellen, as she is popularly called by her friends and foes, has turned around Liberia into a country of promising future. Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari once referred to her in Abuja as a “woman of great vision”, when she visited Nigeria a few months ago, in promoting bilateral relationship between the two countries. President Buhari confided in her to rally round the Mano River countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ivory Coast and her host country, Liberia, in fighting terrorism, in view of her strong will and determination. She did accomplish this task in rallying round support from these countries.

The elections in October this year will take place in a peaceful and stabled atmosphere, with all the political parties already signed a Memorandum of Understanding MoU with the National Electoral Commission NEC for a peaceful election, with the Liberia police and military in full control of the entire security architecture of the country.

The United Nations Military In Liberia UNMIL has drawn down its presence in Liberia, leaving behind a handful of residual force in the country.

Liberians are now fully in charge of their destiny. A far cry from what it was a couple of years back after 14 year of brutal war. Today, Liberians hold on the touch in virtually all areas of nation building, particularly in security.

All these nationalistic endeavours were accomplished under a focused leadership of Madam President unprecedented in the annals of Liberia’s history.