The Editor,
Liberians are yet again left scratching their heads as their former President garners another international award.
This time, The Mo Ibrahim Foundation has rewarded former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf with $5 million dollars for what it terms – her “transformative leadership” of a country “devastated and broken by 14 years of civil war.” One is hard-pressed to decipher just how “transformative” was Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s leadership over Liberia for the last twelve years.
As this piece is penned, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf handed over a literally broken country to President George M. Weah. After twelve long years and billions misappropriated and siphoned away in what has become the most corrupt and incompetent government in the annals of contemporary history – yet another prize is bestowed.
One can only wonder who constitutes Mr. Ibrahim selection panel.
Are there any Liberians included? How did the panel reach its conclusion? Why weren’t Liberians – who are the supposed beneficiaries of this so-called “transformative leadership”, sampled to reinforce the panel’s decision? For us – the majority of Liberians, Ellen Johnson will be remembered as the most corrupt, incompetent, nepotistic, divisive leader to ever ascend to the Liberian presidency!
Apart from the millions spent annually to whitewash her image around the globe, how else could one explain this award?
Well, Mo Ibrahim Foundation is not alone in this incessant bestowing of undeserved awards! Many Liberians still cannot fathom – up till this day – just how an individual that ignited a war that snuffed out the lives of over 250,000 of their compatriots won a Nobel Peace Prize!
Neither can we decipher Madam Sirleaf’s winning of the Hunger Prize despite Liberia precarious food insecurity due to the nonexistence of any significant farming activities in the country!
Where was Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s panel when a couple of weeks ago – the true leadership of Madam Sirleaf was unearthed – when she was humiliated and expelled from her own political party for engendering strife and acts unbecoming of a leader? It seems, no matter what transpires, some in the international community are hell-bent on ensuring their story-line rides into the sunset!
To Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s panel I would say you have staked the very integrity of your esteemed award on a fallen angel – for as Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf leaves office, in Liberia – there is scant electricity, unavailability of portable water, high level of insecurity, rampant corruption, unparalleled nepotism, she even publicly declared our education system a mess, a near nonexistent healthcare system, a near totally ruined national infrastructure, major capital flight due to brazen and systemic theft, a divided and broken nation – Liberians are left to wonder what real “transformative leadership” was exhibited by Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to secure this award.
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah,
[email protected]