Filed in by Olando Testimony Zeongar – 0776819983/0880-361116/life2short4some@yahoo.com
Monrovia – The acclaimed British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), in its latest Focus on Africa “Resident President” podcast, has taunted Liberian President George Manneh Oppong Weah, among others slamming the former soccer icon as doing worse in the presidential seat.
Sworn into office on 22 January 2018, following a controversial election the year earlier, Weah, who inferred that being a bad public speaker, making good speeches would not be expected of him, rather, he would make good decisions, has gotten off doing just the opposite or both combined.
Close to two years in power, the former World Best footballer is struggling to find his scoring boots, as under his reign, Liberia is experiencing a dwindling economy, with excruciating hardship biting deep.
The BBC podcast, “Resident Presidents”, with a comedial flare, discussed Weah on Friday, suggesting that the retired footballer’s leadership performance is worse in comparison to former presidents Charles Taylor, an ex-warlord and war crimes convict, and Samuel Doe, a dictator assassinated on charges of corruption, nepotism and bad governance during a rebel war waged by Taylor, who himself stands accused of rampant corruption, misrule, extrajudicial killings and instilling terror during his reign.
The BBC through “Resident Presidents”, indicated that Weah is a disgrace, as far as being a good footballer transitioning to an under-performing president is concerned.
“Resident Presidents” mimicking Weah’s dreary performance which has resulted to disappointment leading to disenchantment being expressed by many Liberians, likened the former World, Europe and Africa Best Footballer’s unpalatable showing on the job in Liberia’s Executive Mansion seat onto committing fouls, deadly tackles, and hit-back, insinuating therefore, that the Liberian leader is a disgrace to the beautiful game of soccer.
Widely known in the football world as ‘King George’, a man once adored globally, who featured for esteemed clubs such as AC Milan, Paris Saint Germaine, Chelsea, Manchester City and Marseille, and the scorer of the most fabulous goal ever, against Italian side Verona F.C. in 1996, Liberia’s best player of all times, is certainly not Liberia’s best president, that’s according to the BBC.
The BBC is not definitive as to whether comparing both dictators Taylor and Doe, with Weah, that the former World Best Player is the worst of the three, but the BBC which states that the footballer turned politician is clearly not as bad as the two former presidents under whose rule Liberia underwent some turbulence as well, is fast-falling from grace to grass, stating that under ‘King George’, several Liberians are very disappointed, and their hero is now a valiant to them.
Weah, according to the BBC, seems not to be receiving his usual cheers when he used his legs back then on the pitch, as compared to using his head in the presidential seat, a situation that recently brought out thousands of Liberians in the streets in a protest dubbed “Save the State”, demanding that the president takes concrete steps against mismanagement, misappropriation and corruption that are seemingly swallowing up his administration within just close to two years of being in office.
The BBC through its “Resident President” podcast asserts that many Liberians are mostly disappointed over Weah’s administration’s handling of allegations of missing monies, especially the reported disappearance of newly printed Liberian currency amounting to 16 billion, an equivalent of US$100 million.
While the BBC is not clear as to whether Weah himself really participated in the stealing of the ‘missing’ US$100 million, it is of the belief that the president doesn’t seem to have done much to have found out who did.
Surmising the reason behind the president’s apparent lackadaisical approach to finding the real thieves that allegedly stole the ‘missing’ money, the BBC believes Weah probably thinks it does not worth bothering about.
“How much was Ronaldo sold for last year? 120 million dollars. Hazard fees could rise to 190 million. If Weah was still playing today, he would be worth 200 million. So 100 million is virtually nothing?
Howbeit, the BBC says that’s not what many Liberians think, as throngs of them stormed the streets on 7 June in Liberia largest protest ever, demanding actions from their president.
However, BBC is suggesting that by electing Weah, a former footballer, Liberians should not expect much, raising concern over why a footballer would be any better in running a country.
Coming from the world of football, the BBC wonders whether Weah has quite a good understanding of corruption, indicating that after all, the game that Weah played so wonderfully, has always been run by crooks, managed by crooks and played by crooks – “football is rife with corruption; footballers, coaches, managers, officials, even ball-boys are mascots. So what should anyone expect an ex-footballer to make a respectable president?”
To all these negatives, and lack of presidential know-how, the BBC believes it actually finds Weah rather handy in not doing better as president, adding that by the former soccer icon’s awful showing in the presidential seat, the world and Africa now know that footballers make useless presidents.
“So, hold on there George. Don’t take to the substitute bench just yet. Take your time, take extra time. Penalties may never come. As for you Liberians, next time, elect an Olympic pole-vaulting champion,” the BBC further mocked, adding that Weah has even further to fall.
Olando Testimony Zeongar is a Liberian prelate and journalist, with several years of experience in the journalism profession - one of Liberia's prolific writers, and an acclaimed poet, with the enviable record of using the pen to poetically captivate his readers.
