WEAH BLAST: Miatta Fahnbulleh says Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s greatest legacy was “unleashing George Weah” on Liberia

Liberian music icon Miatta Fahnbulleh has sparked a conversation about leadership, politics and celebrity influence after describing former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s decision to support George Weah’s political rise as her most significant and controversial legacy.

In an interview with broadcaster Kafui Dey, the legendary singer, songwriter, composer and humanitarian reflected on her encounter with Sirleaf at the Nobel Peace Concert and shared her thoughts on the impact of Liberia’s first democratically elected female president.

Asked about Sirleaf’s lasting legacy, Fahnbulleh responded: “Her lasting legacy will be that she unleashed George Weah on us.”

Her remarks were a direct reference to Weah’s transition from international football superstar to Liberia’s president in 2018, following his victory in the presidential election.

Although she acknowledged Weah’s achievements on the football pitch, Fahnbulleh questioned whether sporting success should translate into political leadership.

“He’s a fantastic football player,” she said. “But the background that I come from, we didn’t see football players as national political leaders.”

Drawing comparisons with Ghana’s football legends, she asked: “I never heard a Ghanaian saying Abedi Pele can be president. Can you imagine? Could you have Abedi for president? He’s not a politician.”

For Fahnbulleh, professional excellence in one field does not automatically prepare someone to govern a nation.

“George Weah is an Abedi Pele,” she said, arguing that people should remain within their areas of expertise. She blamed Sirleaf for helping elevate Weah from the political margins by publicly backing him as her successor.

“Madame Sirleaf literally held up his hands as the successor,” she claimed. “There was nothing we could do.”

However, she admitted that Liberians ultimately made the final decision at the ballot box.

“But Liberia chose him. She didn’t force them to vote for him,” she acknowledged.

Fahnbulleh, who remains one of Liberia’s most respected cultural figures, gave a strong assessment of Weah’s presidency, describing it as disappointing.

“He was a disaster for the country,” she said. “Go to Liberia now, they will tell you he was a disaster.”

Despite her criticism, she said her comments were not meant as a personal attack but rather as an assessment of his preparedness for the demands of leadership.

“It’s not damning. It’s just the truth,” she said.

Fahnbulleh said she even sympathized with Weah because she believed he was not equipped for the complexities of governing.

“I know his limitations,” she said. “He had absolutely no interest in governing people. He was just happy to be president, enjoying himself, doing his dance, drinking and partying.”

She questioned whether a former footballer without political experience could effectively handle the demands of statecraft.

“This man was a football player. How do you expect him to come and read a 530-page budget?” she asked.

Comparing Liberia’s leadership journey with other African countries, Fahnbulleh said she believed experience and age could be valuable assets in governance. She expressed optimism about Liberia’s current president, Joseph Boakai, whom she described as a leader with decades of experience.

“The old man has seen all the mistakes all over Africa,” she said. “He has seen the mistakes in our own country, so he knows better. My expectations of him are very, very high.”

Reflecting on Liberia’s development under the new administration, Fahnbulleh acknowledged visible improvements in infrastructure but argued that the country’s biggest challenge goes beyond roads and buildings.

“We can build the buildings, we can build the roads, but the mind—we have not dealt with the mind,” she said.

According to the celebrated musician, changing the mindset of citizens remains one of Liberia’s most important unfinished tasks.

Miatta Fahnbulleh, often described as the “Doyen Diva” of Liberian music, has spent decades using her voice not only to preserve African music and culture but also to speak on social and political issues affecting the continent.