Liberia's New President Joseph Boakai

President Joseph N. BoaKai

January 22, 2024

By Theo Edwards

“Liberia exemplified the ideal functioning of democracy as a former President and the outgoing President raised hands together with the elected President in a show of unity for the country.”

— Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

The 79-year-old, who defeated George Weah in a runoff election in November, was sworn in during an outdoor ceremony in sweltering heat in the West African nation's capital, Monrovia.

The Image of the former and outgoing president raising hands with the elected president shows unity and commitment to progress.

Don in traditional Liberian attire, the new president takes office with a promise to unite and rescue Africa’s oldest republic.

In his speech, “Partisanship must give way to nationalism,” Boakai told citizens and foreign delegation members who attended his inauguration ceremony in Monrovia, Liberia’s capital. He listed improving adherence to the rule of law, fighting corruption, and renewing “the lost hope” of citizens as his priorities.

The ceremony, however, was cut short while he was delivering his inauguration speech as BoaKai began to show signs of physical distress due to the sweltering heat.

The 79-year-old since has been declared 'perfectly fine' by his doctors, his office says.

Mr. Boakai already had been sworn in as Liberia's oldest-ever president. He was delivering his inauguration speech when it became clear that he was having difficulty continuing.

Boakai has dismissed concerns about his age, arguing that it came with a wealth of experience and achievements that would benefit the country.

He was vice president under Liberia’s first female president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf from 2006 to 2018 before being beaten by George Weah in the 2017 election. 

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“PRESS RELEASE”

— UPDATED: January 25, 2024 - 1:10 PM Liberia Time

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has appointed Ms. Kula Bonah Nyei Fofana as Presidential Press Secretary.

The appointment made on Thursday, January 25th, 2024, takes immediate effect. Ms. Fofana comes to the position with deep knowledge of public relations and communication.

Ms. kULA Fofana

Kula Fofana Profile

Kula Fofana is Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at David A. Straz Technical and Vocational College of the University of Liberia and a student of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law. She currently serves as the President of People’s Foundation Africa (PFA), an organization working for marginalized and hard-to-reach communities in Liberia and across Africa.

Before co-founding the PFA, she served the Liberian government as Assistant Minister for Youth Development, Co-Chaired Liberia’s Vision 2030, and headed the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) Adolescent Girls Division. She has also consulted with several agencies of the United Nations including UNFPA and UN-Habitat, among others. For many years she worked in civil society organizations on issues related to young women and girls, youth, and vulnerable populations. Kula was a 2019 Senatorial Candidate for the Grand Cape Mount County Senatorial By-Election in Western Liberia.

She holds a Graduate Certificate in International Affairs from American University in Washington, D.C., and a BA in Mass Communications, graduating cum-laude from the African Methodist Episcopal University in Liberia.

Kula is an activist with interests in social and transitional justice, diversity, and feminism. She is also a farmer.