Weah Vs. Trump: Who Controls Conspiracy Theories the most?

MONROVIA – It appears that the President of Liberia, President George Manneh Weah, and his former counterpart in America, Donald John Trump seem to be competing for best titles these days like crazy.

After the footballer turned President took time out to ease the stress he had faced over the last three months with the sanction against three of his strong men by the United States of America, he then found himself in New York attending the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

There, he made the case for his government and the work they have been doing for the Liberian people, he took time out to visit his home and also play with his dog, and had time to undo from a box, the most prestigious and personal best trophy of his footballing career, the Ballon d’Or.

The President had a chance to visit his people and chat with them. At a town hall with his diaspora supporters, he blew it so large that one could hear the laughter raging from the hall when he said that Monrovia or Liberia could now be compared to Miami.

The President told the friendly gathering that the level of development activities his government was undertaking was so immense that Monrovia of all cities in Africa can be compared to the seat of Miami Dade County otherwise known as the “Magic City” or the “Gateway to Latin America.” Had he considered that the feedback would be so negatively resounding, he may never have said such.

For instance, the budget of the state of Miami Dade County was US$3.4billion and the state itself has a budget of US$101.5 billion. How in the world he would even dare open his mouth to spill those comparative indexes? And after doing so, we then go begging for US$2 to US$5 million dollars to handle simple projects.

So when Siaka Sherrif, a social critic was interviewed and he said the President will not stop behaving like the former president Trump, it was out of the abundance of his heart he spoke.

For Sheriif, and many who mocked the President’s hyper-exaggeration, the President was in a total state of utopia. How can a city, despite more than 200 years, that is being considered one of the dirtiest cities in the world be compared to one of the most beautiful cities in the U.S.?

The President is credited with several statements which have come out bad for his public relation, but like President Trump, he has loyal followers, who present a cult-like posture to whatever is done or said. Their followers Praise their every action without fault.

While touching down at the RIA fresh from the UNGA, the President downplayed the skyrocketing rice price on the Liberian market and the hardship his citizens have been subjected to due to the situation.

As things stand, the price of rice has skyrocketed. A 25kg bag that was once sold for US$13 is now more than US$20. This has sent a shockwave across the country and is leading several citizens to go hungry.

For President Weah to compare Monrovia to Miami Dade County and then land at the airport and speak to the rice issue as (THEY SAY), it speaks a lot, about the level of disconnect between the President and his citizens.

Inciting and Reckless Comments

President Weah, like Trump, is noted for making reckless utterances that lead to negative consequences. In the aftermath of the U.S. election, Trump refused to accept defeat and his reckless claim that the election was rigged led to the January 6, 2021 insurrection. The results: five people died either shortly before, during, or following the event: one was shot by Capitol Police, another died of a drug overdose, and three died of natural causes. Many people were injured, including 138 police officers. Four officers who responded to the attack died by suicide within seven months.

A large trunk of the public has blamed the constant attacks- verbal and physical, on critics of the Weah Government, especially the July 26, 2022 Independence Day deadly attack on the Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) to the President’s threatening statement that “anyone who insults him will not walk free in the street.”    

During its anti-government protest, the University of Liberia-based Student Movement was viciously attacked by a pro-Weah group, the CDC-Council of Patriots. The results: Several SUP members were beaten and tortured and severely wounded. Student Christopher Walter Sisulu Sivili and his colleagues continue to bear the scars of the July 26 violence.

Weah’s reckless utterances and his blame game have led pundits and critics alike to place him alongside former U.S President Donald Trump as leaders who use conspiracy theories to gain sympathy and relevance at the expense of their citizens.