Quote from Ndubuisi Ekekwe on December 28, 2017, 7:12 PM

One of his generation's best footballers is President-elect of a nation. George Weah, the incomparable African football legend, has been elected the president of Liberia. The former World Footballer of the Year and the only African (by geography) to reach that personal zenith in global football was declared president-elect by the electoral commission today. His main opponent, the current Vice President, has since conceded.

Now that Mr. Weah has scored the most important goal of his life, the Liberian presidency, he has works to do. The Liberian people need to score their own collective goal: wellbeing and prosperity. It is left to Mr. Weah to build a winning team by strengthening the national offense and "defense" with a solid national economic team.

I have spent time in Liberia working with the United Nations on the Lessons Learned program. That experience taught me a lesson: Liberian along with Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Senegal have "bare-youth". Yes, young people that did not enter school for a single day until their 17th birthday because their nations were at war. Fixing that issue remains at the heart of nations like Liberia. But there is hope; Mr. Weah predecessor has done a lot to provide pathways for these young people. The president-elect should build on them.

I congratulate the master dribbler and we wish him success from Nigeria. With his star power, it will be moments in Liberia. Congratulations, the good people of Liberia.