The photos of George Weah’s soccer past are rapidly disappearing from the walls of his seaside villa, replaced by mementos of academic achievement and pictures of the Liberian goal-scoring great with political figures.
Weah, who won the FIFA Player of the Year award in 1995, went into politics in 2005 and ran for president of his native country that year. Although he beat 21 other candidates to win the vote in the first round, he lost to eventual Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the second round.
Many believe his lack of formal education was the reason for the defeat and Weah appears determined not to let that undermine his chances in next year’s election.
“These are ever-since pictures,” the 43-year-old Weah said in an interview in Monrovia. “I am now in my senior year and by God’s help I am graduating from college next July.”
Weah received a high school diploma in 2007 and said he has since been studying business administration at DeVry University in Miami. He denied his desire for more education was based on his hope of becoming president, insisting he wants “to improve my potential and because I think it is the right thing to do.”
Born and raised in a slum, Weah was a star striker for AC Milan and also played for Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, Chelsea and Manchester City before going into politics.
Weah’s lack of knowledge about political activities did not prevent his good showing in the 2005 presidential poll, even if he and his Congress for Democratic Change party alleged that ballot stuffing was one of the reasons he lost.
Since that loss, Weah said he feels his decision to get a higher education has prepared him for future political challenges.
“I was seeking again to go to the convention so that I can run on the people’s ticket and I have been petitioned to run,” Weah said.
“I am knowledgeable. I think I can develop this country with a good team, we can do things better than what Ellen is doing,” Weah said. “I am an honest person who wants to see the country prosper ... I want to see the people grow. The middle class that is missing in the country is what we want to bring about.”
Many Liberians support Weah’s political ambitions.
“He’s not a Harvard or Cambridge product, but at least he knows the basic things human beings need to survive. He knows that a society of hungry people is doomed,” university student James Kieh said. “And once Weah is able to put these in place, this is one of the things Liberians are yearning for.”
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