Liberia: Death Rumors Target Weah, Exposing Liberia’s Deep Political Wounds
False rumors about the health of former President George M. Weah have triggered a wave of bitter political exchanges online, fueling a debate over whether Liberia’s political culture has lost its moral compass.
The latest flare-up began last week when speculation spread on social media claiming Weah had fallen seriously ill while in Rabat, Morocco, where he attended FIFA events, including the Under-17 Women’s World Cup final. The claims quickly escalated into open death wishes from some users, shocking many who argue that politics in Liberia has crossed into inhuman territory.
What might have been dismissed as typical rumor-mongering took a darker turn as posts celebrating Weah’s alleged illness circulated widely. Many Liberians, across party lines, publicly condemned the behavior, calling it a sign of how fractured the nation has become.
“It’s like we are losing our humanity to politics,” Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon wrote, expressing disbelief at the level of callousness emerging online.
The backlash grew stronger after Weah’s Chief of Staff, Lenn Eugene Nagbe, shared live videos and photos showing the former president looking healthy, greeting FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and participating in official activities. Despite the clarification, some users kept sharing altered images and conspiracy theories, claiming Weah was hiding an illness.
Liberian entertainer Gregory “Artus” Frank joined the chorus of voices urging compassion over partisanship, saying, “George Weah is sick! Joseph Boakai is sick–till we’re wishing death for either of our leaders? Politics has blinded us. Our problem is mentality.”
Even critics of Weah’s administration expressed concern. Gender advocate Vickjune Excel Wutoh wrote, “Regardless of politics, I pray you are well–for your family and for those who still look up to you.”
A Cycle of Political Cruelty
Some analysts believe the current climate reflects longstanding political hostilities rather than just spontaneous cruelty. They highlight last year’s “casket parade,” where supporters of Weah’s CDC marched with an effigy of then-candidate Joseph Boakai in a coffin, a moment many now see as a symbolic precursor to today’s rhetoric.
“This is the harvest of years of normalizing dehumanization in politics,” one political observer noted. “The cruelty has simply boomeranged.”
Weah Responds with Calm
Weah himself appeared to take the situation lightly. In a short message on WhatsApp, he wrote:
“I guess I resurrected. Glory be to our great God. Thank you, Father, for keeping me safe.”
In another message, he joked that he was simply trying to watch the match in peace and did not want people claiming “Moroccan doctors put machine in my pocket.”
The episode has reopened a painful national discussion: What kind of country are Liberians becoming?
Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Konneh, who has often criticized both Weah and Boakai, cautioned against celebrating the potential misfortune of any leader.
“For a country that killed its presidents, having former Presidents alive among us is a blessing,” he said. “Stay well, Mr. President.”
By Liberian Investigator.
