MONROVIA, Liberia – Former Liberian Vice President Chief Dr. Jewel Howard‑Taylor has lavished praise on Burkina Faso’s transitional leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, describing him as a source of “new hope” for the African continent and an example of how “Africa can do what we need to better the lives of its people.”
Writing on her official Facebook page on Thursday, November 27, Howard‑Taylor recounted a recent personal encounter with Traoré on the sidelines of the 14th FIED Women’s Conference in Ouagadougou, where women from more than 60 nations had gathered.
Quoting Proverbs 27:17 – “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” – she said meeting the young Burkinabè leader was one of the rare moments in her 30‑plus years of national service that “shifted” her experience and “inspired greater service.”
“The most recent one being a rare opportunity to meet President Ibrahim Traoré, the President of Burkina Faso,” she wrote. “Indeed, this is the working of Yahweh, and His favor upon my life. I remain grateful that Yahweh continues to keep me relevant in this season. Praise be to Yahweh alone!”
“He Reminded Us That the Safety, Peace and Well‑Being of Nations Depend on Women”
Howard‑Taylor said Traoré made time during the conference to meet with the delegates and deliver a message that placed women at the center of national stability and progress.
“During the FIED 14th Women’s Conference currently being held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, President Traore found time to meet with women from over 60 nations, encouraging them to rise higher and impact their world in greater ways,” she explained. “He reminded us, that the safety, peace and well‑being of nations depend on Women. What and inspiration!”
The former Liberian Vice President—herself a long‑time advocate of women’s political participation and leadership—described the encounter as both an honor and a spiritual encouragement.
“It is indeed an honor for me to have had a chance to greet President Traore and congratulate him for his awesome service to his people and the African Continent,” she wrote.
“His Actions Have Given New Hope”
Howard‑Taylor said Traoré’s approach to leadership has “reinforced the resilience” of Africans who believe the continent can solve its own problems.
“His actions have given new hope and reinforced the resilience that AFRICA CAN do what we need to better the lives of its people,” she emphasized. “It takes true love and commitment.”
She ended her post with a direct salute:
“BRAVO MR. PRESIDENT!”
A Young Leader Drawing Continental Attention
Captian Traoré, who came to power in 2022 at age 34, has rapidly become a symbolic figure for many young Africans, especially in francophone West Africa. His emphasis on reclaiming sovereignty, challenging old dependency patterns, and speaking in unapologetically pan‑African terms has drawn significant popular support at home and admiration from sections of the continent’s youth.
In Ouagadougou, the FIED Women’s Conference provided another stage for that growing reputation. By carving out time to meet participants from 60 countries and framing women’s empowerment as a security and development imperative, Traoré reinforced a message that resonates with women leaders such as Howard‑Taylor, who has long argued that Liberia’s peace and progress are inseparable from the protection and elevation of women.
Jewel Howard‑Taylor: “Iron Sharpening Iron”
In her post, Howard‑Taylor framed the encounter through the biblical image of mutual sharpening.
“As I think back on all of my 30 plus years of national service, there are a few instances which shifted my experience and inspired greater service,” she wrote. “The most recent one being a rare opportunity to meet President Ibrahim Traore.”
For the former Liberian second‑in‑command—who has served as senator, vice president, and a frontline advocate for women’s leadership—the meeting seemed to function not only as a diplomatic courtesy call, but as a moment of personal rejuvenation.
By publicly celebrating Traoré on her platform, she also added her voice to a growing continental chorus that sees the Burkinabè leader as part of a new generation of African leadership: assertive, inward‑looking, and willing to place women at the heart of national renewal.
Whether one agrees with all of his methods or not, the message from Ouagadougou—as carried by Jewel Howard‑Taylor to her Liberian audience—is clear: for many on the continent, Ibrahim Traoré is no longer just a national figure; he is becoming an African reference point.
Or, as she put it in three words that traveled widely online:
“BRAVO MR. PRESIDENT!”
