MONROVIA — Outspoken Liberian radio talk show host Henry Pedro Costa has unleashed a passionate defense of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, blasting those who compare him to former President George Manneh Weah as “committing an abomination.”
Appearing Sunday night on Spoon Talk’s “One-on-One with the CEO”, hosted by Stanton Witherspoon, Costa said any attempt to equate the leadership of Boakai with that of Weah is “insulting to national conscience,” arguing that the two men “stand on opposite sides of integrity and vision.”
“It is an abomination to even compare Joseph Boakai and George Weah,” Costa said emphatically. “One is a man of humility, experience, and service; the other turned the presidency into a playground. The difference is night and day.”
‘Boakai Is Building, Weah Was Displaying’
Costa said Liberians should be patient with Boakai’s leadership, which he described as “methodical and reform-driven,” even if progress appears slow.
“President Boakai inherited a broken system — a system of theft, waste, and incompetence,” Costa said. “He’s not going to fix it overnight. But at least he’s not looting. He’s building.”
The longtime talk show host accused the former administration of prioritizing personal luxury over public good, contrasting what he called Boakai’s “quiet work ethic” with Weah’s “celebrity-style presidency.”
“George Weah built mansions and clubs; Boakai is building systems,” Costa declared. “The man doesn’t even like noise. He’s not showing off. He’s governing.”
He added that while Weah surrounded himself with “yes-men and showmen,” Boakai prefers “technocrats and grownups who can tell him the truth.”
“People say JNB is too slow — I say he’s careful. Liberia has had enough fast talkers and smooth liars. We need steady hands, not showmen.”
Defending Boakai Amid Growing Criticism
Costa’s strong defense comes amid growing public debate over Boakai’s handling of corruption allegations, slow reforms, and controversies such as the Lofa Villas Project.
While acknowledging some communication lapses within the administration, Costa insisted that President Boakai has not been tainted by greed or self-enrichment.
“You can criticize the way some things are done, but you can’t say the man is corrupt,” Costa argued. “This is a man who lived modestly all his life. If Boakai wanted to steal, he had decades to do so. He didn’t — and that says everything.”
Costa said the current wave of criticisms against Boakai, including from opposition figures and disillusioned supporters, is part of “a deliberate effort to discredit integrity.”
“Some people are angry because Boakai won’t give them contracts or brown envelopes,” he said. “They can’t control him, so they attack him. But Liberia is bigger than their pockets.”
‘A Leader With Scars, Not Stains’
Costa described Boakai as “a leader with scars, not stains” — someone who has served Liberia long enough to understand the depth of its dysfunctions, but remains uncorrupted by power.
“This man spent 40 years serving this country,” Costa said. “He’s been Vice President, a public servant, a statesman — yet he walks with humility. You don’t see him flaunting money or dancing in nightclubs. That’s not his brand.”
He called on Liberians to separate governance style from substance, noting that Weah’s charisma and celebrity aura masked “institutional decay and mismanagement.”
“Leadership is not about how loud you speak or how big your convoy is,” Costa said. “It’s about how seriously you take your country’s future. Boakai takes Liberia seriously.”
‘The Difference Is Discipline’
Wrapping up his remarks, Costa said history will eventually vindicate Boakai’s approach to leadership, describing it as one of “discipline, sacrifice, and quiet service.” “George Weah had swagger but no substance,” Costa concluded. “Joseph Boakai has substance, not swagger — and that’s the difference Liberia needs right now.”
