By Omari Jackson, Humor Columnist
Monrovia – In a now-viral social media video that has Liberians laughing harder than a Dry Season stand-up special, former President George Manneh Weah has delivered what might go down as one of the most unintentionally hilarious political confessions in Liberian history.
Standing calmly in front of a microphone, dressed as if he were about to drop an Afrobeats single rather than drop a truth bomb, the ex-footballer-turned-president stated: “I’m not a politician. The people wanted something… so they brought me on board.”
Cue the national rewind button.
Twitter (now X), Facebook, and WhatsApp groups lit up like generator lights in a blackout as Liberians attempted to unpack the meaning of “they brought me on board.” Who are they? Where is the board? And was this an Uber ride, canoe, or Noah’s Ark?
The People Wanted Something—But What?
“That line cracked me up,” said Varney Sumo, a schoolteacher in Paynesville. “It’s like someone saying, ‘I’m not a driver, but I’ve been steering the bus for six years—blame the passengers!’”
Others pointed out that Weah’s statement finally explains certain mysteries of his administration, like why potholes were treated like national landmarks, and why government ministers operated like contestants on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” (with no lifelines).
“Now I understand,” said Auntie Massa from Duala Market. “It wasn’t governance. It was group project energy! One man carrying everybody’s dream—until the grade came out.”
Political Uber Ride?
According to political analyst William Toe, the former President’s remarks represent a unique version of Liberian democracy: “It’s like someone saying, ‘I didn’t apply for the job, but HR dragged me in from the football field because y’all were crying for change.’”
Toe added, “It redefines campaign slogans. His should’ve been: *‘Vote George: You asked, I came, no questions asked.’”
Social media comedians wasted no time. One skit shows Weah being dragged onto a political ship yelling, “I just came to play ball!” while citizens shout, “No! Go sit down and balance the budget!”
Another trending meme shows a boardroom labeled “THE BOARD” with a sticky note: “George, you’re now in charge. Good luck!”
Politician by Circumstance?
This isn’t the first time Weah has hinted at an accidental political career. In the past, he said he never dreamed of politics, only football. Which might explain why some critics said his administration often treated complex national issues like a pick-up game—no referees, no formation, just vibes.
But in this latest revelation, he’s taken it up a notch by essentially saying: “Don’t blame me. I was just… here.”
One Facebook commenter summarized it best: “So George Weah is basically the friend who didn’t study, got called up to present the group work, and now says, ‘I’m not a student, I was just standing by the chalkboard!’”
Closing Credits
In the end, whether Weah was “brought on board,” “thrown in the deep end,” or simply wandered into politics like it was a halftime show*, his latest quote has earned a firm place in Liberia’s Book of Great Political Quotes—right next to “I will fix it” and “The economy is booming.”
As one witty citizen put it: “If George Weah wasn’t a politician, then the Jollof rice wasn’t cooked—just soaked in warm intentions.”
Long live the memes.
