Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Becomes New President of Liberia

ELLEN JOHNSON-SIRLEAF WITH HER SUPPORTERS.

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, a Harvard-educated economist and former World Bank official who waged a fierce presidential campaign against the soccer star George Weah, emerged victorious on Friday in her quest to lead war-torn Liberia and become the first woman elected head of state in modern African history.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/12/international/africa

The good news is making headlines all over the world from the New York Times to the CNN and BBC and other news media. And Nigerian Times rejoices with Lady Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for making history as the first female head of state in modern Africa. She is the beginning of a new era in the political history of Liberia and the rest of Africa. And an example worthy of emulation. I look forward to more developments of this nature in other countries in Africa as I prayed yesterday on the Nigerian Times that God should give us a leader like Dr. Dora Nkem Akunyili to become the executive President of Nigeria one fine day just like Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has become the first female executive President of Liberia.

Liberia has indeed turned a new leaf
With the election of Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

Congratulations Lady Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
You are really the new leaf of the beginning of a new life for Liberia and we pray that all Liberians will give you their full cooperation and support to rebuild Liberia from the ruins of the political crisis and build a new Liberia that will be the pride of all Liberians and Africa.

God bless Ellen Johson-Sirleaf and God bless Liberia.
ELLEN JOHNSON-SIRLEAF

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is called the "Iron Lady of Liberia".
She was imprisoned in the 1980s for criticising the military regime of Samuel Doe and then backed Charles Taylor's rebellion before falling out with him and being charged with treason after he became president.

She twice went into exile to escape her legal problems with the governments of the day.

In 1997, she came a distant second to Mr Taylor in elections following a short-lived peace deal.

One veteran of Liberia's political scene said Mrs Johnson-Sirleaf's nickname comes from her iron will and determination.

"It would have been much easier for her to quit politics and sit at home like others have done but she has never given up," he said.

Her supporters say she has two advantages over the man she faced in the run-off - former football star George Weah - she is better educated and is a woman.