Frosty relationship between former President George Weah and his successor, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, is said to be harming and hurting the country than their legacies as statesmen who should lead by example, thrashing their differences and reconciling the nation.
The two national cornerstone of stewardship are currently at loggerheads for reasons known to the each of them since President Boakai assumed office in January.
Liberians are shocked the former and current presidents are distant from each other after warmly embracing each other on the day of inauguration, with President Boakai, in a sign of camaraderie, held up the hands of Weah and former President Sirleaf to the amazement and approbation of crowd that included former and current Presidents of Ghana.
With no signs of the two leaders making efforts to return to status quo, coming together as leaders of a country that needs guidance, former Auditor General John S. Morlu has weighed in on the matter, saying the country is in serious peril as a result of the bad blood between the two leaders.
Morlu, a staunch supporter of President Boakai who helped to raise funds for his near-collapsed campaign during the elections, believes the country is in trouble, not at peace, and the political economy is in shambles.
According to him, the gloomy state of affairs necessitated by the rancor between President Boakai and former President Weah is having far-reaching effects in terms of what he called "The political risks associated with doing business in Liberia are off the charts," quoting British and American companies that specialize in political risk analysis for multinational corporations.
Morlu said the Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal's economic freedom indices have ranked Liberia as a high-risk, economically oppressive environment, a place where private direct foreign investment dares not venture.
Inspite of the alarming precarious situation confronting the country, he quoted the indices as saying that Liberia's opposition is strong--commanding nearly 50% of the population.
"This reality places CDC's George Weah in a precarious position as the most critical custodian of our nation's peace and security. His actions will either stabilize or destabilize Liberia," Morlu stated in relation to the Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal Economic Freedom Indices.
It is against this backdrop he said it was "utterly foolish" for the government to have denied the former President access to a simple presidential VIP lounge.
Morlu, President Boakai's cousin from Lofa as well emphasized: "Joseph Boakai needs Weah--not just for peace, but also in the fight against corruption. You may get angry with me, but this is the hard truth. Ignore this reality at your peril."
According to him, the President is aware that he is right, noting "After all, it was me he turned to when his presidential bid came down to a margin of less than 1% between him and Weah."
He referred Liberians to verify his assertion with those who associated with the campaign, like Mamaka Bility, James Fromoyan, Amara Konneh, and others.
Whether fanatics of the President attack him for speaking out on a very serious matter affecting the health and sanctity of the country, it is up to them, but stressed that "No serious investor will come to Liberia if Weah feels threatened."
Morlu further stated: "Yet, Liberians are spectacularly missing the point. While the political circus and courtroom dramas between UP and CDC rage on, the real crisis--the crippling lack of jobs--remains conveniently ignored. Jobs, which bring dignity and peace, are nowhere to be found. Instead, we've perfected the art of pretending that stability exists in a jobless nation. And let's not forget, corruption is the true architect of our misery."
More to that, Morlu is of the conviction that President Boakai's legacy is on the line, stating that it won't be built on diplomatic photo ops or globe-trotting to the White House, Beijing, or Brussels, referring to the diplomatic shuttles he is making to revive the economy and create job opportunities for Liberians.
"No, my friends, only a fierce battle against corruption will pave the way for jobs and, ultimately, peace. Corruption doesn't just deter private investment; it sends genuine investors fleeing for the hills," he insisted.
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He reminded his Uncle, President Boakai to recollect Sirleaf's legacy as someone who "ushered in $16 billion in shady investments, while Weah, in a masterstroke of inactivity, brought in nothing."
In his calculation considering the trends of events, President Boakai is poised to do even worse unless he ditches the blame game and rolls up his sleeves to tackle corruption head-on.
Morlu also reminded President Boakai and his officials that the petty skirmishes with Weah and the CDC are a recipe for disaster.
The former Auditor General, who remains famous with Liberians because of his straightforwardness on national issues, mainly his anti-corruption stance, advised that President Boakai and former President Weah should sit down together and sign an anti-corruption communique, holding everyone accountable, starting with their own cronies.
He added "Boakai could make a grand start by addressing the NASSCORP scandals, like Grisby's vehicle purchases and the Yellow machines fiasco, before taking aim at Weah's allies."
Morlu also urged the President to wake up from his slumber because Liberia is tethering on the brink of collapse and chaos.
