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President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
President of Liberia
 In
October 29, 1938 a baby girl was born in Monrovia, the
capital of Liberia. She was named Ellen Johnson.
Liberians had no clue that the First female president of an
African country had been born into their mist. Ellen
Johnson-Sirleaf is a daughter to descendents of original
colonists of Liberia (ex-African slaves from America, who
promptly on arrival set about enslaving the indigenous
people using the social system of their old American masters
as a basis for their new society). These descendents are
known in Liberia as Americo-Liberians.
Causes of Liberia's Civil Conflict:
The social inequalities between indigenous Liberians and the
Americo-Liberians has lead to much of the political and
social strife in the country, as leadership bounced between
dictators representing opposing groups (Samuel Doe replacing
William Tolbert, Charles Taylor replacing Samuel Doe). Ellen
Johnson-Sirleaf rejects the suggestion that she is one of
the elite: "If such a class existed, it has been obliterated
over the last few years from intermarriages and social
integration."
Gaining an Education:
From 1948 to 55 Ellen Johnson studied accounts and economics
at the College of West Africa in Monrovia. After marriage at
the age of 17 to James Sirleaf, she travelled to America (in
1961) and continued her studies, achieving a degree from the
University of Colorado. From 1969 to 71 she read economics
at Harvard, gaining a masters degree in public
administration. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf then returned to
Liberia and began working in William Tolbert's (True Whig
Party) government.
A Start in Politics:
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf served as Minister of Finance from
1972 to 73, but left after a disagreement over public
spending. As the 70s progressed, life under Liberia's
one-party state became more polarised - to the benefit of
the Americo-Liberian elite. On 12 April 1980 Master Sergeant
Samuel Kayon Doe, a member of the indigenous Krahn ethnic
group, seized power in a military coup and President William
Tolbert was executed along with several members of his
cabinet by firing squad.
Life under Samuel Doe:
With the People's Redemption Council now in power, Samuel
Doe began a purge of government. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
narrowly escaped - choosing exile in Kenya. From 1983 to 85
she served as Director of Citibank in Nairobi, but when
Samuel Doe declared himself president of the Republic in
1984 and unbanned political parties, she decided to return.
During the 1985 elections Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf campaigned
against Doe, and was placed under house arrest.
An Economist's Life in Exile:
Sentenced to ten years in prison, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
spent just a short time incarcerated, before being allowed
to leave the country once again as an exile. During the
1980s she served as Vice President of both the African
Regional Office of Citibank, in Nairobi, and of (HSCB)
Equator Bank, in Washington. Back in Liberia civil unrest
erupted once more. On 9 September 1990, Samuel Doe was
killed by a splinter group from Charles Taylor's National
Patriotic Front of Liberia.
A New Regime:
From 1992 to 97 Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf worked as Assistant
Administrator, and then Director, of the UN Development
Program Regional Bureau for Africa (essentially an Assistant
Secretary-General of the UN). Meanwhile in Liberia an
interim government was put in power, lead by a succession of
four un-elected officials (the last of whom, Ruth Sando
Perry, was Africa's first female leader). By 1996 the
presence of West African peacekeepers created a lull in the
civil war, and elections were held.
A First Attempt at the Presidency:
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf returned to Liberia in 1997 to contest
the election. She came second to Charles Taylor (gaining 10%
of the vote compared to his 75%) out of a field of 14
candidates. The election was declared free and fair by
international observers. (Johnson-Sirleaf campaigned against
Taylor and was charged with treason.) By 1999 civil war had
returned to Liberia, and Taylor was accused of interfering
with his neighbours, fomenting unrest and rebellion.
A New Hope from Liberia:
On 11 August 2003, after much persuasion, Charles Taylor
handed power over to his deputy Moses Blah. The new interim
government and rebel groups signed an historic peace accord
and set about installing a new head of state. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
was proposed as a possible candidate, but in the end the
diverse groups selected Charles Gyude Bryant, a political
neutral. Johnson-Sirleaf served as head of the Governance
Reform Commission.
Liberia's 2005 Election:
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf played an active role in the
transitional government as the country prepared for the 2005
elections, and eventually stood for president against her
rival the ex-international footballer, George Manneh Weah.
Despite the elections being called fair and orderly, Weah
repudiated the result, which gave a majority to Johnson-Sirleaf,
and the announcement of Liberia's new president was
postponed, pending an investigation.
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, divorced mother of four boys and
grandmother to six children may be Liberia's first elected
female president, as well as the first elected female leader
on the continent.
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