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By Stephen G. Fellajuah
PAYNESVILLE, Liberia, October 2, 2026 — Former President George Manneh Weah marked his 60th birthday by providing financial assistance to small-scale cassava and coconut vendors, saying he chose to use the occasion to support struggling Liberians amid economic hardship.
Speaking in an interview Thursday, October 1, at his Jamaica Resort in Paynesville, Weah said the initiative followed complaints from vendors who told him they sometimes spend an entire day selling cassava and coconut but return home with only US$5 or US$10.
Weah said he invited the vendors to his birthday gathering to sell their products and provided each of them with an additional US$50 in financial assistance.
“I thought that was the perfect opportunity to bring them here on my 60th birthday, this historic day,” Weah said.
The former president said the initiative was also influenced by his own experience of hardship and small-scale trading before rising to international prominence as a footballer and later entering politics.
Reflecting on his journey from Liberia to Europe and eventually the presidency, Weah said his experiences had strengthened his appreciation for God and his concern for people facing economic difficulties.
“I was born in Liberia. I went to Europe. I made it. I passed through all the difficulties, greatness. I appreciate God for that,” he said.
Weah, political leader of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), said his 60th birthday provided an opportunity to express gratitude for the opportunities and achievements of his life while extending assistance to ordinary Liberians.
He also thanked supporters and well-wishers in Liberia and abroad for their birthday messages, saying he had received numerous messages since early Thursday.
The gathering followed an earlier announcement by the CDC that Weah would not hold a conventional birthday celebration this year.
The party said Weah had instead chosen to dedicate his 60th birthday as a Day of Prayer for Liberia because of the economic difficulties facing many Liberian families.
According to the CDC, Weah believed a lavish personal celebration would not appropriately reflect the economic realities confronting many citizens.
The party said the Day of Prayer would focus on Liberia’s peace and stability, the welfare of citizens and hope for the country’s future.
Weah, who served as Liberia’s president from January 2018 to January 2024, was born on October 1, 1966, in Monrovia.
Describing his 60th birthday as a significant milestone, the former president thanked God for his journey through football, public service and politics.
He also expressed appreciation to his family, supporters and well-wishers who have stood by him over the years, describing the occasion as one of gratitude and reflection.
