Boakai Government in the Eyes of the Storm. Calls for Weah’s Return Surge By Michael Adeboboye Monrovia is in the middle of it. Eighteen months into the Boakai administration, the storm has not passed. Prices are up. Jobs are scarce. And the noise in the streets, on radio, and online is getting louder: “Weah Must Return.” The calls are no longer whispers. They are surging. And they are surging for one reason: Liberians remember action. In The Eyes of The Storm President Joseph Boakai came in with the ARREST Agenda. Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, Tourism. It is the right long-term plan. But people are living right now. A 25kg bag of rice is up nearly 20% since January. Fuel queues hit in May. Youth unemployment remains above 35%. When a mother in Duala Market, Bushrod Island cannot buy food, she is not asking for a framework. She is asking who will help today. On accountability, the US$19.2 million cocaine seizure at Roberts International Airport in January 2026 is the big test. The Ministry of Justice has named suspects and says investigations are ongoing, including possible links to public officials. That is important. But six months later, the public is waiting for trial dates and for the case to move in open court. In a matter this big, speed builds trust. Then came July 17. The “Lead or Leave” protest was peaceful, authorized by the Ministry of Justice, and protected by the LNP. That shows democracy is alive. It also shows the opposition is organized and the government is being pressed to deliver. This is the eye of the storm. Calm on the surface, pressure all around. Why The Calls For Weah Are Surging Liberians are not calling for Weah because they forgot the hard parts of governance. They are calling because they remember what worked. They remember action. Roads: Under Weah, equipment moved. Roads were cut. Communities that were cut off got access. People saw it. Youth: Stipends, sports, and direct programs. Young people felt the presidency was speaking to them and investing in them. Presence: President Weah was in the market, on the field, in the counties. When there was trouble, he showed up. When there was a need, he responded. Pride: A Liberian on the world stage. A president who made young people believe they could dream bigger. That record is why the calls are growing. Not because everything was perfect. But because things moved. Three voices are driving it. The Youth: “He invested in us directly.” The CDC Base: Still organized in all 15 counties. Pointing to a record of projects and engagement. The Everyday Liberian: Market women, drivers, teachers. They just want relief. And they link that relief to the last administration. The Contrast Boakai’s team has stabilized donor relations and budget processes. The July 17 protest ended without violence. Those matter. But calm without visible delivery feels like distance. Process without projects feels like waiting. The RIA case must now move to trial. Naming suspects was step one. The public wants step two and three in full view. On the economy, ARREST needs time. But voters do not feel they have time. They need to see and touch results now. Under Weah, even in tough times, people saw motion. A road starting. A program paying. A president in the community. That created confidence. That is the bar today. What Must Happen Now To calm the storm, the Boakai government must act with urgency. First: Take the RIA case to court publicly. Suspects are named. Investigations are ongoing. Set the date. Invite observers. Let Liberians watch justice happen. Second: Deliver two things people can feel before December. Stabilize rice in major markets. Complete one road. Pay one youth cohort. Pick it and do it. Third: Go to the people. The CDC is in the counties. Government must be there too. Town halls. Listening. Action. Presence is politics here. To those calling for Weah’s return: keep demanding delivery from whoever leads. That energy should make every government work harder. Rovingman’s Note: I have watched Liberia through three presidents. People do not vote for speeches. They vote for what they can see. George Weah’s name is surging again because Liberians remember action. Roads. Youth programs. Presence. Pride. The Boakai administration can still turn this around. But it must move from planning to doing. From statements to projects. From the office to the street. As of August 2026, the message from the streets is clear. Liberians want leadership that acts. And more and more Liberians believe that leadership looked like George Weah. In the eye of the storm, you don’t look for the best plan. You look for the captain who moves the boat. Right now, many Liberians are saying that captain is Weah
