Liberia is ready for kickoff, take off if you like. The West African nation today, January 22, swears in one history maker as the other bows out.
[LIVE] Liberia's historic presidential inauguration: Weah in, Sirleaf out
George Manneh Weah will become its president – the first African footballer to achieve that feat while Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – Africa’s first democratically female president will leave office after over a decade in charge.
Weah won presidential elections last year to emerge the successor to Sirleaf beating then vice president Joseph Boakai twice in a space of three months.
In the first round of voting in October 2017, Weah came top but failed to garner the necessary votes. He went into a runoff with Boakai in December and emerged winner with over 60% of votes cast. This will be Liberia’s first democratic handover of executive power in decades.
You can follow our LIVE blog of proceedings.