Mr. Watson Chelley criticizes the former president for abandoning the Doe family, questioning his loyalty to the Krahn people.
A prominent son of Grand Gedeh County, Mr. Watson Chelley, has sharply criticized former President George Weah for what he describes as years of neglect toward the family of the late President Samuel Kanyon Doe, particularly his widow, the late First Lady Nancy Doe, who recently passed away.
In a strongly worded statement, Chelley accused Weah of failing to honor the Doe family during his six-year presidency, despite the unwavering support he received from the Krahn ethnic group, Doe’s kinsmen, since his initial presidential bid in 2005.
“Following President Doe’s demise, George Weah assumed the presidency of Liberia in 2017 for a six-year term. During his tenure, he removed Doe’s son from government and did not appoint any Doe family members,” Chelley stated.
He further alleged that Weah never paid a courtesy visit to the Doe family home as a sign of respect and failed to organize an official state burial for the late president. According to Chelley, even a ruling from the ECOWAS Court mandating benefits for the Doe family was ignored by Weah’s administration.
Chelley also questioned the long-standing belief among many Krahn people that Weah was a political and symbolic son of President Doe, stating, “Krahn people in their majority started supporting Weah in 2005 up to present arguing that Weah is Doe’s son. Even today, most of them seem to believe in the myth that Weah loves the Krahn people.”
In light of the passing of former First Lady Nancy Doe, Chelley posed a critical question to the former president: “Given the prolonged hardship faced by the family, will Weah now reach out following the passing of the former First Lady?”
The late President Samuel K. Doe was Liberia’s 21st president and the first indigenous leader to assume the presidency. His legacy remains influential, particularly among people from southeastern Liberia.
