As the Imo State government puts finishing touches to receive the Liberian President Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf today, there are speculations that her statute located at the Hero’s park section of the new Owerri will be unveiled.
Similar to what transpired when South African President, Jacob Zuma came visiting last month, where his statue said to worth millions of naira was unveiled, the outgoing Liberian President may have her own officially made public.
Government in a statement endorsed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Sam Onwemedo, disclosed that Sirleaf will arrive Owerri on Thursday, November 9, 2017 for a 2- day visit.
According to the statement, her coming is principally to meet with students of the Rochas Foundation College of Africa and the students from Liberia in particular whose parents died of Ebola.
However, the announcement of her coming has raised suspicion that a statue that has semblance of the Liberian President, will be officially unveiled.
Trumpeta findings revealed that as at the time the statue of Zuma was unveiled, that of Johnson was at the finishing stages and among those line up. It would be recalled that this newspaper in one of its previous editions raised awareness of the existence of other upcoming statues apart from that of Zuma.
Though, the statement of the governor’s spokesman didn’t mention unveiling of statue for Mrs. Sirleaf, but feelers have it that the visit would be a grand opportunity to honour the Liberian President with the special art work located at the Hall of Fame area on Concorde Road, Owerri.
Government said “on arrival on Thursday, Mrs. Sirleaf would be taken to the Palace of Eze Imo to be accorded the African way of receiving an august visitor like her and the Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM Eze Samuel Ohiri will be expected to decorate her with a Chieftaincy title, taking into account that she took over the leadership of Liberia soon after a bloody Civil War and she has been able to sustain the peace of that Country for ten years now”.
“The following day being Friday, November 10, 2017, Mrs. Sirleaf will then be at the Rochas Foundation College of Africa where she will meet with the Students and also specifically interact with the Liberian Students. And all these will help to instill confidence in the students and brandish a juicy future for them”.
“After her outing to the College, the Liberian President will deliver a lecture to Imo women at Imo International Convention Centre (IICC) and the topic will be “Women in Politics”, and the lecture is structured to encourage women in the State to develop interest in leadership, especially when it is recalled that Mrs. Sirleaf is the first female President in Africa”.
“Finally, she will be appreciated with Imo Merit Award and a road will also be named after her. And with all the feats she has achieved, she earns a Place in the Imo Hall of fame”.
“President of Ghana, Mr. Nana AdoAkufo and his South African Counterpart, President Jacob Zuma had earlier visited the State for the same purpose and were also honoured. Ambassadors of Nations had also come”.
