PHOTOS: George Weah sworn in as Liberia’s president

Former international footballer George Weah has been sworn in as president of Liberia.

“I have spent many years of my life in stadiums, but today is a feeling like no other,” President Weah told crowds in the capital Monrovia.

It is Liberia’s first transition between democratically-elected leaders since 1944.

Mr Weah thanked his predecessor, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, for bringing peace to the country after years of civil war.

Tens of thousands of people attended the inauguration at the Samuel Doe Stadium in Monrovia, with many queuing for hours to enter.

Liberians cheer as they stand in line to enter the inauguration off the President-elect, George Weah, at the Samuel Kanyon Doe stadium, in Monrovia, Liberia, 22 January 2018.

President Weah took the oath of office soon after 13:00GMT in front of an estimated 35,000 people.

Liberia's new President George Weah raises his hand during the swearing-in ceremony at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Monrovia, Liberia, January 22, 2018.

Liberia's former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the new President elect George Weah are seen during his swearing-in ceremony at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Monrovia, Liberia, January 22, 2018.

Liberia’s outgoing President Sirleaf attended the ceremony. Mr Weah thanked her for “laying the foundations on which we can now stand in peace”.

Liberia's former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the new President elect George Weah speak during his swearing-in ceremony at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Monrovia, Liberia, January 22, 2018

Seven things about George Weah:

PSG George Weah (R) kicks the ball during the Champions league match Spartak Moscow - Paris-Saint-Germain, on September 28, 1994, in Moscow.

Born 1 October, 1966, grew up in a slum in Liberia’s capital
Signed by Arsene Wenger to Monaco from Cameroonian club Tonnerre Yaoundé
Made Monaco debut in 1987, went on to play for AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea
Only African to win Fifa World Player of the Year
First ran for president in 2005, losing to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Graduated with a business degree from a US university after being accused of lacking education
Elected president in December 2017

-BBC

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ABOUT: Nana Kwesi Coomson

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An Entrepreneur, Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Communications Executive and Philanthropist. Editor-in-Chief of www.233times.com. A Senior Journalist with Ghanaian Chronicle Newspaper. An alumnus of Adisadel College where he read General Arts. His first degree is in Bachelor of Arts - Political Science (major) and History (minor) from the University of Ghana. He holds MSc in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Energy with Public Relations (PR) from the Robert Gordon University in the United Kingdom. He is a 2018 Mandela Washington Fellow who studied at Clark Atlanta University in USA on the Business and Entrepreneurship track.

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