Twitter users on Monday expressed mixed feelings over the emergence of former Liberian President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, as the winner of the 2017 Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership.
NAN reports that Johnson-Sirleaf, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, won the $5m Mo Ibrahim award, designed to improve the quality of political leadership in Africa.
Jonson-Sirleaf became the first woman to win the Mo Ibrahim Prize, in recognition of her efforts to rebuild her country after two devastating civil wars.
The Ibrahim Prize is awarded to former executive head of state or government by an independent committee composed of eminent figures, including two Nobel Peace Prize laureates.
The Mo Ibrahim Prize was inaugurated in 2007.
Below are some of the tweets by the social media users:
@Omar_Ramadhan wrote: “Mo Ibrahim Foundation should stop its madness.
“You give an individual five million dollars in five years plus 200,000 dollars yearly until she dies? For what sort of magic did she do in her country?
@AICPowerAction wrote: “congratulations to ex-President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for winning the Mo Ibrahim Foundation African Leadership Price.
@gibbysaine wrote: “I learnt with great pride and sense of direction that Liberia’s ex-president has won the Mo Ibrahim Foundation prize.
“It is a five million dollar prize fulfilling certain democracy indicators.”
@Tendaijoe wrote: “the Ibrahim Prize is a US$5 million award paid over 10 yrs and US$200,000 annually for life thereafter.
NAN recalled that on six occasions, no leader was considered worthy of the prize.
The Prize recognises African leaders who, under challenging circumstances, strengthened democracy and human rights for the shared benefits of their people and paving the way for sustainable and equitable prosperity.
(NAN)
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