Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia, addresses the 2008 United Methodist General Conference on April 29 in Fort Worth, Texas. Sirleaf is a United Methodist and the first female head of state in Africa. As Liberians head to the polls to elect their new president, the rest of Africa is sending farewell messages to the first democratically elected African female President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, whose second term comes to an end in a week’s time. Sirleaf has been the President of Liberia since 2006 following 14 years of a deadly civil war during the reign of the now incarcerated former President Charles Taylor, who was ousted by rebels in 2003. Over the 12-year period she has been in office, the 78-year-old of head of state has received numerous accolades and condemnations in almost equal measure.

Source: GNN Liberia October 12, 2017 11:37 UTC