Sirleaf: I Took Tough Decisions to Confront Corruption, Injustice in Liberia

Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf recounted her decade in office, emphasizing the tough and unpopular decisions she had to make to combat corruption and injustice. She insisted that true leadership demands courage to confront uncomfortable realities, even when it hurts those close to the leader. Sirleaf stressed that leadership should be measured by the lives transformed, not the power possessed.

She urged leaders to prioritize truth, transparency, and accountability, particularly in the age of social media and artificial intelligence. Sirleaf also praised Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo, the late Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, for using his influence to improve others' lives. She highlighted his enduring legacy through the institutions he established, the young people he educated, and his family members carrying on his vision.

Five years after Okunbo's passing, he continues to give through these means. Sirleaf emphasized the importance of empowering women, particularly in leadership roles, as building a woman builds a family, community, nation, and the world. She urged young people to develop critical "powers" such as purpose, knowledge, cooperation, truth, determination, and faith.