Weah Tells African Lawyers: “A Tyrant With a Certificate of Return Is Still a Tyrant”

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Former Liberian President George Weah has cautioned African leaders against undermining democratic institutions, manipulating political processes, and pressuring the judiciary, warning that elected leaders who ignore constitutional checks and balances can still turn into tyrants.

Weah gave the warning on Sunday as keynote speaker at the opening of the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Speaking on the conference theme, “Beyond Limits,” the former president urged lawyers across Africa to stay vigilant in defending democracy, the rule of law, and citizens’ rights. He argued that democracy is not defined by elections alone, describing polls as merely an entry point into democratic governance rather than the substance of it.

“Democracy does not survive on the strength of elections alone. Elections are now the doorway into democracy, not the house itself,” Weah said.

He identified the gradual erosion of institutions by elected governments — through manipulated budgets and appointments, and pressure on the judiciary and legislature — as one of democracy’s greatest threats, warning that such actions weaken institutions meant to check executive power.

“A tyrant with a certificate of return is still a tyrant,” Weah declared, calling on lawyers to ensure court decisions are respected and enforced free of political interference.

Reflecting on his own political career, Weah recalled conceding Liberia’s 2023 presidential election before final results were officially announced, saying he was guided by the belief that the country’s peace and stability mattered more than his personal ambition. He served as Liberia’s president from 2018 to 2024.

Weah also urged African nations to move past the “brain drain” narrative toward what he called “brain circulation,” calling on governments to create deliberate pathways for diaspora professionals — lawyers, academics, and other experts — to contribute to institutional development back home.

He challenged lawyers to measure their careers not by cases won or titles earned, but by their willingness to speak up and act when the country needs courage.

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who declared the conference open, called on the Bar and Bench to rise above political pressure, corruption, and other obstacles to justice, stressing that judges must hold both officials and citizens accountable under the Constitution. He disclosed that his administration has appointed additional judges, established more courts, and is building a Federal High Court facility expected to be handed over before year-end. He also reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the financial and administrative autonomy of the Rivers State Judiciary.

Earlier, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, said returning the conference to Port Harcourt was a deliberate move, following its withdrawal in 2025 after the state of emergency and suspension of democratic institutions in Rivers State. “Agreement is agreement,” he said, noting the NBA had promised to return once democratic governance was restored.

Osigwe said “Beyond Limits” was a call for Nigerians, especially lawyers, to confront the nation’s challenges rather than accept limitations, lamenting that 66 years after independence, Nigeria still hasn’t fully realised the aspirations of its founders. He urged lawyers to defend the Constitution, expand access to justice, push institutional reform, strengthen national security through the rule of law, and embrace technology to improve efficiency and tackle case backlogs.

The 66th NBA Annual General Conference continues in Port Harcourt, with lawyers, judges, policymakers, and business leaders expected to discuss the future of the legal profession, justice, institutions, technology, and leadership under the theme “Beyond Limits.”