Newly elected Liberia President Joseph Nyumah Boakaï caused panic during his inauguration ceremony earlier today in the country’s capital, Monrovia.
The 79-year-old suddenly paused his maiden speech twice before remaining silent while looking downwards, attracting the immediate assistance of his aides and security who rushed to help him at the podium.
His assistants could be seen fanning him while he struggled to remain upright. Local media report that President Boakai had been reading his speech for 30 minutes in the scorching sun before allegedly being ‘exhausted’.
Boakai who defeated outgoing president George Weah in a runoff election last November took the oath of office on Monday in an outdoor ceremony graced with sweltering heat.
Some of Boakai’s opponents had raised concerns about his age and energy during election campaigns but his team rubbished the claims as ‘campaign statements’.
