MONROVIA, Liberia — Former Liberian President George Manneh Weah has marked his 60th birthday in an unusual but deeply personal way, turning the occasion into what he described as “Cassava and Coconut Day” in recognition of the women who depend on the sale of the two traditional Liberian products for their daily survival.
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Speaking to a gathering marking his birthday, Weah said the initiative was intended not simply as a celebration of his 60th birthday, but as a tribute to ordinary Liberian women, particularly mothers who spend long hours on the streets selling cassava, coconuts and other basic food items to support their families.
Weah said his decision was rooted in his own upbringing and his understanding of the struggles faced by ordinary Liberians.
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“When it was tough, we all ate it,” Weah told the gathering, referring to cassava and coconut as foods that have remained part of the Liberian diet, particularly among families with limited resources.
He said he wanted to use his birthday to recognize the women who have spent years selling these products, often under difficult conditions, to provide food and income for their families.
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According to Weah, some of the women told him that on a typical day of selling cassava and coconut on the streets, they may make only about US$10.
But he said he wanted his birthday celebration to give them something different.
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Weah announced that the women who brought cassava and coconuts to the birthday gathering would each receive US$50 before returning home.
“Today, all the women who brought cassava here on my birthday, before eating, will all carry US$50 home,” Weah said.
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The former president said the gesture was deliberately designed to make his 60th birthday different and meaningful.
Rather than focusing solely on personal celebration, he said he wanted the day to serve as a reminder of the people and experiences that shaped his life.
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Weah also connected the occasion to his roots, recalling his upbringing and the communities associated with his early life, including Sass Town and Gibraltar.
For Weah, cassava and coconut therefore represented more than food or commodities. They were symbols of his childhood, his roots and the everyday experiences of Liberians who have historically relied on small-scale trading to survive.
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The former president’s birthday gesture also placed the spotlight on a largely informal group of women whose economic contribution often goes unnoticed.
Across Liberia, women selling cassava, coconut, pepper, vegetables and other food products along roadsides and in markets constitute an important part of the informal economy. For many, the daily proceeds from these small businesses help pay for food, school fees, transportation and other household expenses.
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Weah said his intention was to use his birthday to acknowledge that contribution.
The celebration consequently became less about the former president himself and more about the women and the traditional foods he said reminded him of where he came from.
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By declaring his 60th birthday “Cassava and Coconut Day,” Weah sought to transform a personal milestone into a public expression of appreciation for Liberian women whose daily struggles and perseverance remain closely tied to the country’s informal economy.
The gesture comes as Weah continues to maintain a public presence following his departure from the presidency, using occasions such as his birthday to connect with supporters and ordinary Liberians.
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For the women who attended the celebration, however, the most immediate significance was practical: a day of selling that might normally have produced about US$10 was, through Weah’s birthday gesture, turned into a US$50 take-home contribution.
And for Weah, it was a way of remembering his roots — through the cassava and coconut that he said helped define the experiences of his generation.
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