The wild world has paused. Nations are flustered. Chills have run through the spines of peoples. One who walked the world, touched almost every continent in pomp and majesty, keeping generations in awe for nine decades and six, and witnessing the rise and fall of governments and historic struggles of all kinds has given to the ghost. Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is no more. The world is mourning. Liberia is mourning. Of course, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Sirleaf, is saddened and paralyzed by the passing of a revered human being with whom she interacted on a number of occasions. Two words she used to describe her reaction to the Queen’s death: Historic and Somber. The Analyst reports.
Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf yesterday offered a tribute amid news of the death of the late Queen Elizabeth II, moments after the royal family announced the demise of the longest-serving monarch.
She died at 96 just and world leaders have been reacting with various eulogies, some highlighting her contributions to mankind and global peace and development.
The queen died “peacefully” at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, according to the British Royal Family.
She reigned for 70 years and celebrated her 96th birth anniversary last April.
In a short but profound tribute sent through her twitter handle, Africa and Liberia’s first democratically elected female president, Ellen Johnson Sirelaf said, “With profound sadness, we mark the death of H.M. Queen Elizabeth. I join world leaders in noting this historic and sombre moment. I was honored to pay a courtesy call on her in 2006.”
The meeting being referenced in the tribute is among some of the many high profile engagements Madam Sirleaf had with global leaders and royalty where she projected the image of the country that generated international interest in Liberia and facilitated the opportunities the country had in the national rebuilding process after 14 years of brutal civil war.
President Weah Registers Condolences
In a related development, The President of Liberia, H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah has expressed sadness over the passing of the United Kingdom’s longest-serving Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
The President conveyed his deepest sympathy to the governments and peoples of the UK and all nations of the commonwealth that have been immensely impacted by the Queen’s death.
President Weah described the death of the Queen as a colossal loss to the world. He said Liberia too has lost a friend, who paid a historical visit to Monrovia in 1961 during the celebration of Liberia’s independence. Her entourage at the time, which included her deceased husband Prince Phillip the Duke of Edinburgh, received a momentous welcome.
Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne in 1952 during a very turbulent period in British and world history after the death of her father King George VI. She had worked with up to 15 Prime Ministers before her death. On Tuesday she received in the audience Britain’s newest Prime Minister Liz Truss.
President Weah said he shares in the grief of the British people having spent part of his career as a professional soccer player in the country. He’s also conveyed his condolences to the Royal family, saying that he prays they find solace in the Lord.
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow,” the royal family announced in a statement posted on its official Twitter account, referring to Charles as the new King for the first time.
Global tributes
Messages of condolences started pouring in from around the world immediately after the announcement was made, underscoring the global impact the Queen had made during her 70-year reign.
Speaking outside Downing Street on Thursday, Truss said the Queen’s death was “a huge shock to the nation and to the world.”
“Queen Elizabeth II was the rock on which modern Britain was built,” the new prime minister said. “Our country has grown and flourished under her reign.”
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden wrote: “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was more than a monarch. She defined an era. In a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her. An enduring admiration for Queen Elizabeth II united people across the Commonwealth. The seven decades of her history-making reign bore witness to an age of unprecedented human advancement and the forward march of human dignity.”
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres described the Queen as a “good friend” of the UN, adding: “She was a reassuring presence throughout decades of sweeping change, including the decolonization of Africa and Asia and the evolution of the Commonwealth.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it was “with the heaviest of hearts” that Canada learned of the monarch’s passing.
President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins said the country had lost “a remarkable friend.”
“Her Majesty served the British people with exceptional dignity. Her personal commitment to her role and extraordinary sense of duty were the hallmarks of her period as Queen, which will hold a unique place in British history,” Higgins said.
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