Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has urged African leaders to place truth, accountability and public service above personal ambition, saying meaningful leadership often requires difficult and unpopular decisions.
Sirleaf spoke at the Legacy and Leadership Lecture organized to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the death of Nigerian businessman and philanthropist Idahosa Wells Okunbo.
Reflecting on her decade in office, the former Liberian leader said confronting corruption and injustice sometimes required taking decisions that upset colleagues, political allies and even people close to a leader.
She said leadership demanded courage because those entrusted with public responsibility would often face pressure to compromise.
According to Sirleaf, truth must remain the moral foundation of legitimate and transparent government.
She warned that the rapid expansion of social media and artificial intelligence had made it increasingly difficult for citizens to separate reliable information from misinformation and manipulation.
The former president urged both leaders and young people to examine information critically and remain committed to truth and accountability.
Sirleaf also reflected on Okunbo’s legacy, describing him as an example of someone who used influence and resources to create opportunities for others.
She said Africa had never suffered from a shortage of powerful people but needed more leaders who would use power to improve lives and advance society.
Sirleaf praised the Okunbo family for continuing programmes focused on education, entrepreneurship and opportunities for women and young people.
She said investments in women produced lasting benefits for families, communities and national economies.
The former president also highlighted her own work through the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Centre for Women and Development, which supports women seeking leadership positions in public service and business.
Addressing young Africans, Sirleaf identified purpose, knowledge, cooperation, truth, determination and faith as important foundations for leadership.
She advised young people not to measure achievement only through wealth, status or public recognition.
Instead, she urged them to consider the problems they could solve, the people they could help and the legacy their lives would leave behind.
