“This Child Will Be Great” is a story of every Liberian told by one Liberian who was able to survive and rise against the tide of the traditional male dominated Liberian society and become the first elected African female head of state in Liberia.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s memoirs provide a piece for every reader.  The historical perspective provides a backdrop about how Liberia was formed in a cauldron of inequities and false promises.

It also provides a biographical account of her life, and answers the question of her ethnicity.  Many political pundits on all sides debated her origins during the elections.  The memoirs spell out her roots in no uncertain terms, detailing her Gola, kru and German ancestries.

For those who lived in Liberia and around the world and had listened to BBC and other world news during those war years in Liberia, Johnson Sirleaf memoirs provide detailed accounts and fill in the gaps about the various coups, battles and purges  and her roles in each episode.

Like a cat of nine lives, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf explains how she narrowly escaped the jaws of death.  She narrates her encounters with Doe at the mansion on several occasions, her meeting with Charles Taylor in the forests of Liberia, and most importantly she tells of her low points and the regrettable utterances she made during the heat of the civil war.

The book also talks of the extent of her support for Charles Taylor, her association with Tom Woewiyu and the ACDL’s final decision to cease support for, and distance itself from the man who brought Liberia to its knees..

Politicians and student of politics will take great interest in her narration of how she campaigned and won against the fantastically popular George Weah in the elections of 2006, and her meetings with heads of states and presidents during the course of her life, and the support she galvanized from her family in Liberia and powerful people around the world.

The book is filled with surprising anecdotes and historical footnotes and even offers a hint about whether there will be a run for the presidency during the next elections or whether she will receive the prestigious Mo Ibrahim award for ex African leaders who transfer power democratically and peacefully after their terms.

And for those hoping to get a glimpse into what her policies and plans are, the last chapters offer a lot of that and more.

The book, “This Child Will Be Great” is the memoir of a remarkable life by Africa’s first woman president, published by HarperCollins and dedicated to all the people of Liberia who have suffered so much and now look forward to reclaiming the future, and in memory of Martha Cecelia Johnson, mother of Ellen who dedicated to her kids the value of hard work, honesty and humility.

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OLM RECEPTION

Arrival time  - 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. 

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It is necessary to arrive early for security screening. 
You must bring a govenrment issued ID
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Venue: Radission Hotel

             33 South 7th Street

             Mineapolis (downtown) 

Attire:  Business or African 

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