Liberia's newly inaugurated president, Joseph Boakai, faced a health scare during his swearing-in ceremony as he nearly fainted and had to be assisted away from the podium. The 79-year-old leader paused twice during his inauguration speech, prompting concerns about his well-being.
Surrounded by aides and members of the executive protection service, Boakai was escorted from the Capitol Building, the seat of the legislature in Monrovia, where the ceremony was being held. The incident led to the premature adjournment of the inauguration.
Boakai, who has become Liberia's oldest president, was sworn in amid ongoing rumors about his health. The president's spokesperson, Mohammed Ali, attributed the incident to the high temperature at the event. "It is the heat. The heat was high. They should have had some fan or something around there," Ali explained. He reassured the public, stating, "At his age, the exhaustion happened. But it is okay now," signaling that Boakai has recovered from the momentary health setback
