Ex-President Defends Ebola Cremations
Monrovia, Liberia – Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, delivered a forceful and unapologetic defense of one of the most controversial decisions of her administration, the mandatory cremation of Ebola victims, arguing that the policy prevented Liberia from facing a death toll once projected to reach one million.
Speaking at the 1st African Students Leadership Forum in Thinker Village, Paynesville, Sirleaf recalled the turmoil that swept across Liberia during the 2014–2016 Ebola crisis, arguing that “painful, unpopular, but necessary actions” were required due to the suffering, fear, and quick spread of the illness.
She told the young leaders assembled in the crowded auditorium that Liberia was experiencing a state of national panic as thousands of people died adding that, if immediate action was not taken, the country would lose a million people, according to dire international reports.
Sirleaf said, “You all know how people were dying. Everyone is aware of the forecast that Liberia would lose a million people.”
The former president disclosed that her administration had “no choice but to impose strict measures” after intelligence assessments revealed that botched graves were contributing to the virus’s spread.
She claims that at one point, her administration realized that “my government had to make a decision” due to the way some persons were being buried.
Communities, religious officials, and traditional leaders denounced the cremation edict as an attack on Liberian culture, sparking national uproar. However, Sirleaf maintained that the government acted out of a need to save lives rather than out of disrespect.
“We had to be cremated. This is not our way of doing things,” was the loud objection. We don’t usually do this. “This is not our law,” she continued.
She claimed that it would have been reckless and fatal to back down in the face of strong opposition. The ex-President said, “Was I to give in to all that? No. Because if I did not give the orders for cremation, many more Liberians would have died.”
Sirleaf utilized the occasion to remind future leaders that leadership is not a popularity contest and to address national issues with courage, morality, and decisiveness. She also recognized that she made mistakes while in office and that some officials behaved unethically.
Although she declined to identify them, she said, “There are many people in my government who did certain things that went astray from the principles of the government.” She said that some were dismissed for betraying the public’s confidence.
According to her, “There were times when we had to say no, when we had to take the position away because they had violated the principles on which we stood.”
Sirleaf emphasized that leadership must be rooted in values, integrity, and the courage to make hard choices, even at the cost of public approval. “So just be the one that makes a decision that stands by what you believe in, that stands on your values, that stands on what is right,” she urged the gathering.
The 1st African Students Leadership Forum brought together students, youth leaders, academics, and policymakers to discuss governance, ethics, and youth participation in nation-building.
Reported by: Prince Saah
