Today we were to show up at 7:45 at the Executive Mansion. Why? Why to meet Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and US Ambassador Greenleaf for breakfast, of course. Here’s a photo of us after the breakfast – I should have been more pushy and ask for a picture while we were with them, but I really, really didn’t want to be pushy. So you’ll have to take our word for it! Here’s the play-by-play – it was actually a pretty straightforward matter:
We were ushered to a gazebo on the grounds where we took surreptitious photos of each other. We were asked for ID and I had a panicky moment when I couldn’t find my passport (I later found it – PHWEW! – at the bottom of my laptop bag)! I gave him my Wisconsin Driver’s license instead which confused him (“Weesconsin??”), but seemed to work as they didn’t even ask to check my bag or run us through any security screening. Good thing the sinister nature of our visit only went so far as hoping for a photo! We were joined by two other folks (one is the acting Minister of Agriculture who we met Monday), and when the ambassador arrived were ushered into an upstairs room. Ambassador Greenleaf came in and she’s a Madison grad! So we talked about Madison for a bit till President Sirleaf arrived. She joined in the conversation as she went to school there as well. We talked about how cold it is, especially when you’re coming from a warmer climate like here or Louisiana, where the Ambassador is from. A mention was made of breakfast, but the President asked Mustafa, “so I hear you have an idea to share with us?”.
So Mustafa took about ten minutes to share some ideas for agriculture development in the country. Both the president and ambassador responded with questions about the details of his ideas. They were very positive about it, and asked how soon it could begin! We then went into breakfast, where I got to eat the first actual Liberian food we’ve eaten in the country [more on that separately!], and Mustafa didn’t because he was kept busy asking questions. It was a simple breakfast: boiled plantain, cassava, and eddoes, served with fish gravy, fresh fruit, and coffee (the president also had an oatmeal-looking-something – it could have been fufu) but it required a lot of complicated silverware to eat! Very fun. The discussion ended with Mustafa being asked what he would like from them! He requested a letter from the Ministry of Agriculture, and we were asked to come to the Ministry office right after breakfast to get it! (We later heard that this kind of turnaround is unheard of here – but also that the President has been pushing on the ministers to cut the red tape and get things to happen FASTER, so maybe that gave the minister something to be urgent about!) Breakfast was not extended – the president and ambassador excused themselves to touch base privately about something, so we finished up and headed out - stopping to ask permission to get a photo of ourselves there - it was granted, as long as it was pointing off to the side of the building. At least we got one legal photo!
We’ll definitely be chalking this experience up as one of those moments-in-a-lifetime experiences. Especially since Jen is a HUGE fan of President Sirleaf – I have little doubt that she’ll be killing us the moment we arrive in Minneapolis.