Tamba Boakai alias Tantan, the son of Liberian President Joseph Boakai, is accused of indulging in orgy and lavish parties in the Maldives with hired prostitutes, while Liberians continue to struggle in dire poverty. Allegations have also emerged accusing Tantan of being involved in drug trafficking, supposedly using his privileged position to distribute dangerous substances that are wreaking havoc on the lives of countless disadvantaged youth in Liberia.
Leaked social media posts and videos, verified by international news outlets, appear to show the president’s son indulging in an opulent orgy at a luxury resort in the Maldives. The footage, featuring copious amounts of champagne and private villas costing thousands of dollars per night, has ignited fury back home, where the majority of Liberians struggle to afford a single meal a day.
“While we are here suffering, the son of the man we voted for is throwing our money away on women and alcohol in the ocean,” said Emmanuel Johnson, a former Boakai supporter and unemployed graduate in Monrovia. “We voted for change, for ‘Rescue,’ but we are now drowning. They have rescued only themselves.” The lavish display is a gut-wrenching contrast to the reality for most Liberians. Since President Boakai took office, the cost of living has soared, making basic foodstuffs and fuel unaffordable for many. A recent UNICEF report highlighted a national emergency in education, with over 40% of school-aged children dropping out due to unaffordable fees. Unemployment, particularly among the youth, is rampant, and the national grid provides expensive and unreliable electricity to a fraction of the population.
Compounding the anger are grave allegations against Tantan that strike at the heart of Liberia’s most vulnerable. Multiple sources within Liberia’s security apparatus and civil society have named him as a key figure in the country’s burgeoning drug trade. He is specifically accused of using his privileged status and political connections to import and distribute a dangerous synthetic substance known locally as “Spike and Die,” a potent chemical cocktail that has led to hundreds of overdoses and fatalities among disadvantaged youth. “Tantan Boakai is not just a reckless playboy; he is allegedly a drug baron who is poisoning our future,” declared an anti drug activist. “He operates with a sense of impunity, protected by his name, while the children of the poor die in the gutters. This is the greatest betrayal.”
The lavish playboy isn’t the only one getting into trouble; his brother, Joseph Boakai Jr., is practically acting as Liberia’s unofficial prime minister. He often uses his powerful position for his own benefit. There have been numerous accusations against him for allegedly selling government jobs to the highest bidder, and he hasn’t publicly denied any of it. Right now, he’s allegedly raking in millions as a liaison officer for Bea Mountain Mining Company in Grand Cape Mount County. This company has come under fire for exploiting Liberia’s mineral resources and for using state security forces to violently suppress marginalized workers who are protesting against terrible labor conditions. On top of that, Boakai Jr. is frequently flying around the globe in private jets, often accompanied by teenage girls.
The perception of a ruling class entirely detached from the people’s suffering is further cemented by the lifestyle of President Boakai himself. Despite presiding over a nation in crisis, the President has been criticized for his use of private jets, his acquisition of a $2 million armored Lexus SUV, and the ongoing construction of a palatial $10 million mansion in his hometown of Foya, Lofa County. Critics argue that these expenditures, coming from a government pleading for international aid and implementing austerity measures, are a slap in the face to every struggling Liberian.
“The message from the Executive Mansion is clear: there is one set of rules for the Boakai family and their inner circle, and another for the rest of us,” said political analyst. “The uncontrollable corruption, the soaring crime rate, it all stems from this culture of impunity at the very top. The President flies high, his son parties in paradise, and the people they swore to serve are left to rot in the darkness.”
Attempts to get an official comment from the Presidency or Tantan Boakai were unsuccessful. A junior information ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, dismissed the allegations as “orchestrated lies by the opposition” but provided no evidence to counter the claims. As the scandal grows, the hope that once accompanied President Boakai’s election is rapidly evaporating, replaced by a bitter sense of disillusionment and a national cry for accountability that, so far, appears to be falling on deaf ears.
