Monrovia, May 16 -- President Joseph Boakai's symbolic Unification Day outreach to former leaders has drawn mixed reactions - welcomed by many as a step toward reconciliation, yet critiqued as too little, too late by key national voices like Bishop Kortu Brown.

By Obediah Johnson, obediah.johnson@frontpageafricaonline.com

On May 14, President Boakai revealed he had extended goodwill messages to former presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and George Manneh Weah, along with prominent political, religious, and traditional leaders.

He said: "It was squarely within such frame of mind that I, earlier today, placed special goodwill telephone calls to former Presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and George Manneh Weah as well as eminent national leader...