John Onoje Explained

John Onoje
Birth Date:15 April 1959
Birth Place:Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate (today in Sierra Leone)
Death Place:Brussels, Belgium
Citizenship:Republic of Moldova
Alma Mater:Anambra state University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Party:National Liberal Party (PNL)
Movement:Unification of Moldova and Romania
Moldovan integration in the European Union

John Onoje (15 April 1959 – 14 February 2024) was a Sierra Leonean-born activist from Chișinău, the Republic of Moldova. He was a notable activist and member of the National Liberal Party (PNL).[1] [2] [3] Onoje was a self-declared member of the Hyde Park public activism group presided by Oleg Brega.[4] In 2011, he signed up to run for President in the Moldovan presidential election.[5] [6] [7] [8] Onoje's activity has been so well publicised that a party leader, Victor Șelin, proposed the withdrawal of his Moldovan citizenship on this basis.[4] [9]

Early life and immigration to Moldova

Onoje was a naturalised Moldovan citizen with a Sierra-Leonean background;[10] he came to Moldova from Sierra Leone in 1999, to escape the civil war in his home country. In 2001, the UN Refugee Agency granted him the statute of refugee. While fighting to become a fully-fledged Moldovan, Onoje learnt the language and became a well-known face at the Chișinău open market, where he was selling newspapers. After living as a refugee for over a decade, he was granted Moldovan citizenship on 17 January 2011.

Political career

On 9 December 2011, Onoje passed the medical examination to run in the Moldovan presidential election, 2011–2012.[7] On 10 December 2011, he came at the Stephen the Great Monument to announce that he needs 15 signatures to run the 16 December elections.[8] In December 2011, Victor Șelin proposed the withdrawal of his Moldovan citizenship.[9] [11] He was the owner of a company registered in Moldova, which sells newspapers.[4]

Onoje has been a member of the National Liberal Party since 20 December 2011.[2] [3] On 21 November 2011, he protested in front of the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova in the eve of the visit of Sergey Lavrov to Chișinău.[12] [13] On 2 January 2012, Onoje protested in front of the Russian Embassy in Chișinău against the death of Vadim Pisari, denouncing the lack of an official statement from the Moldovan government on Vadim Pisari's case.[14] One day later, he joined another demonstration.[15]

According to Amnesty International, Onoje was a victim of racism.[6] [16] On 20 January 2012, they reported that Vladimir Voronin, the head of the Party of Communists made racist statements addressed to Onoje. Two days earlier, he had participated in the meeting of a group near the Triumphal Arch, Chișinău, while Voronin was addressing his supporters in the National Assembly Square. Voronin, the former President of the country said:

“They [the [[Alliance for European Integration|ruling parties]]] brought here a Negro, who'd just climbed down from a tree, and now he's doing politics for them."
On 19 January 2012, Amnesty International also reported that Onoje was beaten up in a toilet in an underpass in Chișinău near a shopping centre in broad daylight.

Later life and death

In 2018, Onoje emigrated to Belgium, obtaining refugee status, where he worked as a cook.[17] [18]

Onoje died on 14 February 2024, in Brussels.[19]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Partidul National Liberal – Comunistii promoveaza rasismul, iar politia il bate pe Onoje . Pnl.md . 20 February 2012 . 31 October 2013.
  2. Web site: Politik – Afro-moldoveanul John Onoje a devenit membru de partid. Vezi al cДѓrui . Politik.md . 31 October 2013.
  3. Web site: John Onoje va deveni politician cu acte în regulă . adevarul.ro . 20 December 2011. 31 October 2013.
  4. Web site: John Onoje: "Ştiu că ruşii au ocupat acest teritoriu în 1812" | Interviu . Timpul.md . 27 October 2013 . 31 October 2013.
  5. Web site: A racist Moldova? | Amnesty's global human rights blog . Livewire.amnesty.org . 21 February 2012 . 31 October 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104062938/http://livewire.amnesty.org/2012/02/21/a-racist-moldova/ . 4 November 2013.
  6. Web site: Moldovan Communist politician made racist statements publicly . Social.moldova.org . 20 February 2012 . 31 October 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131102080814/http://social.moldova.org/news/moldovan-communist-politician-made-racist-statements-publicly-228547-eng.html . 2 November 2013.
  7. Web site: Radio Chișinău . Arena.md . 31 October 2013 . dead . https://archive.today/20120707045823/http://arena.md/?go=news&n=9739&t=Dezam%C4%83gire_pentru_John_Onoje___risc%C4%83_s%C4%83_pice_examenul_la_cet%C4%83%C8%9Benie . 7 July 2012.
  8. Web site: http://bucharestherald.com/politics/34-politics/28508-african-man-runs-for-president-of-moldova-wants-unity-with-romania . https://archive.today/20120710181548/http://bucharestherald.com/politics/34-politics/28508-african-man-runs-for-president-of-moldova-wants-unity-with-romania . dead . 10 July 2012 . 22 February 2012 .
  9. Web site: Cum să devii vizibil în RM | Atitudini . Timpul.md . 22 February 2011 . 31 October 2013.
  10. Web site: Vreau sa votez . https://archive.today/20120716114341/http://refugiati.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53:vreau-sa-votez&catid=17:comunicate-de-presa&Itemid=7&lang=en . 16 July 2012 . dead.
  11. News: Ciorici . Dumitru . Șelin vrea retragerea cetățeniei moldovenești a lui John Onoje . Șelin wants to withdraw John Onoje's Moldovan citizenship . 3 July 2024 . Unimedia . 13 December 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120718115206/http://unimedia.md/?mod=news&id=42224 . 18 July 2012 . Romanian.
  12. News: Rîmbu . Ana . În ajunul vizitei lui Lavrov: Emigrantul din Africa, John Onoje protestează împotriva prezenței Armatei a 14-a . 3 July 2024 . Unimedia . 21 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120718105232/http://unimedia.md/?mod=news&id=41428 . 18 July 2012 . Romanian.
  13. Web site: John Onoje s-a luat la ceartă cu poliţiştii lângă Cancelaria de Stat | Ultima oră . Timpul.md . 22 November 2011. 31 October 2013.
  14. Web site: Protest at the Russian embassy in Moldova: "Russian army go home" . Social.moldova.org . 2 January 2012 . 31 October 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131102080819/http://social.moldova.org/news/protest-at-the-russian-embassy-in-moldova-russian-army-go-home-227533-eng.html . 2 November 2013 .
  15. Web site: John Onoje | Cel mai bun portal din Basarabia . 22 February 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120214024158/http://basarabia.biz/tag/john-onoje/ . 14 February 2012 .
  16. Web site: John Onoje îi dă bătăi de cap lui Voronin. Liderul PCRM ar putea fi cercetat penal . Publika .Md . 20 February 2012 . 31 October 2013.
  17. Web site: John Onoje se face bucătar în Belgia . 8 February 2019 .
  18. Web site: (video) "Am plecat de la Dodon și Plahotniuc și am cerut azil politic în Belgia". Activistul John Onoje povestește de ce a părăsit Moldova . 15 September 2018 .
  19. Web site: Activistul John Onoje a murit. Acesta a locuit în ultimii ani în Belgia . 26 June 2024 .

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