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John Onoje

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John Onoje
Born(1959-04-15)15 April 1959
Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate (today in Sierra Leone)
Died14 February 2024(2024-02-14) (aged 64)
Brussels, Belgium
CitizenshipRepublic of Moldova
Alma materAnambra state University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Political partyNational Liberal Party (PNL)
MovementUnification 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][5] In 2011, he signed up to run for President in the Moldovan presidential election.[6][7][8][9] Onoje's activity has been so well publicised that a party leader, Victor Șelin, proposed the withdrawal of his Moldovan citizenship on this basis.[5][10]

Early life and immigration to Moldova

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Onoje was a naturalised Moldovan citizen with a Sierra-Leonean background;[11] 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.[6]

Political career

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On 9 December 2011, Onoje passed the medical examination to run in the Moldovan presidential election, 2011–2012.[8] 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.[9] In December 2011, Victor Șelin proposed the withdrawal of his Moldovan citizenship.[10][12] He was the owner of a company registered in Moldova, which sells newspapers.[5]

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.[13][14] 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.[15] One day later, he joined another demonstration.[16]

According to Amnesty International, Onoje was a victim of racism.[6][7][17] 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 ruling parties] brought here a Negro, who'd just climbed down from a tree, and now he's doing politics for them."[6][7]

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.[6]

Later life and death

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In 2018, Onoje emigrated to Belgium, obtaining refugee status, where he worked as a cook.[18][19]

Onoje died on 14 February 2024, in Brussels.[20]

References

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  1. ^ "Partidul National Liberal – Comunistii promoveaza rasismul, iar politia il bate pe Onoje". Pnl.md. 20 February 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Politik – Afro-moldoveanul John Onoje a devenit membru de partid. Vezi al cДѓrui". Politik.md. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  3. ^ a b "John Onoje va deveni politician cu acte în regulă". adevarul.ro. 20 December 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  4. ^ "Ziarul de Gardă | Nr. 335 (28 iulie 2011) " Oamenii cumpără ziare pentru a aprinde focul". Zdg.md. 28 July 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  5. ^ a b c "John Onoje: "Ştiu că ruşii au ocupat acest teritoriu în 1812" | Interviu". Timpul.md. 27 October 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  6. ^ a b c d e "A racist Moldova? | Amnesty's global human rights blog". Livewire.amnesty.org. 21 February 2012. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  7. ^ a b c "Moldovan Communist politician made racist statements publicly". Social.moldova.org. 20 February 2012. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  8. ^ a b "Radio Chișinău". Arena.md. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  9. ^ a b https://archive.today/20120710181548/http://bucharestherald.com/politics/34-politics/28508-african-man-runs-for-president-of-moldova-wants-unity-with-romania. Archived from the original on 10 July 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2012. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. ^ a b "Cum să devii vizibil în RM | Atitudini". Timpul.md. 22 February 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  11. ^ "Vreau sa votez". Archived from the original on 16 July 2012.
  12. ^ Ciorici, Dumitru (13 December 2011). "Șelin vrea retragerea cetățeniei moldovenești a lui John Onoje" [Șelin wants to withdraw John Onoje's Moldovan citizenship]. Unimedia (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  13. ^ Rîmbu, Ana (21 November 2011). "În ajunul vizitei lui Lavrov: Emigrantul din Africa, John Onoje protestează împotriva prezenței Armatei a 14-a". Unimedia (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  14. ^ "John Onoje s-a luat la ceartă cu poliţiştii lângă Cancelaria de Stat | Ultima oră". Timpul.md. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  15. ^ "Protest at the Russian embassy in Moldova: "Russian army go home"". Social.moldova.org. 2 January 2012. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  16. ^ "John Onoje | Cel mai bun portal din Basarabia". Archived from the original on 14 February 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  17. ^ "John Onoje îi dă bătăi de cap lui Voronin. Liderul PCRM ar putea fi cercetat penal". Publika .Md. 20 February 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  18. ^ "John Onoje se face bucătar în Belgia". 8 February 2019.
  19. ^ "(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.
  20. ^ "Activistul John Onoje a murit. Acesta a locuit în ultimii ani în Belgia". 26 June 2024.
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