Ijoma Robert Flemister, 32°, DCL, GC
fokpah

fokpah (fôk' pä) n. Bearer ofPoro obligations as trustee for traditional culture and keeper of historical principles of community. Obligated to judge with fairness and mercy without prejudice; to lead with benevolence and charity; to have acquired the finest things in this life only as the result of constant effort; to always be loyal to truth and respectful of duty; to be able to make great sacrifices to help others; to be loyal and respectful of high national dignity and purpose; to understand correctly under what circumstances authority ought to be exercised and where it would be profitably withheld; to universally discharge the debts of justice; and, to offer reverence for the past in maintaining landmarks as foundation for confidence in the future.

As fokpah, The Right Honorable Ijoma Robert Flemister, 32°, DCL, GC, has borne distinctions of:

Ijoma has actively sought the abolition of inhumanity to humanity as Senior Fellow and President of the Liberia Council on Foreign Relations, as well as assisting with the establishment of dignity to the Liberian people by serving as independent and non-partisan Commissioner of the Governance Reform Commission of the Republic of Liberia.

Ijoma Flemister is on leave of absence from Senior Analyst for internet, computer, and telecommunications systems development for the Department of Commerce of the Government of the State of Ohio USA, and has represented the Ohio Civil Service Employees Associationon the Commerce Quality Partners Committee, as well as on the 1994 — 1997 State of Ohio/OCSEA Contract–Article 20/Professional Issues Committee, in addition to service as Member of the Executive Board of OCSEA/ODOC Chapter 2533. Ijoma also served on the Ohio Governor's Overseas Medical Mission Task Force (Executive Order 92–177v) and was the Ohio Department of Commerce's loaned data systems support for the U. N. Summit on Trade Efficiency convened 1994 at Columbus, Ohio USA.

A charter Professional Engineer of the Liberia Engineering Society, Ijoma began his professional career as Management Analyst and Staff Assistant to the Chairman of the Board of the National Ports Authority of Liberia, and shortly thereafter, as Projects Analyst at the Liberia Bank for Development and Investment.

The 33rd National Convention of the True Whig Party of Liberia, convening at Voinjama, Lofa elected Ijoma as National Deputy General Secretary and Member of the National Executive Committee of the True Whig Party. He subsequently served as Interim National General Secretary following the death of the legendary TWP National General Secretary MacKinley DeShield. Prior to serving as the youngest ever National General Secretary of a Liberian political party, Ijoma's role on the secretariat of the TWP included service as Secretary for International Affairs & Ideology as well as Executive Director of the Consultative Committee which exercised oversight for development and management of the party's economic development program. As National General Secretary, Ijoma also sat as a statutory member of the Cabinet of the President of Liberia, for ruling-party liaison with the Office of the President.

On nomination of the Bassa Community ward of Monrovia, Montserrado, Ijoma was elected to represent District #1, Montserrado in the House of Representatives, 48^th and 49^th Legislatures of Liberia, with an agenda to utilize the talents of Liberia's "Precious Jewels", renew culture, maintain fiscal responsibility, and use modern technology. This agenda joined with the Administration of His Excellency William Tolbert in opening governance of Liberia to a host of young technocrats, specially designated by the administration as "Precious Jewels of the Republic". Ijoma's agenda also involved Liberia, in conjunction with Guinea, Nigeria, Senegal, Ziare, Angola, Ethiopia and Tunisia, with activities designed to project African art, music, literature and fashion, and to codify rules protecting and enhancing African intellectual property. Ijoma also served as a Founding Member of the Board of Directors of the Opportunities Industrialization Centers of Liberia (OIC), as well as a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Tubman School of Technology of Maryland, Liberia.

His legislative agenda additionally sought to decentralize the administration of local government and establish comparative advantage for Liberia's mineral resources such as uranium, rutile, barite, petroleum and kyanite, as well as implement, throughout Liberia, modern technology such as Rural Electrification and Rural Radio Broadcasting.

First elected to the House of Representatives at age 23, Ijoma is the youngest ever elected Legislator in the history of the Republic of Liberia. Historically, he is also the only Liberian citizen ever to serve simultaneously as a statutory officer of both the Legislative and Executive Branches of the Republic.

As a result of the Coup d'Etat against The President of the Republic, His Excellency William Richard Tolbert, Ijoma took leave of absence from political activity to focus on personal, family, cultural, religious and professional interests.

Subsequent to the Coup d'Etat against The President of the Republic, His Excellency William Richard Tolbert, Ijoma served with Information Systems at F&F Electronics of Liberia. In partnership with Wang Laboratories, data, documentation and statistics centers were established for the United States Department of State, the United Nations Development Programme, and governments of Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

Ijoma is committed to the integrity of a united Republic of Liberia. Accordingly, he participated in confidential negotiations at the 28th Summit of the Organization of African Unity held in July 1992 at Dakar, Senegal during which a foundation was laid for subsequent Liberia peace conferences. He also hosted confidential meetings between Defense officials of the warring factions and the Interim National Assembly during which side agreements to the pending Cotonou Accord were established. Under his stewardship, "good faith" rules between the Liberian warring factions and the Interim Government of National Unity were devised for the Akosombo Peace Conferences. Ijoma was subsequently designated Special Emissary to the Chair of the Council of State to assist the Chair, Her Excellency Ruth Sando Perry, in her successful efforts for "Peace Now... Peace For Liberia", as well as in conducting Special General Elections in July 1997. Said elections were to have ushered in a hopeful era with the accession of His Excellency Charles Taylor to the Presidency of Liberia.

In consideration of Liberia's civil conflict during 1988 to 2003, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the Government of Liberia and the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) and Political Parties in Liberia on August 18, 2003 in Accra, Ghana, provided for establishment of a Governance Reform Commission to serve as a vehicle for the promotion of good governance in Liberia. Under conditions of Article XVI of the CPA and on recommendation of a number of institutions and well respected individuals, during June 2004, Ijoma was considered and confirmed to service as independent and non-partisan Commissioner of the Governance Reform Commission for the honored opportunity to be engaged in efforts to rebuild Liberia's institutions of governance, to strengthen respect for the institutions of governance, and to celebrate the unique and blessed goodness available to the Liberian people and their society.

In 2004, The Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the United States of America, The Honorable Ernest Lee Flecther, commissioned Ijoma as Colonel in The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels in recognition of "... The Honorable Ijoma Flemister's strength of character, leadership and dedication to the welfare of others ..." Governor Fletcher also noted of Ijoma, "... I see in you those things that place others above self ...".

Continually affirming "Peace Now... Peace For Liberia", Ijoma bears a commitment to peace and dignity for Liberia as President and Senior Fellow of the Liberia Council on Foreign Relations in fulfilling the Council's non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental arrangement promoting the study and practice of international affairs, transparent fiscal/financial control, economic development and cultural exchange, as well as initiating collaboration among policy leaders of Liberia, the United States of America, and all other countries, in futherance of the Council's mandate to develop new generations of thinkers and leaders promoting democratic and humanitarian ideals.

Ijoma has also served as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA). and is also a Charter Incorporator and Executive Board Member of the Movement for Democratic Change in Liberia.Additionally, Ijoma has served as a Trustee of the International Visitors Council of Columbus, Ohio USA, a Gold Elephant of the Ohio Republican Party, a Director of Liberia Relief, General Secretary of the Committee to Organize the Free Democratic Party of Liberia, a Founding Trustee of the Perry Center for Peace and Stability, a Founding Director of the Liberia Finance and Investment Corporation, Grand Knight of Our Lady of the Rosary Council #4180, and Worthy Charter Patron of Columbian Martyrs Assembly .

By ordination to Holy Orders in the Catholic Church with the Franciscan fraternity of Saint Catherine of Bologna, Ijoma was permanently professed and exemplified as Yosef Yacov, Brother of Penance, to a ministry of leadership within the human community which comes through good example, faithful service, and decisive action for the sake of the Kingdom of God within the world — a leadership contributing to the improvement of the human condition and assisting in the advance of culture and civilization.

As a secular Franciscan, Brother Yosef Yacov was called to witness to the fact that the sacred is powerfully present in the world; that we are called to live lives which resonate the song of Francis and the gospel of Jesus Christ present in every aspect of modern life; and, that we are to continue, by our witness and our faith, the very incarnation of Christ in our own flesh and in our own creativity, within the ordinary circumstances of our lives.

Ijoma is now dedicated to sanctification of the name of the true, and only one, Sovereign Jehovah God. As a disciple of Christ, and one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Ijoma serves as a Regular Pioneer and Ministerial Servant of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.

Ijoma maintains, “I am blessed. Throughout my life I have experienced much, done many things, been many places, and known many people. I also have been loved, am loved, and will always be loved. I am blessed!”

Ijoma also believes “...We have a challenge — a big challenge. A challenge that calls us to be patient, helpful, kind, loving, brave and strong. But above all, a challenge which requires us to understand that there is still yet within our vision a world which is dignified and vibrant. There is a World of Fulfilled Hope under the authority of the Sovereign Jehovah God which holds forth respect for talent, effort and responsibility. There is a World of Revealed Truth subject to the command of the Sovereign Jehovah God, beckoning each of us, standing firm in recognizing fairness and equity, without regard for race, ethnicity, or creed. Jehovah’s Kingdom! That is our challenge — Jehovah’s Kingdom...”.