Liberian Embassy Honors Several Personalities for Dedicated Services

As part of activities to commemorate the 167th Independence Anniversary of the Republic of Liberia on July 24, 2014, the Embassy of Liberia in the United States was pleased to honor several personalities for their invaluable services to Liberia and humanity. Those honored at the diplomatic reception held at the residence of the Ambassador in Washington, D.C., were as follows: The Very Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Wea Johnson, Sr., renowned Clergyman and Liberian Educator; the Rev. Dr. J. Edwin Lloyd, renowned veteran of the Armed Forces of Liberia and humanitarian; Ambassador-at-Large Philomena Bropleh-Mensah; retired Liberian diplomat and humanitarian; Ms. Selena Gennehma Horace-Hoffman, educator, entrepreneur, writer and humanitarian; and Mrs. Michelle H. Cruz-Valenzuela, staff of the Consulate General of Liberia in New York, NY. By directive of Her Excellency President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Rev. Dr. Johnson also was conferred upon the distinction of Knight Great Band into the Humane Order of African Redemption. Please point to photo or hoover to get description

The Very Reverend Dr. Emmanuel W. Johnson

The Very Reverend Dr. Emmanuel W. Johnson is an Episcopal Clergy and a renowned Liberian Educator.  Among other responsibilities, he transformed the Trinity Parish School to the of B.W. Harris Episcopal High School in Monrovia, where he served as Principal from 1960-1968. He also served as the first Superintendent of the Monrovia Consolidated School System from 1968-1972, and President of Cuttington College and Divinity School, now Cuttington University, from 1973-1980.An ordained Minister of the Gospel, Fr. Johnson was Dean of Trinity Cathedral, head church of the Episcopal Church of Liberia from 1980 until the outbreak of Liberia’s civil upheaval in the early 1990s. Upon matriculating to the United States, the Rev. Fr. Johnson served as Dean for Academic Affairs at Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina from 1992-2004.  Currently he is at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Ashburn Virginia where he celebrated his 90th birthday on May 24, 2014.  The Reverend Father Johnson is the founder of B.W. Harris Scout Troop, named Troop #3, as well as the Liberia Episcopal Community of the United States, (LECUSA).

The Rev. Dr. Edwin J Lloyd

Rev. Dr. J. Edwin Lloyd, Sr. is a former President of the Liberian Red Cross Society, and the first Director-General of the National Bureau of Veterans Affairs, Republic of Liberia. Dr. Lloyd is a renowned veteran of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) who served as Chaplain General, and Quarter Master General respectively, of the (AFL). An internationally acclaimed humanitarian, he remains one of Liberia’s most respected clergymen. Rev. Lloyd suffered two years of incarceration after the military coup of 1980 after which he was called to  serve as Special Representative of the International Red Cross to the famine stricken regions of Ethiopia and Sudan  from1985 to1986. There after, he was elected as President of the Liberian National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) from 1986–1990. Dr. Lloyd’s tenure as President of the Liberian National Red Cross was marked by many notable achievements including the expansion of chapters throughout Liberia, the establishment of Monrovia’s only Blood Bank, and the acquisition of ambulances. He is also recognized internationally for the recruitment of youth into the Red Cross, and his pioneering role of introducing the resolution establishing the Youth Congress of the International Red Cross in Geneva, Switzerland.During the early stage of  the Liberian civil crises in 1990, Rev. Lloyd became a leading proponent of immediate peace talks to forestall a full scale war. As the crises intensified, he managed to escape to the Ivory Coast with his family. While in the Ivory Coast, Rev. Lloyd founded the HUB Ministries International, which is credited for establishing the Union Baptist Center - the first multifaceted refugee center in the Ivory Coast offering relief services to thousands of Liberian refugees during the dark days of the Liberian Civil War. As President and Executive Director of HUB (1990–2007), Dr. Lloyd established offices across the Ivory Coast and the United States.  In August 2008 upon the special request of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, he returned to public served to serve as the first Director General of the newly established National Bureau of Veterans Affairs. He retired from public service in December 2012 to devote his service to Christian ministry and humanitarian service as Chairman of the Lloyd Foundation and the HUB Ministries.

Ambassador – At- Large Philomena Bropleh-Mensah

Ambassador Philomena Bropleh-Mensah’s contribution to the Liberian community is one that has rarely been made public. Ambassador Mensah began her philanthropic service as far back as 1979, when she along with a group of Liberian women came together and formed an organization called CONFORBELIA (an acronym for Concern for a Better Liberia).Dr. Rosalita Roberts, former Assistant Minister of Education, initiated the idea when she recognized the need for adequate learning material and facilities for Liberian students while researching for her doctoral dissertation in Liberia. Upon Dr. Roberts’ returned to the United States, she appealed to the women of New York and New Jersey to come together and help the students in Liberia. Thus CONFORBELIA was born and Ambassador Mensah was elected as the first Executive Director. During her leadership, Conforbelia donated educational materials such as textbooks and stationary to the Education Ministry for distribution to the public schools in Liberia.Because of her unflinching love for her people and most of all for her country, during formal President Charles Taylor Administration, Mrs. Mensah was appointed as Ambassador-At-Large to the Permanent Mission of Liberia to the United Nations.  Mrs Mensah attended committee meetings at the United Nations from 2005 until she retired in 2012.

SELENA G. HORACE-HOFFMAN

Mrs. Selena Gennehma Horace-Hoffman an educator, entrepreneur and a humanitarian. Among other responsibilities, she served as Director Overseas and Local Scholarship program for LAMCO Joint Venture Company, where she had the opportunity to educate many young Liberians and to advocate on behalf of the less fortunate. For example, Mrs. Horace-Hoffman led a committee that advocated for Lamco Management to improve and increase benefits for Yekepa market women and Lamco non-staff.  Because of the success of the campaign, Chief Jimmy Dahn, Dr. Varsey Sirleaf and others honored her as Honorary Paramount Chief.She is a very good friend of the Embassy of Liberia in Washington, D.C. During Liberia’s civil crises in 2000, Mrs. Horace-Hoffman assisted the staff with food and finances at the time Embassy staff struggled to make ends meet.Among her many notable acts, Mrs. Hoffman helped the Embassy in providing portable heaters when the Embassy did not have a heating system during the winter. Mrs. Hoffman provided stationaries to help keep the Embassy functional, and also painted some of the offices and the lobby to give the Embassy a facelift. As a manifestation of her effort to continue to encourage the Embassy staff, Mrs. Hoffman presented a Certificate of Appreciation to the Ambassador and Staff for their “honorable and outstanding services.” On July 26, 2006 She has donated several copies of books and reading materials to the University of Liberia. Mrs. Hoffman is an Author of a Liberian cookbook, and a humanitarian who dearly loves her country, Liberia. 

Michelle H. Cruz-Valenzuela

Michelle H. Cruz-Valenzuela served the Consulate General of Liberia in New York as a Volunteer from February to September 1999 after migrating to the United States from the Philippines. In September of 1999, when then Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Professor Monie R. Captan headed the Liberian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Mrs. Valenzuela was asked to assist with the typing of the Ministers’ speech and the travel confirmation of delegates returning to Liberia. Mrs. Valenzuela preformed with efficiency and dedication. Little did she know that the assignment was her job placement test. After Minister Captan and his delegation departed New York for Monrovia, the late Mrs. Cynthia Rose/Vice-Consul handed Mrs. Valenzuela a letter signed by Minister Captain employing her as a Receptionist/ Secretary at the Consulate General of Liberia in New York. Mrs. Valenzuela has worked under several Consul Generals and Career Diplomats at the Consulate from 1999-Present making her the longest serving Staff at the Consulate General of Liberia in New York.Mrs. Valenzuela, who was later promoted to the post of Executive Assistant, has worked under difficult conditions during Liberia’s civil crises. Because of her dedication and commitment, she was featured in the New York Post on December 7, 1999, holding a lamp while trying to locate a passport for an applicant who was travelling to Liberia.

InvestitureThe Very Rev. Dr. Emmanuel W. Johnson

One of the major highlights of the diplomatic reception was the investiture of the Rev. Dr. Emmanuel W. Johnson. By directive of Her Excellency President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Rev. Dr. Johnson also was conferred upon the distinction of Knight Great Band into the Humane Order of African Redemption. Fr. Johnson was appointed the first Superintendent of the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) by President William V.S. Tubman, and later became President of Cuttington College and Divinity School, now Cuttington University in Suacoco, Bong County.The Citation by President Sirleaf for Father Johnson also states: “Further testimony of your contributions to the Church and State were the training of Priests and Lay Persons at the Seth C. Edwards Theological Institute in Liberia; Member of the Standing Committee of the Province of West Africa for the Episcopal Church; Chaplain of the International Order of St. Luke; and most recently co-founder of the Liberian Episcopal Community in the United States.”