{{Short description|Liberian politician and businessman}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = Ambassador | name = Christopher T. Minikon | honorific_suffix = | image = | image_upright = | alt = | caption = | native_name = Tugba Moseh | native_name_lang = | pronunciation = To͞o-ɡ͡ba Môs-sɛ | birth_name = Christopher Tugba Moseh (Moses) | birth_date = {{birth date|1933|5|24}} | birth_place = Grand Cess, Grand Kru County, Liberia | death_date = {{death date and age|2019|7|4|1933|5|24}} | death_place = Rockville, Maryland | death_cause = | body_discovered = | resting_place = Gate of Heaven Cemetery (Silver Spring, Maryland) | resting_place_coordinates = 39.0848306,-77.0685806 | burial_place = | burial_coordinates = | monuments = | other_names = | citizenship = Republic of Liberia | education = St. Patrick's High School (Liberia)<br />Xavier University of Louisiana<br />Marquette University<br />Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy | alma_mater = Tufts University | occupation = Diplomat, politician, Ambassador, professor, Educator | years_active = 1960–2010 | era = | employer = Republic of Liberia, United Nations, University of Liberia | organization = Knights of Saint John International, Liberia, Liberian Historical Society | known_for = Charitable Works, Service to Liberia for 50+ Years, Educational Influence, Honesty, Integrity, Social Justice | title = Honorable, Counsellor, Ambassador, professor | political_party = | movement = | opponents = | boards = | relatives = Thomas John Jackson, Urias McGill, Patrick Minikon | family = | callsign = | awards = | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> | module = | module2 = | module3 = | module4 = | module5 = | module6 = | signature = | signature_size = | signature_alt = | footnotes = }}
'''Christopher Minikon''' (May 24, 1933 – July 4, 2019) was a Liberian public servant, statesman, ambassador, professor, historian, and businessman.<ref name="Embassy of Liberia – News">{{cite web | url=http://www.liberianembassyus.org/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=99&cntnt01origid=15&cntnt01detailtemplate=newsdetail&cntnt01returnid=69 | title=Embassy of Liberia – News | access-date=October 12, 2018 | archive-date=November 23, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123154115/http://www.liberianembassyus.org/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=99&cntnt01origid=15&cntnt01detailtemplate=newsdetail&cntnt01returnid=69 | url-status=live }}</ref> Minikon served various lower-level and Cabinet-Level positions in the Liberian government in the administrations of William Tubman,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://aad.archives.gov/aad/createpdf?rid=11692&dt=2082&dl=1345 |title=Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006 - Message Text |access-date=October 12, 2018 |archive-date=November 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123112149/https://aad.archives.gov/aad/createpdf?rid=11692&dt=2082&dl=1345 |url-status=live }}</ref> William R. Tolbert, Samuel K. Doe,<ref name="A 7th Liberian is Linked to Plot">{{Cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/08/29/world/a-7th-liberian-is-linked-to-plot.html| title=A 7th Liberian is Linked to Plot| newspaper=The New York Times| date=August 29, 1984| access-date=October 12, 2018| archive-date=November 23, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123155708/https://www.nytimes.com/1984/08/29/world/a-7th-liberian-is-linked-to-plot.html| url-status=live}}</ref> Amos Sawyer, David D. Kpormakpor, Wilton G. S. Sankawulo, Ruth Perry, Charles Taylor, Moses Blah, Gyude Bryant,<ref name="theperspective.org">{{cite web | url=https://www.theperspective.org/bass_golokeh.html | title=Bryant Appoints Former Diplomat Accused of Selling Liberian Passports | access-date=October 12, 2018 | archive-date=March 13, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313113001/http://www.theperspective.org/bass_golokeh.html | url-status=live }}</ref> and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.mofa.gov.lr/public2/2press.php?news_id=189&related=7&pg=sp | title=Historical Perspective of the Gabriel Dennis Foreign Service Institute | access-date=October 12, 2018 | archive-date=November 23, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123112603/http://www.mofa.gov.lr/public2/2press.php?news_id=189&related=7&pg=sp | url-status=live }}</ref> While working various positions, he also taught classes at The University of Liberia on various subjects such as, history, diplomacy, law, and others.<ref name=":0" />
==Early life==
Christopher Tugba Moseh (Moses) Minikon was born in Grand Cess, Grand Kru County, Liberia<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last=Admin|first=Webmaster|date=July 12, 2019|title=Christopher T.M. Minikon, 1933–2019, A Tribute|url=https://www.liberianobserver.com/obituaries/christopher-t-m-minikon-1933-2019-a-tribute/|access-date=November 12, 2020|website=Liberian Observer|language=en-US|archive-date=November 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124130823/https://www.liberianobserver.com/obituaries/christopher-t-m-minikon-1933-2019-a-tribute/|url-status=live}}</ref> to the union of Beatrice T. Minikon (née: Jackson), a midwife, nurse, and teacher and Anthony Minikon Moseh, Esq. a lawyer, teacher and translator for the Catholic Church in Maryland County, Liberia. Minikon is the first of 10 children. Both of Minikon's parents are of mixed ancestry in including Congau, Fante, Kru, and subsequently African-American and European ancestries.
Minikon was raised in the Roman Catholic faith and attended a local Catholic primary school in Maryland County, Liberia.
==Education==
After attending primary and secondary school at the mission, Minikon was sent to school in the segregated United States of America. Minikon earned a Bachelor of Arts from Xavier University of Louisiana, a Master of Arts from Marquette University, a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a research degree from Tufts University.<ref name=":0"/>
==Career==
In the early 1960s, Minikon became an instructor at the University of Liberia, teaching courses in history, diplomacy, law, Latin, and others. Per the request of President William Tubman, Minikon was appointed the position of Research Officer for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the 1960s and 70s, Minikon held a number of positions such as Director of European Affairs—Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Director of International Organizations—Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 1973, he was appointed Counsellor of the United Nations Permanent Mission of Liberia, in New York City.<ref>{{cite web|last=Dunn|first=D. Elwood|date=July 12, 2019|title=A Tribute to Christropher T. M. Minikon, 1933–2019|url=https://bushchicken.com/a-tribute-to-christropher-t-m-minikon-1933-2019/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713163436/https://www.bushchicken.com/a-tribute-to-christropher-t-m-minikon-1933-2019/ |archive-date=July 13, 2019 |access-date=November 12, 2020|website=The Bush Chicken}}</ref> In 1978, he was appointed as an Ambassador to South Korea, from then on he held several Ambassador positions in South East Asia, and Europe. Minikon held positions such as an advisor in International Affairs, assistant foreign minister for Afro-Asian affairs, Foreign Minister, Chargé d’affairs for the Republic of Liberia.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/07/17/archives/nathan-barnes-liberian-envoy-chief-delegate-to-un-dies-known-for.html| title=Nathan Barnes, Liberian Envoy| newspaper=The New York Times| date=July 17, 1975| access-date=October 12, 2018| archive-date=November 23, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123201229/https://www.nytimes.com/1975/07/17/archives/nathan-barnes-liberian-envoy-chief-delegate-to-un-dies-known-for.html| url-status=live}}</ref> Minikon worked in several transitional and interim governments in Liberia.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a159331.pdf | title=Liberia - A Country Study | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722170205/https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a159331.pdf |archive-date=July 22, 2021 }}</ref> In the early 1990s, Minikon was an advisor in seven peace conferences during the First Liberian Civil War,<ref name="A 7th Liberian is Linked to Plot"/> Banjul III Agreement (1990-10-24), Bamako Ceasefire Agreement (1990-11-28), Banjul IV Agreement (1990-12-21), Lomé Agreement (1991-02-13), Yamoussoukro IV Peace Agreement (1991-10-30), Geneva Agreement 1992 (1992-04-07), Cotonou Peace Agreement (1993-07-25), Akosombo Peace Agreement (1994-09-12), Accra Agreements/Akosombo clarification agreement (1994-12-21) and the Abuja Peace Agreement (1995-08-19). He was a key player in the 1999 peace talks with Foday Sankoh during the Second Liberian Civil War,<ref name="books.google.com">{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wru9CwAAQBAJ&q=christopher+minikon+liberia&pg=PA3782 | title=The Law Reports of the Special Court for Sierra Leone: Volume III: Prosecutor v. Charles Ghankay Taylor (The Taylor Case)| isbn=9789004221680| last1=Jalloh| first1=Charles Chernor| last2=Meisenberg| first2=Simon| date=December 14, 2015| publisher=Martinus Nijhoff Publishers}}</ref> he was an advisor during the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.bushchicken.com/sirleafs-election-observation-builds-on-liberias-historic-ties-with-zimbabwe/ | title=Sirleaf's Election Observation Builds on Liberia's Historic Ties with Zimbabwe | access-date=October 12, 2018 | archive-date=October 4, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004004226/http://www.bushchicken.com/sirleafs-election-observation-builds-on-liberias-historic-ties-with-zimbabwe/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="books.google.com"/> In the early 2000s Minikon served as an advisor to UNMIL and the OAU<ref name="books.google.com"/><ref name="theperspective.org"/> He was an advocate for the Liberian people during the Liberian Civil Wars<!--intentional link to DAB page--> especially for the over 700,000 Liberian refugees in Guinea.<ref name="books.google.com"/> Ambassador Minikon passively retired in 2010. He was a prominent figure in many Liberian circles and is considered one of the finest statesmen in foreign service in Liberia.<ref name="Embassy of Liberia – News"/>
==Personal life==
A staunch Roman Catholic, Minikon was Knights of Saint John International, Liberia's first Grand President, at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Monrovia.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://ksjimgc.wordpress.com/brief-history-of-mgc-and-mgla/| title=Brief History of MGC and MGLA| date=June 24, 2012| access-date=October 12, 2018| archive-date=November 23, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123201208/https://ksjimgc.wordpress.com/brief-history-of-mgc-and-mgla/| url-status=live}}</ref> He remained a member of the fraternal organization, until his death. In 1960, he married Bernadette M. S. Minikon, a descendant Elijah Johnson through his son, Liberia’s 11th President, Hilary R. W. Johnson and she is also a part of the Roberts family of Liberia. Together, the Minikons have 7 children, 9 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.<ref name="Embassy of Liberia – News"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Minikon, Christopher}} Category:2019 deaths Category:1933 births Category:People from Grand Kru County Category:Liberian businesspeople