Monrovia – Students of the 2018-2019 class of the Gabriel L. Dennis Foreign Service Institute at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have elected a new student leadership to steer the affairs of that body.
Mr. Prince Kaba Momolu is the new president-elect, winning 61% of the total votes counted. He was preferred by his colleagues over two other candidates, Goanbei Emmanuel Zeyoe and Patricia Jallah-Scott.
The election, held last Friday, January 25, had its most intriguing aspect being the contest for the presidency as all other posts were won on white ballots.
“After the voting and tallying, we would like to announce Mr. Prince Kaba Momolu as the winner of the presidency,” Mr. D. Ulysses Barchue, the chairman of the FSI’s Elections Commission, told the audience.
The pronouncement of the presidential winner was preceded by an earlier announcement about the numbers of votes cast for the candidates of Treasurer, Financial Secretary, General Secretary, Angelica Shannon Perry, and Vice President, Cecelia (Celia)—all of whom won on white ballots.
Mr. Barchue lauded his colleagues for the level of collaboration that eventually led to the success of the electoral process. He also lauded his team of commissioners for ensuring the smooth manner through which the process was held.
He disclosed that the FSI’s elections were held in consultation with the National Elections Commission (NEC), which was represented by two of its elections officers. “We want to thank the NEC for its technical support to this process,” Mr. Barchue said.
The announcement of the results was graced by concession and victory speeches. The two defeated presidential candidates graciously accepted their defeat and pledged to work with the president-elect when called upon.
“In every race there has to be a winner. I want to appreciate all of my colleagues for participating in this process. I respect the decision you have made and I avail myself for the cause of this class in any way I can be a help,” Mr. Zeyoe said.
Mrs. Jallah-Scott, for her part, noted, “Democracy is about making choices and I respect and appreciate the choices you have made today. We are willing to work with the elected leadership to move our class in the right direction.”
It is no secret that the road to elections is a bumpy eye-opener and that choosing to run for office is not that easy as many would think, but according to the president-elect with the help of his colleague, he can build the tenacity and fortitude to brace the storm ahead and make the class second to none.
Mr. Momolu is aware that holding such a huge office of trust may look easy-going from the outside, but the inside is another story though it opens one’s eyes to see things in a clearer picture, both politically and socially.
“We have taken on a huge task but we are prepared to do our best to succeed. We will be calling on many of you to see how you can join us to make this process a success,” he said. He lauded his challengers for putting his feet to the fire, and also hailed his supporters for making victory a surety. “This could not have been possible without your support. I’m indeed grateful to you all,” he added.
FSI Officer-In-Charge, John Yormie, Jr. described the election as the best the institute has ever had due to its level of organization, coordinator, collaboration and the peaceful manner in which the process was conducted.
“This is the best elections we have had as an institute from what I have seen so far. I want to appreciate all of you for working in an orderly manner,” he said.
Coordinator Yormie also extended congratulatory message to the newly elected student leaders, indicating that surely, they are the new voice for their colleagues.
FSI was established in 1951, to offer a broad-based program of professional training for young entrants into the Foreign Service. As an intellectual institute for training and research, the Institute is mandated to create a program conducive for the exchange of ideas on the political underpinnings of global economic relations, cultural diversities, integration, and the issue of conflict.
Its language program contains French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish—which indicates diplomacy is borderless