Gracia Jonas Maforikan, 1963 - 2011
Gracia Jonas Maforikan, a national of Benin, was an Electoral Officer serving the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). He was 48 years old.
He died on 4 April 2011 aboard a UN plane which had been on a flight from the north-eastern city of Kisangani. The plane crashed as it tried to land amid heavy rain and high winds, at N’Djili airport in Kinshasa (DRC).
He was in charge of media and information within the Electoral Division of MONUSCO. He joined the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) in April 2003. Prior to that, he was a journalist at Channel 2 television in Liberia.
As described by those who knew him, Gracia was rigorous and diplomatic.
He is survived by his wife and three children.
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The above tribute was first published on iSeek (the UN's Intranet) using information provided by field missions, the Departments of Peacekeeping and Field Support and OHRM, as well as comments shared by colleagues in conversations, email messages, and media accounts.