1. Benoni Wilfred Urey was born on 22 June 1957 and is an Americo-Liberian businessman and politician, who was formerly the Liberian Commissioner of Maritime Affairs.
31 Facts About Benoni Urey
1. 2.
In 2014 The Economist reported that Urey was Liberia's wealthiest man.
3.
Benoni Urey was born on 22 June 1957 at his family home in Careysburg, Montserrado County, Liberia.
4.
Benoni Urey's father was married to three women, his mother, Emma Boyce Urey, Martha Urey and Kpannah Urey.
5.
Benoni Urey's father, Daniel Urey, was an Americo-Liberian from Careysburg.
6.
Benoni Urey's father met two of his wives in Caresyburg and one in Bong County.
7.
Two of Benoni Urey's mothers were dominantly native women who never spoke English, while the other was a school teacher.
8.
Benoni Urey attended kindergarten and first grade at Careysburg Public School.
9.
Benoni Urey earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in General Science with emphasis in chemistry in 1980.
10.
At Cuttington University, Benoni Urey served as the President of The Mason Social and Athletic Club, and in his last year, President of the Senior class.
11.
Benoni Urey worked at the corporation until the war broke out.
12.
In 1990, when the Liberian Civil War broke out, Benoni Urey left Liberia and traveled to Sierra Leone and lived there for eight months and later moved to Ivory Coast.
13.
In 1994, Benoni Urey returned to Bong County, Liberia and started to work as the Managing Director at Liberia Rubber Development Corporation.
14.
Under the Interim Government of Liberia, chaired by Wilton Sankawulo, in 1995, Benoni Urey was appointed President of Agricultural Cooperative Development Bank of Liberia.
15.
When Charles Taylor came to power after winning elections in 1997, Benoni Urey was reappointed to his position as Commissioner of Maritime.
16.
Benoni Urey served as Commissioner until 2003, when Taylor resigned from office.
17.
Benoni Urey breached an earlier UN travel ban in August 2001.
18.
Benoni Urey's name was added to the US Treasury Department's Specially Designated Nationals list, prohibiting him from conducting business with US companies, citizens and residents, and blocking all US based assets.
19.
Benoni Urey has denied any involvement in the violence of the Liberian and Sierra Leone civil conflicts, maintaining that as a civilian being appointed to head the Maritime Commission, he made no war-related decisions.
20.
In December 2013, Benoni Urey was de-listed from the United Nations Sanction Lists.
21.
In 2009, Benoni Urey was elected Mayor of Careysburg City by the City Council.
22.
Benoni Urey currently owns Lonestar Communication Corporation, Liberia's largest mobile phone service provider which is partnered with the MTN Group, through his PLC Investments group.
23.
Benoni Urey has served as the Chairman of the Board since the establishment of the corporation.
24.
Benoni Urey established an agricultural farm and resort in Careysburg City, Wulki Farms I and Farmers Paradise Resort, developed on land owned by his father, Daniel Webster Benoni Urey IV.
25.
Benoni Urey owns the sixth largest rubber plantation, Wulki Farms II, located in Konola, Margibi County.
26.
Shiata FM, another station owned by Benoni Urey, was established in 2005 and is based in Careysburg City.
27.
Benoni Urey accused the Government of being involved in the burning of his stations because he was a financial supporter of the opposition party, Congress for Democratic Change.
28.
Benoni Urey began developing real estate in 1994 when he returned to Liberia.
29.
In December 2013, Benoni Urey declared his desire to run for the Presidency of Liberia in 2017, with initial speculation in Liberian media that he would do so with the Congress for Democratic Change party headed by former footballer George Weah.
30.
Benoni Urey subsequently launched the All Liberian Party in November 2015 at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Monrovia.
31.
Benoni Urey is fluent in English and his native language, Kpelle.