Nine new Area Seventies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were sustained at The Church’s general conference leadership meeting, held on Thursday, April 3, 2025. These new leaders are from seven countries in Africa, their brief biographies are shown below.
Sustained during the general conference:
Jonah Akekere -Yenagoa, Nigeria
Ignatius K. Baidoo – Accra, Ghana
William G. Coleman – Cape Coast, Ghana
Freeman Dickie – Beira, Mozambique
Mathias N. Niambe – Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire
Prince S. Nyanforh – Monrovia, Liberia
Kabemba F. Nyembo – Mbuji Mayi, DRC
Akingbade A. Ojo – Ibadan, Nigeria
Mees Bulang-C Tshiband – Mwene-Ditu, DRC
Members of The Church in Africa sustaining leaders in the General Conference, April 2025.
Members of The Church in Africa sustaining leaders in the General Conference, April 2025.© 2025 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Brief biographies of the newly called leaders:
Jonah Akekere (59)
- Yenagoa, Nigeria
- Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor of Development Economics, Niger Delta University
- Currently serving as president of the Yenagoa Nigeria Stake; former branch president, and district president
- Wife: Biriyai; five children
Ignatius K. Baidoo (56)
- Accra, Ghana
- Currently serving as president of the Nigeria Benin City Mission; former high councilor; stake presidency counsellor, and stake president
- Wife: Adelaide; three children
William G. Coleman (53)
- Cape Coast, Ghana
- Registered Mortgage Engineer, ECG Ltd
- Currently serving as Sunday School president; former bishop, bishopric counsellor, high councilor, mission president, and stake president
- Wife: Philomina; one child
Freeman Dickie (42)
- Beira, Mozamabique
- Family Search Field Relation Manager; Family Search International
- Currently serving as missionary recruiting committee member of the Mozambique Coordinating Council; former bishopric counselor, district presidency, and stake president
- Wife: Sukoluhle; four children
Mathias N Niambe (43)
- Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
- Welfare and Self-Reliance Manager, Abidjan Service Center
- Currently serving as president of the Nigeria Lagos mission; former bishop, and stake presidency counselor
- Wife: Clements; three children
Prince S. Nyanforth (57)
- Monroiva, Liberia
- School Proprietor, Self Employed
- Currently serving as president of the Virginia Liberia Stake; former bishop, branch president, district president, mission presidency counselor, and stake president
- Wife: Celia; five children
Kabemba F. Nyembo (43)
- Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Professor, Official University of Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Currently serving as president of the Dibindi Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake; former district presidency counselor, stake presidency counselor, and stake president
- Wife: Kapuadi Alice; six children
Akingbade A. Ojo (55)
- Ibadan, Nigeria
- Region Director, Seminaries and Institutes
- Currently serving as pesident of the Ibadan Nigeria Stake; former bishop, branch president, district president, mission presidency counselor, and mission president
- Wife: Oludayo; three children
Mees Bulang-C. Tshiband (41)
- Mwene-Ditu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Entrepreneur, Self-Employed
- Currently serving as president of the Mwene-Ditu Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake; former district presidency counselor, and high counselor
- Wife: Nancy; four children
Released with thanks at the conference:
Christian C. Chigbundu- Lagos, Nigeria
Daniel Kabason - Accra, Ghana
S. Ephraim Msane – Johannesburg, South Africa
Area Seventies serve under the direction of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and are “especial witnesses” of Jesus Christ to the geographic areas where they are called. They are not called to full-time service and typically serve for five years. Their duties include meeting and counseling with local Church leaders to help them fulfill their responsibilities, and assisting the Twelve in “building up the church and regulating all the affairs” and “preaching and administering the gospel” in their assigned areas (Doctrine and Covenants 107:25, 34, 38).
For more information and biographies see Global Newsroom.