Bishop Fama Onema, recipient of the Distinguished Peacemaker Award - Africa on behalf of his colleagues, the United Methodist Bishops of Africa.

Fama Onema was born in Otuhi, Zaire, on January 23, 1936. Between 1945 and 1959, he had his normal education in Africa. In 1961, he was ordained deacon by Bishop Newell Booth. In 1964, Fama Onema received his B.A. from Morningside College, majoring in Philosophy and Sociology. After returning to Zaire, Fama Onema was ordained elder by Bishop John Wesley Shungu, joined the Central Zaire Annual Conference, and served as a village pastor. From 1964 to 1972 he served as statistician for the Africa Central Conference. He was active in his annual conference, serving as secretary from 1965 to 1972. He was also director of the pastors' school, director of a secondary school, and in 1969 became professor in the theological school. In September 1972, Fama Onema was elected to the episcopacy by the Africa Central Conference and assigned to the Central Zaire Area. He was moderator of the national synod for nine years and president of the executive committee of L'Eglise du Christ au Zaire (The Church of Christ in Zaire) for 12 years. He has held the position of President of Administration, Council of the Faculty of Protestant Theology, in Zaire from 1973 to the present. He is a member of the General Committee of the All Africa Conference of Churches. He lectures for many institutions and seminaries in Zaire and abroad, and travels frequently to Europe, Asia, Africa, and America.