Arthur Mbanefo, a former permanent representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, has died at 95.
A statement issued by Nwakibie Mbanefo on behalf of the
family said the elder statesman died in December.
Mbanefo, who holds the title of Odu-Osodi III of Onitsha and
Oluwo Adimula of Ife, was born in June 1930.
He was a renowned diplomat, administrator and widely
respected for his integrity and decades of public service in Nigeria and
abroad.
He served as the chairman of the Group of 77, a coalition of
developing countries at the UN, and also played key roles in Nigeria’s higher
education sector as pro-chancellor of the University of Lagos, the University
of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
A chartered accountant by training, Mbanefo was a former
president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a
fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
He also chaired Nigeria’s commission on state creation.
In recognition of his contributions to national development,
Mbanefo received several honours, including the Member of the Order of the
Federal Republic (MFR) and the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
He was also decorated with honours from Italy and Brazil.
Beyond public service, the family described him as a
“committed philanthropist” who invested in education and knowledge advancement.
One of his key legacies is the Arthur Mbanefo Digital
Research Centre at the University of Lagos.
The family said funeral arrangements would be announced in
due course.
Mbanefo is survived by children, grandchildren and extended
family members.
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