Retired Nigerian Army officer and former United Nations Military Adviser, Lt.-Gen. Chikadibia Isaac Obiakor, is dead.
Family sources said the retired senior military officer died on Tuesday after reportedly suffering a massive stroke on Sunday.
Obiakor was widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished peacekeeping commanders and a respected figure in international military diplomacy.
Until 2010, he served as Military Adviser and Assistant Secretary-General in the Office of Military Affairs at the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations in New York.
Born on February 18, 1951, in Zaria, Kaduna State, Obiakor hailed from Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State. He attended the Nigerian Military School, Zaria, before proceeding to the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 10th Regular Course.
He joined the Nigerian Army in 1973 and rose through the ranks to become a lieutenant-general, holding several strategic military appointments both within and outside Nigeria.
Obiakor served as Commander of the ECOMOG Artillery Brigade in Liberia between 1996 and 1997 and later coordinated Liberia’s elections under the regional peacekeeping mission.
In 2006, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed him Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), a role that further cemented his reputation in global peacekeeping operations.
He was subsequently appointed UN Military Adviser for Peacekeeping Operations, where he played a key role in coordinating military components of peacekeeping missions around the world.
Following his retirement from the Nigerian Army in 2011, Obiakor continued to contribute to international peace and conflict resolution efforts. He chaired and participated in several United Nations inquiry panels investigating conflicts and humanitarian incidents in South Sudan, Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In recognition of his contributions to peacekeeping and national service, he was honoured with the national award of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).
Tributes have continued to pour in from military officers, diplomats and associates, many of whom described him as a disciplined and detribalised officer who dedicated his life to peace, unity and international service.
He is survived by family members and associates.
