By CECILIA OLOGUNAGBA

The United Nations has mourned the passing of Lieutenant General Chikadibia Isaac Obiakor, former UN Military Adviser for the Peacekeeping Operations and a distinguished Nigerian military officer.

UN spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, at a news briefing on Friday in New York sent condolences to his friends and family members.

Dujarric also sent condolences to the people and Government of Nigeria.

He said Obiakor served as Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in Liberia following his appointment by then Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

He went on to become the first African national to serve as the Military Adviser for peacekeeping operations at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Following his retirement from active military service, Obiakor continued to serve the United Nations, including leading Boards of Inquiry on Conflicts in South Sudan, Syria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Throughout his career, he demonstrated remarkable leadership, professionalism, and commitment in the service of international peace and security.

A statement by Air Commodore Sani Zakari Rtd said he died at an Abuja hospital on Wednesday at the age of 75.

Born on Feb. 18, 1951, in Zaria, Kaduna State, Obiakor traced his roots to Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra.

He attended the Nigerian Military School (NMS), Zaria, before joining the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in 1971 as a member of the 10th Regular Course.

His generation of officers later became influential in shaping Nigeria’s modern military leadership and peacekeeping doctrine.

Obiakor was commissioned into the Nigerian Army in 1973 and steadily rose through the ranks through discipline, operational competence, and intellectual depth.

He later attended the National War College, now National Defence College, and earned a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan.

His career reflected the blend of battlefield professionalism and academic preparation increasingly required in modern military leadership.

He held several command and staff appointments, including General Officer Commanding the 2 Mechanised Division in Ibadan before becoming Chief of Army Administration at Army Headquarters.

Military colleagues often described him as a calm but firm strategist with a strong grasp of multinational operations.

Obiakor gained international recognition during the Liberian civil conflict when he commanded the ECOMOG Artillery Brigade between 1996 and 1997. (NAN)

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