A former Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations (UN), Chief Arthur Christopher Mbanefo, has died.
He was 95.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday expressed deep condolences to the family, associates, and the people of Anambra State over the passing of the former envoy.
In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu described the late Mbanefo as an accounting icon, a seasoned administrator and an elder statesman whose life of service was defined by integrity, hard work and patriotism.
The late Mbanefo also served as the Pro-Chancellor of leading Nigerian universities, including the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
He was a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).
President Tinubu noted that Mbanefo distinguished himself in public service with uncommon dedication and a high sense of duty, while his contributions in the private sector helped pioneer innovations in Nigeria’s accounting, taxation and audit systems.
“Chief Mbanefo belonged to one of the finest stocks of Nigeria’s elder statesmen, whose professional excellence and ethical standards left enduring footprints in national development,” the President said.
He also commiserated with the government and people of Anambra State, urging all those mourning to take comfort in the enduring legacy of the late diplomat and technocrat, whose contributions, he said, remain indelibly etched in Nigeria’s development history.
President Tinubu prayed for the peaceful repose of Chief Mbanefo’s soul and for divine comfort for his family and loved ones.
