Arthur Mbanefo, former permanent representative of Nigeria to the United Nations and one of the country’s most respected public figures, has died at the age of 95.
A statement issued by Nwakibie Mbanefo on behalf of the family stated that the elder statesman passed away in December. Funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.
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Born on June 11, 1930, in Onitsha, Anambra State, Mbanefo held the traditional titles of Odu Osodi III of Onitsha and Oluwo Adimula of Ife. He built a reputation for integrity, intellectual depth, and quiet authority across diplomacy, public administration, education, and professional life.
Mbanefo was educated at St Patrick’s College, Calabar, before travelling to the United Kingdom, where he qualified as a chartered accountant in the mid 1950s. He returned to Nigeria to begin a distinguished professional career, spending his early years at Akintola Williams and Company, the country’s oldest indigenous accountancy firm. He joined the firm in 1961, rose to senior partner and served there until 1986.
He later founded a management consultancy that advised government, businesses and international institutions, reinforcing his standing as one of Nigeria’s leading financial minds. In 1978, he became president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, a period marked by institutional growth, including the completion and opening of the ICAN secretariat in 1979. He also represented the institute on the boards of the International Federation of Accountants and the International Accounting Standards Committee.
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Beyond accountancy, Mbanefo’s public service record was extensive. He chaired Nigeria’s commission on state creation and served on several national panels, including the Justice Ayo Irikefe Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the finances of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, where his analytical discipline was widely noted.
His influence in education was equally significant. He served as pro chancellor and chairman of council at three major universities: the University of Lagos from 1984 to 1986, the University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University from 1986 to 1990, and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria from 1990 to 1993. Colleagues credit him with promoting academic excellence, administrative order and ethical leadership at a time of deep challenges in Nigeria’s higher education sector.
In international diplomacy, Mbanefo represented Nigeria on the global stage when President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him permanent representative to the United Nations in 1999. At the UN, he also served as chairman of the Group of 77, the coalition of developing countries, strengthening Nigeria’s voice on issues of development, peace and global cooperation.
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In recognition of his national service, Mbanefo received several honours, including Member of the Order of the Federal Republic and Commander of the Order of the Niger. He was also decorated by Italy and Brazil, receiving the Commander of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy and the Grand Officer of the National Order of the Southern Cross of Brazil.
He remained committed to education and knowledge advancement well into his later years. In 2020, to mark his 90th birthday, he donated the Arthur Mbanefo Digital Research Centre to the University of Lagos, a project the family described as a reflection of his belief in education as a driver of national progress.
Marking his 94th birthday, Bola Tinubu, Nigeria’s president, described Mbanefo as belonging to a rare generation of leaders defined by character and service.
“He is from one of the finest stock and vintage class of Nigeria’s statesmen, set apart by integrity, hard work and patriotism,” the president said.
Mbanefo is remembered as an accountant who saw his profession as a public trust, a diplomat who elevated Nigeria’s standing abroad, and an education advocate who invested in future generations. He is survived by his children, grandchildren and extended family.
