The Nigerian Army has joined the Anambra State Government in paying final respects to retired Lieutenant General Chikaidibia Obiakor, a soldier of considerable international standing. Obiakor held the distinction of being the first African to serve as a military adviser at the United Nations, a role that placed him in rare company among Nigerian officers. The tributes brought together military officials and state dignitaries, a level of formal honour not always extended to retired officers at their passing. His career, built across decades of service, is being remembered as one that carried Nigeria's name well beyond its borders. For the Anambra authorities, honouring a son of the state who rose to prominence on the global stage carries its own weight. The ceremonies mark the close of a life that stretched from the ranks of the Nigerian Army to the corridors of the UN. Officers past and present have been reflecting on the path he opened for African representation in senior international military roles. Further details of his burial programme were not immediately available.