Kofi Annan: A Man who lived a full life

On Thursday, 13th day of September, the former secretary of the UN has finally been laid to rest at his home state, Ghana. The exceptional leader, Kofi Annan who has been an example of excellence died on the 18th of August,2018 at 80 years of age.

Kofi Atta Annan was a Ghanaian diplomat who was the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, from January 1997 to December 2006. In 2001, Annan and UN were the co-recipients of the Nobel peace prize. He was the founder of the Kofi Annan foundation as well as chairman of The Elders, an international organization founded by Nelson Mandela.

Kofi Annan was married previously to Titi Alakija , a Nigerian with whom he had a daughter and a son. Kofi Annan and Titi Alakija got divorced in 1983. He proceeded to marry Raoul Wallenberg in 1984. His second marriage lasted till his death.

Kofi Annan joined the United Nations in 1962, working for the World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva. He proceeded by serving in many positions at the united nation’s headquarters. He was appointed as the secretary-general on the 13th of December, 1996 by the Security Council and was later confirmed by the General Assembly making him the first office holder to be elected from the UN staff strength. He was re-elected in 2001, and was later succeeded as Secretary- General by Ban Ki- moon on the 1st of January, 2007.

Kofi Annan was laid to rest in Accra, Ghana after he had died on the morning of the 18th of August, 2018 in Bern, Switzerland after a brief illness. The body of Kofi Annan was returned to Ghana from Geneva on the 10th of September, 2018. On the 13th September 2018, a befitting state funeral for Kofi Annan was held at the Accra International Conference Centre, Ghana. The occasion was attended by leaders from various African countries as well as dignitaries from the international community. A private burial and thereafter a funeral service were held at the new Military Cemetery at Burma camp with full military honours.

The death of Kofi Annan is a great loss indeed.

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