Ghanaians bid farewell to former UN chief, Kofi Annan

About 6000 mourners on Thursday gathered to pay their last respect to the former UN-Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in state funeral attended by African leaders and international statesmen, who hailed his record as an advocate for humanity and global peace

Annan, a Ghanaian national and Noble laureate, died in a Swiss hospital last month at the age of 80.

His body was flown to Accra on Monday for burial in his homeland, where he is seen as a national hero.

Thousands of mourners packed the auditorium for Thursday’s official service – the climax of a multi-day funeral ceremony, which has seen his coffin, draped in the Ghanaian national colours, displayed for public viewing.