Timothy Shelpidi

{{Short description|Nigerian general and diplomat (1948–2018)}}

{{Use Nigerian English|date=April 2023}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Timothy Shelpidi

| honorific_prefix = Major General

| image = Dmitry Medvedev with Timothy Shelpidi.jpg

| imagesize =

| alt =

| caption = 18 September 2008 Kremlin: Timothy Mai Shelpidi presents his letter of credentials to Dmitry Medvedev

| office = Ambassador of Nigeria to the Russian Federation

| president = Umaru Musa Yar'Adua
Goodluck Jonathan

| term_start = 18 September 2008

| term_end = 14 October 2011

| predecessor = Dan Suleiman

| successor =

| office1 = Commander, ECOMOG Peacekeeping Force, Liberia

| term_start1 = January 1998

| term_end1 = March 1999

| predecessor1 = Maj-Gen. V.S.L. Malu

| successor1 = Maj-Gen. Felix Mujakperuo

| birth_name = Timothy Mai Shelpidi

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1948|09|04|df=y}}

| birth_place = Kaltungo, Northern Region, British Nigeria (now in Gombe State, Nigeria)

| death_date = {{death date and age|2018|03|02|1948|09|04|df=y}}

| death_place = Abuja, Nigeria

| resting_place = Boh, Gombe State, Nigeria

| spouse = Ruth Shelpidi

| children =

| occupation = {{hlist|Military officer|politician|diplomat}}

| nationality = Nigerian

| alma_mater = Nigerian Defence Academy

| allegiance = {{flag|Nigeria}}

| branch = {{Army|Nigeria}}

| serviceyears = 1967–1999

| rank = 20px Major General

}}

Timothy Mai Shelpidi (4 September 1948 – 2 March 2018) was a Nigerian general and diplomat, who served as the ambassador of Nigeria to the Russian Federation from 2008 to 2011. {{cite web

| script-title=ru:Список руководителей дипломатических и консульских представительств зарубежных государств в России

| publisher = Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia)

| url = http://www.mid.ru/nsite-sv.nsf/mnsdoc/10.02.03

| accessdate = 2008-07-05 |language=ru| title =

}} A retired major general, he served as commander of the ECOMOG Peacekeeping Force in Liberia from 1998 to 1999, and was commander of the ECOMOG Peacekeeping Force in Guinea Bissau in 1997.{{cite web |last1=Umar |first1=Auwal |title=Former ECOMOG Commander, Timothy Shelpidi, buried |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/261668-former-ecomog-commander-timothy-shelpidi-buried.html?tztc=1 |website=Premium Times |access-date = 15 April 2023 |date=13 March 2018 }}

Born on 4 September 1948, He enlisted in the Nigerian Army in 1967, he started his training at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna and was commissioned a Regular Combatant Officer on 4 March 1970. Between 1990 and 1992, he was principal staff officer to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

After retirement, he went briefly into politics, contesting for the governorship of his home state of Gombe in 2003.{{Cite web|url=http://www.panapress.com/Retired-General-Shelpidi-on-life-support-machine--13-497921-18-lang2-index.html|title = PANAPRESS - PANAFRICAN News Agency - Official Web Site}} He died on 2 March 2018, at the Federal Medical Center, Abuja, after a protracted illness, and was buried on 13 March 2018, in his home town of Boh, in Shongom Local Government Area of Gombe State.{{Cite web|url=http://sunnewsonline.com/former-ecomog-commander-major-gen-shelpidi-buried-today/|title=Former ECOMOG commander Major Gen Shelpidi buried today|date=13 March 2018}}