Nigeria has lost one of its most distinguished diplomats, Professor Joy Uche Angela Ogwu, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, who passed away at the age of 79.
According to family sources, Prof. Ogwu died early on Monday, October 13, at a hospital in New York, United States, with her daughter by her side.
Born on August 22, 1946, in Delta State, Prof. Ogwu made history as the first woman to serve as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, a position she held from 2008 to 2017. She also held the office of Minister of Foreign Affairs from August 2006 to May 2007 under President Olusegun Obasanjo.
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Before entering government service, Ogwu was a distinguished academic and foreign policy expert. She began her career as a lecturer and researcher before becoming the first female Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), shaping Nigeria’s engagement with the global community through her scholarship and leadership.
A graduate of Rutgers University, New Jersey, Ogwu earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Political Science, and later obtained a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Lagos in 1977. At NIIA, she emerged as a leading voice on Nigeria’s foreign policy, disarmament, and South-South cooperation between Africa and Latin America.
Prof. Ogwu’s diplomatic career was marked by distinction and international recognition. She represented Nigeria at the United Nations, presiding over the UN Security Council twice, in July 2010 and October 2011. She also served as President of the Executive Board of UN Women and chaired the board of trustees of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).
May her soul rest in peace, Amen.