Nigeria’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs and celebrated diplomat, Professor Joy Uche Angela Ogwu, has passed away at the age of 79.
Family sources confirmed that Prof. Ogwu died early Monday at a hospital in New York, United States, with her daughter by her side, according to a report by The New Diplomat.
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.
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).
Beyond her official roles, she was a staunch advocate for women’s empowerment, human rights, and education. She contributed to UNESCO-funded programs promoting human rights education in Nigerian schools and served on the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters.
A prolific scholar, Prof. Ogwu authored influential works including Nigerian Foreign Policy: Alternative Futures (1986) and published extensively on global security, diplomacy, and Nigeria’s role on the international stage.
Former Presidential candidate, Peter Obi has also joined the league of those sharing tributes.
Obi described her as ‘a cosmopolitan’, and ‘an unassuming trailblazer’.
Obi’s tribute on X reads: “I have received with profound sadness the news of the passing of a dear elder sister, Prof. U. Joy Ogwu, Nigeria’s former foreign minister, as well as former permanent representative of Nigeria to the United Nations.
“Prof. Ogwu was a cosmopolitan. An unassuming trailblazer and lady of firsts, she was the first female Director-General of Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA); the first Nigerian female Foreign Minister in 2006; the first female Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, in 2008, and in that vein, the first Nigerian female to preside over the UN Security Council (in July 2010 and in October 2011).
“A renowned academic and researcher, she is the author of several books on foreign policy, disarmament, and the United Nations. Prof. Ogwu was an expert on security and disarmament issues and a strong advocate for women’s development and human rights.
“Her demise is a great loss to her family, those close to her, Delta State and Nigeria. In consoling those she left behind, I pray that God will grant her family, and all of us the fortitude to bear this huge loss and grant her soul peaceful repose.”
TVC
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