Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof. Joy Uche Angela Ogwu, has passed away at the age of 79.
Family sources who spoke with the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) confirmed her death on Monday, saying she died in the early hours of the day at a hospital in New York, United States, with her daughter by her side.
Born on August 22, 1946, in Delta State, Ogwu was a renowned scholar and diplomat whose career spanned academia, policy research, and international diplomacy.
She served as Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from August 2006 to May 2007 under President Olusegun Obasanjo.
In 2008, she was appointed Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, a position she held until 2017, making history as the first Nigerian woman to occupy the office.
Before her ministerial appointment, Ogwu served as the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), where she earned global recognition for her expertise in international relations, disarmament, and Nigeria’s foreign policy.
Prof. Ogwu’s remarkable career placed her at the forefront of shaping Nigeria’s engagement with the international community.
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.
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