By Obinna Uballa
Nigeria has lost one of its most distinguished diplomats and international affairs scholars, Professor Joy Uche Angela Ogwu, who passed away at the age of 79, the New Diplomat reports.
The New Diplomat gathered from family sources that the former Minister of Foreign Affairs , who also served as Nigeria’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, died in the early hours of Monday in a New York hospital, United States. Her daughter was said to be by her side when she passed.
Prof. Ogwu, born on August 22, 1946, was a trailblazer in Nigeria’s diplomatic and academic circles, best known for being the first woman to serve as Nigeria’s Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the United Nations, a position she held from 2008 to 2017.
Before that, she made history as Nigeria’s second female Minister of Foreign Affairs, following Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and served in the cabinet of former President Olusegun Obasanjo between August 2006 and May 2007.
A native of Delta State, Ogwu began her academic career as a lecturer and researcher before rising to become the first female Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), where she made major contributions to the study and practice of Nigerian foreign policy.
An alumna of Rutgers University, New Jersey, where she obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Political Science, Ogwu later earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Lagos. Her early scholarly work focused on Nigeria’s foreign policy and South-South cooperation, particularly between Africa and Latin America.
Throughout her illustrious career, she advised several international bodies, including the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), where she later served as chair of the board of trustees.
At the United Nations, Ogwu served with distinction, twice presiding over the UN Security Council, in July 2010 and October 2011, and also chaired the executive board of UN Women, the global body for gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Known for her firm advocacy of peace, security, and gender equity, Prof. Ogwu played a leading role in shaping Nigeria’s foreign policy direction and strengthening the country’s diplomatic image on the global stage.
She also served on the United Nations Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters and contributed significantly to human rights education initiatives, including UNESCO-funded programmes for Nigerian schools.
Prof. Ogwu authored several influential books and papers, including Nigerian Foreign Policy: Alternative Futures (1986), and was widely respected for her work promoting greater ties between Africa and Latin America.
