By Amb. Kio Solomon Amieyeofori
The sad passing of *Professor U. Joy Ogwu, OFR,* former Foreign Minister and, to me, simply Her Excellency or “PR” (Permanent Representative), on 12 October, 2025, in New York, left me deeply heartbroken. Only days earlier, on 6 October, we had spoken briefly. Though feeling unwell, she summoned her characteristic strength to wish me a happy birthday and send her love to my wife, Ingi, and children.
Since February, we had together visited her almost every weekend, often at her apartment in New York, where she lived quietly and gracefully after completing her remarkable tenure as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN). Each visit reminded us anew of her dignity, serenity, and enduring affection for family and friends.
Before 2008, I knew Prof. Ogwu only by her public persona as an eminent scholar and a diplomat of rare brilliance, often mentioned alongside such luminaries as Professors Bolaji Akinyemi and Ibrahim Gambari. Our first meeting came that year at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, where Mission staff had gathered to welcome her following her appointment by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as Permanent Representative to the UN.
Beyond a polite handshake, nothing suggested how closely our professional paths would later intertwine. Yet, the very next day, she invited me to a private meeting and offered me the position of Special Assistant, in addition to my existing role as Minister Counsellor (Security Council). My nomination had not followed the usual bureaucratic process. It resulted from rigorous search, careful vetting, and extensive referencing, reflecting her steadfast preference for competence and integrity over hierarchy or protocol.
Working with her was both challenging and transformative. Her standards were exacting, her pace relentless, and her expectations uncompromising. I initially struggled to define my place within her intellectually charged and demanding environment. Indeed, serving a woman of her distinction, a former Foreign Minister, former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, and a towering figure in diplomacy, felt daunting.
Yet time and understanding bridged the gap. Through countless meetings, briefings, and shared travels, our professional relationship deepened into one of mutual trust and respect. Recognising my passion for substantive UN work rather than administrative matters, she gave me space to reshape the role of Special Assistant. As I came to appreciate her vision and ideals, I quietly vowed to serve faithfully, learn continuously, and grow under her guidance, thus beginning an extraordinary mentorship.
Prof. Ogwu was a leader, teacher, and orator without equal. To work under her was to experience a living masterclass in diplomacy, leadership, communication, and humility. Her confidence in me never faltered. Often, she would say with quiet pride, “You have mastered my style quickly, and you give your all.” Those words remain among the greatest affirmations of my career.
Within weeks of her arrival at the UN, her intellect and gravitas earned her the chairmanship of the Second Committee, a rare honour that underscored her credibility and command. Across the UN system, colleagues sought her counsel on the most complex issues. In the Security Council, her voice carried clarity, authority, and respect.
Working closely with her, I came to appreciate the depth of her knowledge, and strategic foresight. It also became clear why she enjoyed the confidence of Presidents Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, and Jonathan, and why then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon so often sought her advice.
Under her, the Mission was a community of ideas – disciplined, open, collaborative, and intellectually vibrant. She passionately nurtured the next generation of Nigerian multilateralists, ensuring that every member of the Mission, especially the Security Council team, had room to learn, contribute, and thrive.
Without a doubt, her tenure at the Mission stands among Nigeria’s finest moments at the UN. It was a period marked by renewed respect for Nigeria at the UN Secretariat and among fellow ambassadors. She championed the rehabilitation of Nigeria House and other Mission buildings across New York. Personally, I flourished under her guidance, growing from Minister Counsellor (Security Council) to Special Assistant and eventually Political Coordinator of Nigeria’s team to the Security Council. Her support remained unwavering even when I transitioned to President Jonathan’s speechwriting team and later became Deputy Director-General.
Beyond professional ties, Ambassador Ogwu was a mother figure to me and my wife and a grandmother to our children. She shared in our family’s joys and milestones such as thanksgivings, birthdays, graduations, always with warmth and grace. Our bond deepened when I discovered that my early-career mentor, the late *Ambassador Sonny Vincent Okobi* , was her relative. Like her, he had guided me with fatherly care. That shared lineage made our connection even more profound.
I remain eternally grateful that our paths crossed and she became a valuable part of my story. May the Lord grant her eternal rest and comfort her beloved *Uche, Ifeoma, Awele, Chiedu, and Dumebi.
NB: Amb. Kio Solomon Amieyeofori, MFR
