President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed sadness over the passing of Nigeria’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Joy Uche Angela Ogwu.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President described Ambassador Ogwu as a trailblazer and an exemplary diplomat who devoted her life to advancing Nigeria’s foreign policy and promoting peace across the world.
President Tinubu extolled the late envoy for projecting Nigeria’s voice with clarity, integrity, and distinction on the world stage, noting her tireless advocacy for disarmament, international security, and women’s rights.
“Nigeria has lost a trailblazer who rose to the highest level of her vocation through excellence and hard work,” the president said.
He extended his heartfelt condolences to Ambassador Ogwu’s children, grandchildren, siblings, the entire Ogwu family, and members of Nigeria’s diplomatic and academic community, praying for the peaceful repose of her soul and for divine comfort for all who mourn her passing.
Ambassador Ogwu, a respected scholar and former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), represented Nigeria at the United Nations from May 2008 to May 2017.
During her tenure, she twice presided over the UN Security Council in July 2010 and October 2011, a testament to her competence, diplomacy, and global stature.
Ambassador Ogwu’s death was confirmed on Monday by her family; they said the top diplomat passed away 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, Prof. Ogwu was a renowned scholar and diplomat whose career spanned academia, policy research, and international diplomacy.
Ambassador Joy Uche Angela Ogwu.
Died at the age of 79.