Tinubu mourns as former minister Joy Ogwu dies at 79
By Jeffrey Agbo
President Bola Tinubu has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Joy Angela Ogwu, Nigeria’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, who died at the age of 79.
Ogwu, a respected scholar and diplomat, represented Nigeria at the United Nations from May 2008 to May 2017. During her tenure, she served twice as president of the UN Security Council — first in July 2010 and again in October 2011 — where she worked to promote global peace, disarmament, and international cooperation.
Before her appointment to the UN, she was the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), where she made significant contributions to Nigeria’s foreign policy development and international relations scholarship.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu described her passing as a monumental loss to the nation.
“Nigeria has lost a trailblazer who rose to the highest level of her vocation through excellence and hard work,” Tinubu said.
The president praised Ogwu’s outstanding service to the nation and her global impact, commending her for “projecting Nigeria’s voice with clarity and purpose and working tirelessly for global peace, disarmament, international security, and the advancement of women’s rights.”
Tinubu extended his condolences to Ogwu’s family — her five children, grandchildren, and siblings — as well as to the diplomatic and academic communities that she served with distinction.
