Nigeria Mourns Professor Joy Ogwu, Former Foreign Affairs Minister, UN Envoy, Dies at 79

Nigeria’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs and distinguished diplomat, Professor Joy Uche Angela Ogwu, has passed away at the age of 79, PulseNets learnt.

According to information obtained by PulseNets, the former UN envoy died early Monday at a hospital in New York, United States, with her daughter reportedly by her side. Family insiders disclosed that she had been battling a cancer-related illness before her demise.

Professor Ogwu was widely celebrated for her exceptional service as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and for her transformative leadership as Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA). Her tenure was marked by intellectual depth, diplomatic finesse, and a strong advocacy for Nigeria’s global visibility.

Reacting to the sad development, Ambassador Usman Sarki, Nigeria’s former Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations who served under her in New York, told PulseNets that her passing was “a painful loss to Nigeria’s diplomatic community.”

“Today, we received the heartbreaking news of the passing of our former Permanent Representative, Professor Joy Ogwu,” Sarki said.

“She was an extraordinary woman — principled, brilliant, and deeply committed to Nigeria’s image on the global stage,” he added, describing her as “a diplomat of integrity and a truly decent human being.”

“It is indeed very sad and deeply unfortunate,” he concluded.

Also Read: Reps summon Abike Dabiri, Foreign Affairs Minister over maltreatment of Nigerians in Ethiopia

Professor Ogwu’s contributions to diplomacy, education, and public service remain a defining legacy in Nigeria’s international relations history. Tributes continue to pour in from across the diplomatic world in honour of her lifelong dedication to national and global peace.