Connect with us

News

Former foreign minister, Prof Joy Ogwu, dies at 79

Published

on

ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and one of Africa’s most respected diplomats, Professor Joy Uche Angela Ogwu, has died at the age of 79.

The New Diplomat, an online newspaper reports family sources to have confirmed that the distinguished scholar and international stateswoman died in the early hours of Monday in a hospital in New York, United States, with her daughter by her side.

Born on August 22, 1946, in Delta State, Prof. Ogwu made history as the first woman to serve as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, a post she held from 2008 to 2017.

She also served as Minister of Foreign Affairs between August 2006 and May 2007 under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.

Advertisement

Before her foray into government service, Ogwu was a renowned academic and foreign policy expert.

She began her 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 influenced the country’s engagement with the global community.

A product of Rutgers University in New Jersey, where she obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Political Science, Ogwu went on to earn a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Lagos in 1977.

She later joined the NIIA, where she established herself as a leading voice in international relations, with research focusing on Nigeria’s foreign policy, disarmament, and South-South cooperation between Africa and Latin America.

Advertisement

During her diplomatic career, Prof. Ogwu represented Nigeria with distinction at the United Nations, twice presiding over the UN Security Council, in July 2010 and October 2011.

She also served as president of the executive board of UN Women and chaired the board of trustees of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).

Beyond her official duties, Ogwu was deeply committed to advancing women’s empowerment, human rights, and education.

She served on the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters and was instrumental in UNESCO-funded programmes promoting human rights education in Nigerian schools.

Advertisement

A prolific scholar, she authored several influential works, including Nigerian Foreign Policy: Alternative Futures (1986), and published extensively on issues of global security and diplomacy.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

News

DAY 13 of Projects Commissioning in the FCT

Published

on

ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad

President Tinubu Will Commission Roads 01 and 02 Linking Mabushi Bus Terminal and Ahmadu Bello Way Today

#FCTRenewedHope
#FCTProjectsCommissioning

Continue Reading

News

BEWARE: FG warns 26 States of flood, places, Bayelsa, Delta, Lagos, Adamawa, Benue, others as critical risk areas

Published

on

ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad

The Federal Government has alerted residents of 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the possibility of flooding between June 22 and July 5, 2026, following forecasts of heavy rainfall in different parts of the country.

The warning was issued by the Federal Ministry of Environment through the National Flood Early Warning Centre under its Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department.

The ministry said several communities across the country have been identified as areas that could face serious flood threats during the period.

According to the forecast released on June 22, heavy rainfall is expected in many locations, raising concerns about possible flooding in vulnerable communities.

Advertisement

States placed under the critical-risk category include Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers.

In Abia State, the affected communities include Aba, Arochukwu and Umuahia. In Adamawa, the ministry listed Jimeta and Numan, while Eket, Oron and Uyo were named in Akwa Ibom. In Anambra, Onitsha Inland Town and Awka Urban Drainage Corridors were identified as vulnerable locations.

Bayelsa communities such as Yenagoa, Brass and Nembe Town were also listed among areas that could be affected by flooding.

Other locations mentioned include Makurdi, Gboko and Katsina-Ala in Benue State; Calabar Metropolis and Creek Town in Cross River State; Asaba, Warri and Sapele in Delta State; and Abakaliki, Afikpo and Onueke in Ebonyi State.

Advertisement

The ministry also identified Benin City Urban Core and Auchi in Edo State, Ado-Ekiti and Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti State, as well as Enugu, Nsukka and Oji River Town in Enugu State.

In Imo State, Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe were listed, while Lokoja and Ajaokuta were named in Kogi State. Communities such as Ilorin, Jebba and Pategi in Kwara State were also included in the warning.

Several parts of Lagos State were equally listed among the areas at risk.

These include Agege, Alimosho, Apapa, Badagry, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Lekki and Surulere.

Advertisement

In Niger State, Bida, Minna, Mokwa, Suleja and Kontagora were identified, while Abeokuta, Ota and Sagamu were listed in Ogun State.

The flood alert further covered Akure, Owo and Okitipupa in Ondo State; Oshogbo, Ile-Ife and Ilesa in Osun State; Ibadan, Ogbomoso and Oyo in Oyo State; as well as Port Harcourt Urban Core, Bonny, Ahoada and Omoku in Rivers State.

Apart from the states under the critical-risk category, the ministry also placed parts of Adamawa, the FCT, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau and Taraba states under a high-risk category.

Communities listed in this group include Yola North, Yola South, Mubi and Gurin in Adamawa State; Abuja Municipal, Gwagwalada, Kubwa, Nyanya and Wuse in the FCT; Birnin Kebbi and Argungu in Kebbi State; Bako in Kogi State; and Keffi, Lafia, Karu and Toto in Nasarawa State.

Advertisement

The warning also covered Jos and Jos North in Plateau State, as well as Jalingo, Wukari, Takum, Serti and Karim Lamido in Taraba State.

Continue Reading

News

Finally, INEC confirms suspension of staff linked to Emeka Ike’s voter data leak

Published

on

ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Zoom Ad

Finally, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has confirmed suspended an electoral officer allegedly involved in the voter data leak concerning Nollywood actor and politician, Emeka Ike.

The Commission disclosed that investigations by security agencies and data protection regulators are still ongoing.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, made the disclosure during a fireside chat organised by the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa, PAACA, in Abuja.

The suspension came against the backdrop of a controversy that arose after the voter registration details of actor and politician, Emeka Ike, surfaced online during a dispute linked to a political party primary election in the Federal Capital Territory.

Advertisement

The electoral body said preliminary findings showed there was no external breach of its ICT infrastructure or compromise of its voter register.

Rather, according to the Commission, the data was allegedly accessed using valid credentials assigned to officials involved in the ongoing CVR exercise and subsequently disclosed without authorisation.

INEC said its audit trail enabled investigators to identify the specific user account used to access the voter record, leading to the questioning of personnel with access to the system.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Naija Blitz News