Personality in Focus
Former Foreign Affairs Minister, NIIA DG, Prof Joy Ogwu, Dies at 79
A former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Joy Ogwu, is dead.
The former diplomat reportedly died at the age of 79 years.
Ogwu, also a former Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations and erstwhile Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), reportedly died of cancer-related illness.
Reacting to her passing, a former Nigerian Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Usman Sarki, said: “Today, we received the sad news of the passing away of the Permanent Representative (former), Professor Joy Ogwu.
“It is very sad. She was a very fine woman; she represented Nigeria to the best of her ability under difficult circumstances,” Sarki said.
Sarki, who was deputy permanent representative during the tenure of Ogwu at the United Nations, further said Ogwu was a very decent human being.
“It is very sad, very unfortunate,” Sarki also said.
Born on August 22, 1946, Ogwu bagged both Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Political Science from Rutgers University, New Jersey, United States, including a doctorate degree from the University of Lagos.
She was appointed Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs on August 30, 2006, by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Prior to her appointment as minister, she was the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos.
On May 7, 2008, late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua appointed Ogwu as Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
The Delta State-born Ogwu had, during her tour of duty at the United Nations, become the President of the United Nations Security Council in July 2010 and in October 2011 respectively.
Nigerian academic, literary critic and Professor Emeritus Biodun Jeyifo, is dead. He was 80.
Jeyifo was widely regarded as one of the foremost scholars of Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka.
His passing was announced by the President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, Andrew Haruna, in a statement on Wednesday, saying the scholar passed away on 11 February.
The Nigerian Academy of Letters expressed condolences to his family and the academic community, describing his passing as a significant loss to literary scholarship in Nigeria and beyond.
In January, an international scholarly gathering was held at the MUSON Centre in Lagos to mark his 80th birthday.
The event drew academics, writers and cultural figures in recognition of his lifelong contributions to literary studies and intellectual life.
Colleagues have often described Mr Jeyifo’s writing as both intellectually rigorous and accessible, blending critical depth with clarity of expression.
Beyond Soyinka studies, he was known for his wide-ranging engagement with world Anglophone literature, cultural theory and postcolonial thought.
Born on 5 January 1946, Mr Jeyifo was a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters and a prominent public intellectual whose career spanned several decades of teaching, research and mentorship across Nigeria and the United States.
Legendary gospel singer, Ron Kenoly, has passed away.
Kenoly’s death has been confirmed by several artistes via their social media pages.
He was 81.
Top Nigerian minister, Nathaniel Bassey, wrote on Instagram: “Dr Ron Kenoly crosses to yonder side.
“Thank you for inspiring generations of psalmists like me.
“I grew up on these songs. And today, others are growing up on ours.
“Thank you sir.”
Kenoly was behind hit songs like Majesty, righteousnes, peace & joy, Anointing, All honour, Sing out, among others.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, on Monday, approved the immediate posting of AIG Olatunji Rilwan Disu as the new Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Force CID Annex Alagbon Lagos. The redeployment is with immediate effect, the National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP, can report.
Until the latest posting, AIG Disu was AIG in charge of Special Protection Unit (SPU).
NAOSNP recalls that AIG Disu once served as the Commissioner of Police FCT Command, and Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, among other exemplary roles. He was decorated with the AIG rank on March 25, 2025.
