Nigeria Mourns as Two Icons, Evangelist Uma Ukpai and Diplomat Joy Ogwu, Pass On

By Jeremy Fregene

Nigeria was thrown into mourning on Monday following the deaths of two towering national figures — Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, renowned international evangelist and founder of the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association, and Professor Joy Uche Angela Ogwu, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Nigeria’s first female Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Both passed on within days of each other, marking the end of two extraordinary lives that profoundly shaped the country’s spiritual and diplomatic landscapes.

The family of Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai confirmed his passing in a statement titled “Glorious Transition,” announcing that the revered cleric “passed on to glory on October 6, 2025, at the age of 80.” The statement described him as “a faithful soldier of the cross” who dedicated more than six decades to fiery evangelism, dynamic teaching of the Word, and prophetic demonstrations of the power of God. “With hearts full of gratitude, we celebrate the triumphant homegoing of Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai,” the family said. “He was a spiritual general known for evangelism, a founding father of faith, loving husband, devoted father, and mentor to many. While we mourn his physical absence, we rejoice that he has finished his race and is now resting in eternal praise.”

Born on January 7, 1945, in Asaga, Ohafia, Abia State, Ukpai rose from humble beginnings to become one of Africa’s most respected evangelists. Through the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association, based in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, he conducted crusades that drew millions and led countless souls to Christ. He was a founding leader of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and a central figure in the growth of Pentecostal Christianity in West Africa. The news of his death was shared on X by the Christian news platform @therealchurchgist, which posted: “A GENERAL TAKES A BOW! EVANGELIST UMA UKPAI HAS GONE TO BE WITH THE LORD. REST IN POWER SIR!” The family has requested prayers and said details of his burial rites would be announced later. “We are grateful to God for his extraordinary life and enduring legacy,” the statement concluded, quoting Philippians 1:21: “For indeed, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Just as the Christian community mourned Ukpai’s passing, the diplomatic and academic worlds were also in grief over the death of Professor Joy Uche Angela Ogwu, aged 79. Family sources told The New Diplomat that the distinguished scholar and diplomat passed away 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, Ogwu’s illustrious career spanned academia, diplomacy, and public service. She made history as the first woman to serve as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (2008–2017) and earlier as Minister of Foreign Affairs (2006–2007) under President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Before entering government, Ogwu was one of Nigeria’s most respected foreign policy scholars. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Political Science from Rutgers University, New Jersey, and a Ph.D. from the University of Lagos in 1977. Her academic journey took her to the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), where she became the first female Director-General, reshaping Nigeria’s engagement with the global community. During her years at the UN, Prof. Ogwu twice presided over the United Nations Security Council — in July 2010 and October 2011 — and served as President of the Executive Board of UN Women. She also chaired the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) and sat on the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters.

Beyond her official duties, she was a tireless advocate for women’s empowerment, human rights, and education. Her scholarly work, including the seminal Nigerian Foreign Policy: Alternative Futures (1986), remains a key reference in the study of Nigeria’s international relations.

The passing of Rev. Uma Ukpai and Prof. Joy Ogwu has drawn tributes from across Nigeria and beyond. Both figures, though from different spheres, shared a lifelong devotion to service — one to the Gospel, the other to global diplomacy and nation-building. Ukpai’s evangelistic missions brought spiritual revival to communities across Africa, while Ogwu’s intellectual brilliance and diplomatic leadership gave Nigeria a respected voice in international affairs.

As messages of condolence pour in, Nigerians are reflecting on the legacy of two individuals whose lives embodied faith, excellence, and service. In the words of Ukpai’s family, “We rejoice that he has finished his race and is now resting in eternal praise.” And in the spirit of Ogwu’s lifelong advocacy for humanity and peace, many recall her guiding philosophy, that leadership is “the highest form of service to both God and man.” Both icons may have taken their final bows, but their lights: one spiritual, the other diplomatic, will continue to shine brightly in the nation’s story.