WTO Chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Mourns Mother, Prof Kamene Okonjo, at 96, Says She Lived a Quality Life

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World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has paid an emotional tribute to her late mother, Professor Kamene Okonjo, who died at the age of 96.

Okonjo-Iweala expressed gratitude for her mother’s long life, describing it as a quality life lived to the end, as condolences and tributes continued to pour in following the death of the respected academic and royal matriarch.

In a heartfelt message shared on X, the WTO chief said she had been overwhelmed by messages of sympathy and tributes celebrating her mother’s life and contributions to society.

“Today, I have been overwhelmed with messages of condolences and tributes to my wonderful mother… My mother lived a quality life till the end and we are very grateful we had her for so long. May her soul rest in perfect peace,” she wrote.

Professor Kamene Okonjo was a distinguished sociologist whose academic work and advocacy focused on women, society and empowerment. She was also a prominent member of the Umu Obi Obahai Royal Family of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom in Delta State.

She was married for 66 years to the late Obi Professor Chukwuka Okonjo, a respected academic and traditional ruler. Their family has remained influential in Nigeria’s academic, public and traditional institutions.

Among their children is Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who previously served as Nigeria’s finance minister and later became the first woman and first African to lead the WTO as director-general.

Another member of the family is Obi Ifechukwude Anishi Okonjo II, the current traditional ruler of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom.

The royal family remembered Professor Kamene Okonjo as a woman distinguished by intellectual brilliance, humility, compassion and a strong commitment to humanity.

Her career as an internationally recognised scholar helped establish her reputation beyond Nigeria, while her work on women’s issues contributed to discussions about gender, social development and empowerment.

Despite her accomplishments, her life was not without difficult moments. In 2012, she was reportedly kidnapped from her home in Delta State during the period when her daughter was serving as Nigeria’s finance minister. The incident attracted national attention and heightened concerns about the safety of prominent Nigerians and their families.

Her death has prompted renewed reflections on her contributions as an academic, mother and member of the Ogwashi-Uku royal family.

For many, Professor Kamene Okonjo’s legacy extends beyond her distinguished career to the family she nurtured and the values she represented. Her daughter has become one of Africa’s most prominent figures in international economic leadership, serving at the helm of a major global institution.

She is survived by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as relatives, colleagues, former students and others whose lives were touched by her work.

At 96, Professor Kamene Okonjo leaves behind a legacy of scholarship, family devotion and service that will continue to be remembered in Nigeria and beyond.

As her daughter reflected on the messages of condolence, her words captured the family’s gratitude for the years they shared with her.

“May her soul rest in perfect peace,” Okonjo-Iweala wrote.