The Labour Party has expressed sadness over the death of Professor Kamene Okonjo, mother of World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, describing her passing at the age of 96 as a significant loss to Nigeria.
The party’s chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, paid tribute to the late academic and traditional queen in a condolence message issued in Abuja following her death on Friday, October 23, 2026.
Usman said Kamene Okonjo’s contributions to education and community development would remain an important part of her legacy.
Nenadi Usman Pays Tribute to Kamene Okonjo
In her condolence message, the Labour Party chairman described the deceased as an accomplished scholar who devoted much of her life to education and service to humanity.
Usman acknowledged that Professor Okonjo lived to an advanced age but maintained that her death had left a painful void among relatives, friends and those who benefited from her guidance.
She particularly recognised the late professor’s achievements in academia and her contributions to the traditional community of Ogwashi-Uku in Delta State.
According to Usman, Kamene Okonjo earned admiration for her wisdom, kindness and concern for the welfare of others.
The Labour Party chairman said the deceased’s leadership and personal qualities had made a lasting impression on people who interacted with her.
She added that those who experienced the professor’s care and encouragement would remember her with affection.
Labour Party Extends Condolences to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s Family
Usman extended her sympathies to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and other members of the Okonjo family, acknowledging the emotional difficulty of losing a parent.
She said the death of Professor Okonjo represented not only a personal loss to her family but also the passing of a respected figure in Nigeria’s academic and traditional institutions.
The former senator offered prayers for the peaceful repose of the deceased and strength for the family during the mourning period.
She also encouraged relatives and loved ones to draw comfort from the late professor’s achievements and the positive influence she had on others.
Who Was Professor Kamene Okonjo?
Professor Kamene Okonjo was a Nigerian academic who attained the rank of full professor at the University of Ibadan in 1973.
Her academic career placed her among the country’s accomplished female scholars during a period when women faced considerable barriers to advancement in higher education.
Beyond her university career, she was associated with the traditional leadership of Ogwashi-Uku in Delta State.
She was married to the late Professor Chukwuka Okonjo, a distinguished academic and traditional ruler who worked in mathematics, economics and education.
Together, the couple became widely known for their contributions to scholarship and public life.
Their daughter, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, went on to hold prominent positions in Nigeria’s government and international economic institutions.
Kamene Okonjo’s Legacy in Education and Traditional Leadership
The late professor’s life reflected a combination of academic achievement, family influence and community service.
Her appointment as a full professor in 1973 represented a notable milestone in her university career.
As a traditional queen in Ogwashi-Uku, she was also recognised for her involvement in community affairs and concern for residents’ well-being.
Usman’s tribute highlighted these contributions, presenting the late professor as someone whose influence extended beyond the classroom.
The Labour Party chairman said her memory would remain meaningful to those who knew her personally and to the community she served.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s Family Receives Condolence Message
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who currently leads the World Trade Organization, previously served Nigeria as Minister of Finance and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Her mother’s death has drawn attention to the Okonjo family’s longstanding involvement in education, public administration and traditional leadership.
In its condolence message, the Labour Party joined relatives, friends and other well-wishers in remembering Professor Kamene Okonjo’s life.
Usman expressed hope that the family would find strength in the legacy of the late academic, whose contributions to education and community development remain part of her public record.
Professor Kamene Okonjo died on October 23, 2026, at the age of 96.
