Tolu Ogunlesi, the special assistant on digital/new media to President Muhammadu Buhari recently announced the president’s approval for the appointment of Uzoma Emenike as the country’s ambassador-designate to the US.
With the appointment, Ms Emenike entered history books as Nigeria’s first female ambassador to the United States. The Heritage Times takes presents Ms Emenike’s profile detailing her career trajectory, education and personal life
To start with, Ms Emenike joined the Nigeria Foreign Service over 30 years ago, serving in the Protocol and the Africa Departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Subsequently, she was posted to the Nigerian Embassy in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire in 1992, where she served for six years.
On her return to Nigeria, she was deployed to other departments of the Ministry and served meritoriously. During this time, she represented Nigeria in numerous bilateral and multilateral missions, locally and internationally.
She holds two bachelor’s degrees, in Sociology and Anthropology and in Law from the University of Maiduguri and the University of Reading, UK respectively; two master’s degrees in International Law and Diplomacy and in International Management from the University of Lagos and the University of Reading respectively; and a doctorate in International Relations from the University of Reading.
Until her recent appointment, Mrs Emenike, who hails from Umukabia-Ohuhu in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia, was Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland and Iceland.
With her recent appointment by the president as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the U.S., she now takes over from the late 83-year-old Nsofor, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court.
Being the first female to be in that position has set a new standard, with analysts noting that her appointment has changed the landscape for Nigerian female diplomats.
She is among the 52 non-career and 43 career ambassadors whose deployment was recently approved by the president.
Aside from her role as a foreign diplomat, Emenike is a writer with a host of published works.
Among her published articles are: “The Africa We Envisage in 50 Years Time” and “Europe Needs Africa”. She is also the author of “Africa: The Centre-Piece of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy”.
Uzoma is married to Ikechi Emenike, Buhari’s ally and the union is blessed with four children.
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