Professor Chukuka Okonjo, the father of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is dead.
A statement by the WTO’s Director-General on behalf of the family said the immediate past, Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State died at 91. “On behalf of my siblings and relatives of the Umu Obi Obahai Royal Family of Ogwashi-Uku, I announce the passing of my father, Obi Professor Chukuka Okonjo, the immediate past Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State at the age of 91.
“He died in Lagos soon after he arrived from a trip to the United States of America and Ghana.
“We are immensely grateful that his last moments were peaceful and that he died the same way he lived his life – with quiet dignity,” he said in the statement.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said her father was an accomplished man on so many levels “a highly respected academic, international public servant, university administrator, intellectual and traditional ruler.”
The late Obi held a BSc in Mathematics, London, UK; MSc in Mathematics, Erlangen, Germany; MSc in Economics, Erlangen, Germany and Ph.D. in Mathematical Statistics, Cologne, Germany.
He was born on the 21’June, 1928 in Delta state. Professor Chukwuka Okonjo had B.Sc, MSc, Ph.D. and was among the nationalist economists who at the dawn of Nigerian Independence spent a lot of time advising the country on the path to take to build a viable economy where the GDP would be high.
This class of nationalist scholars had very high ambition for the nation and put in their best to see that a strong and virile country was built. They left their comfortable and cozy appointment overseas and returned to help in Nation-Building. Professor Okonjo is known for his insight into the development potentials of the nation and spent his working life building a policy of self-reliance for the country.
He attended Ladi-Lak Institute Yaba Lagos and Government School Lagos 1939. He also attended Kings College Lagos, Dennis Memorial Grammar School ( DMGS) Onitsha. Yaba Higher College, University College Ibadan. He was an External Student at the University of London England. He attended the University of Erlangen Nurnberg Federal Republic of Germany ( FRG) 1955 1960, University of Cologne, Federal Republic of Germany 1961.