NIIA mourns former DG, Obiozor

Director-General (DG), Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Professor Eghosa Osaghae, has expressed sadness over the death of the Institute’s for mer DG, George Obiozor.

In a statement, signed by the DG, he said, “On behalf of all past Directors-General, past and present Councils, Fellows, Management and Staff of the Institute, mourns the passage of H.E. Professor George Achulike Obiozor.

“The NIIA Management and Staff identifies with the Obiozor family and our dear country Nigeria at this grieving time, even as we are consoled by the fact that Prof. Obiozor lived a life worthy of emulation as a scholar, diplomat, nationalist, elder statesman, and global citizen. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.”

Obiozor was a foremost nationalist, scholar, administrator, diplomat, and global citizen. He was most recently the President-General of the apex Igbo Socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze-Ndigbo, the capacity in which, as an advocate of equity and justice, he hosted his last major outing on the state of the nation at the NIIA. He demonstrated unalloyed zest for strengthening capacity to actualise Nigeria’s manifest destiny as an African and global leader.

Prof. Obiozor obtained the doctorate degree in International Relations in 1976 from the prestigious Columbia University, New York, U.S. and was Director-General of the NIIA, Nigeria’s apex Foreign Policy think-tank in 1991-1999. He subsequently became Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the State of Israel, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Cyprus (1999-2003), and Ambassador to the United States of America (2004-2008). Professor Obiozor left an indelible mark on the diplomatic turf.

A prolific writer on International Relations, Prof. Obiozor had several eminent works to his credit, including Nigeria and the World: Managing the Politics of Diplomatic Ambivalence in a Changing world; The Politics of Precarious Balancing: Analysis of Contending Issues in Nigerias Domestic and Foreign Policy; and The United States and the Nigerian Civil War.

As an astute administrator and visioner, Professor Obiozor led the NIIA along the paths of excellence as a world institute in Africa, and contributed greatly to the blossoming of the golden era of Nigerias foreign policy as a global leader, indeed, his diplomatic engagements had the imprint of a successful blending of theory and practice of international relations. Boy George, as he was fondly called by members of the NIIA family, was one of the Institutes greatest endowments to Nigeria’s successes in the complex world of international affairs. He will be greatly missed.