Kamene Okonjo, renowned sociologist and women’s rights advocate, dies as tributes pour in
Kamene Okonjo, the mother of World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has died at the age of 96.
She died on Friday, according to reports citing a statement issued by the Umu Obi Obahai royal family of the Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom in Delta State.
Her death has drawn attention to the life and legacy of a woman recognised for her contributions to sociology and advocacy for women’s rights.
In a post on her official X account on Sunday, Okonjo-Iweala expressed gratitude to friends and followers who had sent messages of condolence and support to her family following the loss.
The WTO chief did not provide further details about her mother’s death in the post.
Kamene Okonjo was a professor of sociology whose work focused on social issues and the advancement of women’s rights.
Her daughter, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is an internationally recognised economist who became Director-General of the WTO in March 2021, making history as the first woman and first African to lead the global trade organisation.
Further details about funeral arrangements were not immediately available.
