Nigeria has recorded a historic feat as President Muhammadu Buhari appoints Uzoma Emenike as the country’s first female Ambassador to the United States.
The appointment was symbolic with other global historic appointments like Kamala Harris being sworn in as the first-ever African American and Asian American female Vice President of the United States.
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.
Over the course of her career, Mrs. Emenike’s drive for excellence shines through.
During that time, she was rated among the best performing ambassadors.
This was a major reason the President submitted her name for reappointment last year, even though some others who were appointed at the same time with her were dropped.
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.
This comes six months after the National Assembly’s confirmation of the list of ambassadors-designate submitted by the President.
Having joined the Nigeria Foreign Service about 30 years ago, Mrs. Emenike served in Protocol Department and Africa Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
From there, 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.
A retired career diplomat, Mrs. Emenike holds a PhD in International Diplomacy from the University of Reading, UK, alongside four other degrees – two masters (Diplomacy and MBA); LLB, and a Bachelor.
They include a BSc, Sociology and Anthropology from the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria, and an LLB from the University of Reading in the UK while her Master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy was from the University of Lagos, Nigeria.
She also obtained another Master’s in International Management from University of Reading, U.K., She has certificates in French and Postgraduate Diploma in Diplomacy, Nigerian Diplomatic Service Academy.
Mrs. Emenike is also an author. Her published articles include: “The AFRICA We Envisage in 50 Years’ Time” and “Europe Needs Africa.”
