Godwin Obasi

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Godwin Olu Patrick Obasi (24 December 1933 – 3 March 2007) was a Nigerian meteorologist who led the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) from 1984 to 2003. He was the first African to head a UN agency.

Early life and education
- Born in Ogori, Nigeria.
- Studied mathematics and physics at McGill University (BSc, 1959).
- Earned MSc and Doctor of Science in Meteorology from MIT (1960, 1963).
- Won the Carl-Gustaf Rossby Award for his thesis.

Career highlights
- Nigerian Meteorological Department (1963–1967), including work at Lagos Airport.
- World Meteorological Organization working group on tropical meteorology (1965–1967).
- University of Nairobi (1967–1974): WMO/UNDP expert, senior lecturer; acting head of the Department of Meteorology (1972–1973); professor and department chair (1974–1976); dean of Science (1967–1976).
- Adviser to the Nigerian government (1976–1978).

World Meteorological Organization
- Joined the WMO in 1978 as director of education and training.
- Organized the Second World Climate Conference in 1990, which helped lead to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
- Contributed to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

Secretary-General of the WMO
- Served as Secretary-General from 1984 to 2003.
- First WMO secretary-general and the first African to head a UN agency.
- Remembered for his major contributions to climate science and education; called “Africa’s gift to the world of climate science.”

Personal life and honors
- Married Winifred O. Akande; they had six children.
- Died in Abuja, Nigeria, in 2007.
- Honored with multiple fellowships and honorary degrees; Nigerian national honors; posthumous Nigeria Centenary Award (2014).

Controversy
- In 2005, media reports questioned management at the WMO and noted allegations involving close associates; an internal review raised concerns. Obasi was not charged.