Get to Know Uche Ojeh: Sheinelle Jones’ Beloved Husband and His Legacy
Sheinelle Jones and her late husband, Uche Ojeh.
Credit:
Sheinelle Jones/Instagram
NEED TO KNOW
- Sheinelle Jones and her late husband, Uche Ojeh, were married in 2007.
- The Today host and Ojeh welcomed three children together.
- Ojeh passed away in May 2025, following a diagnosis of glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Sheinelle Jones was married to Uche Ojeh for nearly two decades before his passing in May 2025. The couple first met in the late 1990s at Northwestern University. After eight years of dating, Ojeh surprised Jones by proposing during a rainstorm on their campus. They wed in September 2007 and had three children together: son Kayin and fraternal twins Clara and Uche.
In mid-December 2024, Jones took a temporary leave from the Today show to care for Ojeh, who was diagnosed with glioblastoma. He died in May 2025 at the age of 45.
Following her husband’s death, Jones was named the new permanent co-host of the fourth hour of the Today show in December 2025. During this transition, she openly discussed managing her grief and the importance of finding joy in life.
“For those of you who are holding something, whether it’s grief or pain or whatever you’re holding, I just want you to know, if you see me here, that means you can do it too,” she expressed. “And we’re all gonna fight for our joy.”
Jones emphasized the importance of resilience, stating, “If you see me laughing and having a good time, that means you can get up and conquer your day too.”
He met Jones at Northwestern University
Sheinelle Jones and Uche Ojeh attend the NAACP LDF 33rd National Equal Justice Awards Dinner on Nov. 7, 2019, in New York City.
Bennett Raglin/Getty
Jones and Ojeh first met at Northwestern University when she was a freshman and he was a high school senior visiting the campus. In an interview with the campus magazine, she recalled, “I was a fake tour guide … I was just walking to class. I told him I would take him around because he was cute.” Jones went on to study journalism at Northwestern, while Ojeh began attending the same institution the following year. He graduated in 2001 with a degree in computer science.
After graduation, Ojeh worked as a consultant for IBM and Accenture, eventually becoming a managing partner at UAO Consulting in 2008, a position he held until his death.
He and Jones wed in 2007
Sheinelle Jones and Uche Ojeh at a friends’ wedding in September 2022 in New York City.
Sheinelle Jones/ Instagram
Jones and Ojeh married on September 2, 2007, in her hometown of Philadelphia. Shortly before their 10th wedding anniversary, she revealed how Ojeh proposed after eight years of long-distance dating. “I thought I knew when it was coming, twice, and it didn’t happen,” she shared, noting that Ojeh surprised her during a rainy revisit to their campus at Northwestern.
Jones has often celebrated their anniversary on social media, reflecting on their life together. “Happy Anniversary Uche. ❤️ – It’s amazing how life works sometimes … We’ve created beautiful memories,” she said in a recent post.
He and Jones shared three kids
Sheinelle Jones and Uche Ojeh celebrate Easter with their children in April 2022.
Sheinelle Jones/ Instagram
The couple welcomed their first child, Kayin, in August 2009 and later had fraternal twins Clara and Uche in July 2012. Throughout the years, Jones has shared insights on parenting and the importance of fostering a sense of teamwork among her children.
“With all three of my children, I try to show them that they’re ALL a team, and they have to take care of each other,” she said in 2015. “At the same time, I’m learning that they each like to know they’re special on their own.” During a Mother’s Day segment on Today in May 2024, she expressed her aspirations as a mother, stating, “I want to be proud of how I mommed.”
He hailed from Nigeria
Sheinelle Jones with Uche Ojeh and their two sons in August 2019 in Como, Italy.
Sheinelle Jones/ Instagram
In December 2022, Jones spoke about Ojeh’s Nigerian heritage, emphasizing the importance of instilling cultural knowledge in their children. “I think it is important to my husband that my kids are brought up knowing his side and his culture,” she said, cherishing the tradition of providing them with new native clothing.
He was a triathlete
Sheinelle Jones and her late husband Uche Ojeh on June 14, 2019, in New York City.
Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
In October 2023, Ojeh completed a triathlon, a significant achievement he had worked hard for. Jones commemorated the occasion on social media, celebrating both her husband’s accomplishment and their son’s success in a soccer tournament. “It’s something he’s always wanted to do … and he trained really hard for it,” she shared proudly.
He died in May 2025
Uche Ojeh and Sheinelle Jones.
sheinelle_o/Instagram
Uche Ojeh passed away in May 2025 after battling glioblastoma. His death was announced during an episode of the Today show by Jones’ colleagues, following her decision to take a break from the program due to a “serious family health matter.”
