Ngozi Okonjo Iweala

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Finance Minister of Nigeria, 2003-2006; Managing Director of the World Bank, December 2007-present of May 2010), (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Nigeria’s most wanted…

‘Nobody is indispensable. If the African leadership want me to lead the World Bank and they think this would be good for the continent and my country, and the president is willing, then I will look at it, because it’s an honour…”

Hindsight is a beautiful thing and I now realise that choosing to study at the School of Oriental and African Studies was one of the best decisions I ever made. It equipped me with a greater understanding and a new found appreciation for the way in which African countries are governed (thanks Dr Laffy!) And whilst some may disagree with the political leadership styles that have been adopted and in some respects marred the face of Africa, there are some political players that have defied the typecast and led by example. Case in point, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the highly respected Nigerian economist, presently working as the Minister of Finance under President Goodluck Jonathan. Prior to this, she worked at the prestigious World Bank as Managing Director. As a result, I was not shocked when I discovered that she was amongst the shortlist of candidates to replace the then World Bank President, Robert Zoellick. Although she lost out to Barak Obama’s preference, Jim Yong Kim, there has been much speculation that Ngozi was in fact the better candidate. She is mostly renowned for securing a debt write-off of $18 million with the Paris Group under President Olusegun Obasanjo; thus she can definitely be considered as one that has mastered her craft. Ngozi is also behind the closer relationship that has now been forged between the U.S and Nigeria. A Harvard graduate and a mother of four, Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, I take my cap off for you…definitely paving the way for the rest of us within the sphere of politics.