Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: A Child of Fortune

I am yet to see a Nigerian that is more criticised than Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former Minister for Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy. She is the most bullied, most vilified, most insulted, most denigrated, most lambasted and most unappreciated. Few understand why despite all the attacks, like the proverbial cat with nine lives, she survives every thorn, no matter how thick; and weathers every storm, no matter how gloomy.This writer is not one of those you would like to call an admirer of the former minister. Working for Nigeria and Nigerians can be compared to feeding the turtle and expecting it to appreciate you. Working for Nigerians is often like doing a thankless job. You are insulted; people intrude into your privacy with impunity; you are attacked sometimes physically. All manner of things are done to you, working in the Nigerian public service. These are some of the reasons I do not “admire” Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala or her job.Despite all that was or has been done to her by a few lousy elements amongst us, it appears the former minister is like Israel, which is located amongst its enemies yet is making landmark progress and waxing stronger. Irrespective of what the Western world wants us to believe, despite their propaganda, China is making it, if not leaving them behind. Irrespective of the wanton falsehoods Okonjo-Iweala’s critics are pushing to the World, it is like the more the falsehoods, the more appreciation she gets from the international community.One example that readily comes to mind was when, in addition to several international awards this woman of virtue has won, the prestigious Yale University, USA deemed it fit to honour the domestically criticised, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala with a Doctor of Humane Letters. This came at a period when her critics’ voices were growing louder.Quoting directly from the statements of the Yale University President, Peter Salovey, while presenting the hard-won award, Madam Okonjo-Iweala was described as “a brilliant reformer and dedicated public servant who has spearheaded efforts to stabilize and grow Nigeria’s economy, battling widespread government corruption and creating greater fiscal transparency and discipline.”Now dissecting the University’s president statements properly, we will discover that, against what her shallow-minded critics want us to believe, she is actually a champion of anti-corruption practices, a reformer, and a dignified public servant. In an age where people have got used to dramatising the “arrests” and “arraignment” of “corrupt” public officials, treating people (adults) like common criminals without any shred of evidence, fighting corruption quietly might appear rather strange!For the records, with the introduction of Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), the government aimed to save a wanton N36 billion by blocking some loopholes after weeding out 62,893 ghost workers from the payroll system. How better do you fight corruption in the digital age?Okonjo-Iweala’s critics want the regime of lawlessness with impunity to continue in the so-called anti-corruption policies such that only few unfortunate ones will end up being prosecuted, while the guilty roam the streets with reckless abandon!Many domestic groups have conferred several honours on Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for her developmental roles in uplifting the lives of the downtrodden. An influential group in Nigeria, the Creative Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria (CEAN) among several others, named her the Best Overall Contributor to the Development of the Nigerian Creative Industry in 2013 in recognition of her leadership and contribution to the success of the YOUWIN programme which has supported thousands of youth entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and create jobs for other youths.This award, like the Yale award, came when she was being heavily criticised for her role in resolving the allegation of “missing” $20 billion from the NNPC coffers. In parenthesis, I can’t recall Dr. Okonjo-Iweala being appointed Minister for Petroleum or the DG of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at any time. Apparently, her critics abysmally misfired or shot over the bar on this point!In addition to the Yale award, this wonderful woman has several awards to her credit too numerous to mention. I think I’ll be charitable to help her miserable critics with some unpaid information by reminding them that as recently as 2014, she received the prestigious Rockefeller Foundation Leadership Award from a body whose credibility is not in doubt!Binta Koleosho is an energy consultant based in Lagos

Discover more from NewsBreakers

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

What's your reaction?

Excited
0
Happy
0
In Love
0
Not Sure
0
Silly
0

Comments are closed.