Nigerians are usually excited about changing governments. The incoming administration comes with Nigerians, as usual, having high expectations, only to end up being more disappointed than they were before the administration took off. One recalls the excitement that followed the bringing down of the “Union Jack” and the raising of the new Nigerian flag at Independence in 1960.
Oh!The way Nigerians rolled out drums in 1979 with the excitement that the incoming civilian regime wouldbring better things only to end up asthe same set of people to welcome the fall of the same government just about four years later when the military came knocking. If one does not know anything about Nigeria and Nigerians, we must know that like Oliver Twist, they are never satisfied no matter how much you try!
At this point, let us bring in a familiar name, Dr(Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Twice, under two different administrations, she served as Minister ofFinance also doubling as the Coordinating Minister for the Economy in her last appointment.
One also recalls that before taking over these roles she was working and consulting for the World Bank Group, holding different technical and lucrative positions, though some people in Nigeria want us to believe she was jobless before taking the offer to serve her fatherland as a patriotic citizen. If there was any favour done here, it was the Harvard and MIT-trained economist that did her country a favour, and not the other way round, by resigning from her lucrative job in the World Bank to help the Nigerian economy grow in leaps and bounds.
For more objective observers, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s only offence was that she elected to work for her fatherland. It will then be a great disservice to her to unfairly criticise her as some know-it-all critics, some of whose public service record is just well below average, have been doing.
And if there is anything one must admire about Okonjo-Iweala, it is that she has learnt the important political lesson from Robert Green’s book, The 48 Laws of Power, which says that you must never win anything through arguments but actions. Now I can see how massively her missiles are launching in her “enemies” camp. At the time when her critics are at the loudest locally is when the world recordsthis great woman’s achievements. Can you now see why it is in fact true that a prophet is not celebrated at home?
With all the bashings she received here in Nigeria, one would have thought the former mister was finished literarily speaking, but God usually has other plans. While her critics, here in Nigeria were busy clamouringfor her downfall, the Yale University had her honoured for her excellent records for contribution to fighting corruption and poverty. Her loudest critics, even though they have nothing to show for their many years in public service, have tried their utmost to soil her hard-won reputation, but God will always stand by His own.
Just recently, when one of her main critics was busy trying his mortal best to bring this woman down again, predictably another international honour came. This time, not one, but two international responsibilities came together. Okonjo-Iweala must have joined in singing the Church Chorus, “Everything nadouble, double!”
At first, she has been appointed Chair of the 28-member Board of the influential Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI). Also, the 167-year-old global sovereign advisory investment firm appointed her as a Senior Advisor. How better can you get when you are offered jobs on merit for which you didn’t even apply? I dare Okonjo-Iweala’s critics to apply for an international job on merit based on their public service portfolio.
For this writer, I wish to make it clear that I am not one of those “blind” supporters of any politician. I am only an objective observer of political events. But as far as I am concerned, Okonjo-Iweala is a prophet that we are yet to celebrate here in Nigeria. But the international community that knows her worth are only helping us do this!
Bade Adeboluis an accountant based in Ado-Ekiti. He can be reached on badeadebolu@gmail.com Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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God bless you for this wonderful piece
ReplyDeleteYou see a truth, you say it! There's still hope for Nigeria with folks like you who doesn't look at issues from the prism of politics and tribalism. With your ilk, all hope ain't lost for Naija.
ReplyDeleteExcellent
ReplyDeleteSorry, you have totally missed the point on this one.
ReplyDeleteYou hardly see corporate fits being masses oriented individual. That's exactly why those institutions preferred to engage her services despite the obvious lapses under her watch at home.
This peace would have been ideal had it been that it is written for someone who demonstrated a sense of personal principle of integrity which I'm sorry to point out Dr Iweala seriously lacks.
Dr Iweala will protect her position cum job at all cost regardless of any need for personal principle to prevail.
She is a Corporate survivalist by this lacks personal principle that will really help a Nation as ours for now.
Most Corporate bodies that are desperately looking forward to breaking into potentially viable markets/economies like Nigeria believe very much in Contacts and people with good will. This I believe time will soon tell whether she will be able to deliver on these expectations.
Though she allowed impunity under her watch all the same we wish her well.
Hmmm....
ReplyDeleteDo we really know what kind of favour she must have rendered to these bodies at the expense of Nigeria during her tenure(s) as Minister most especially when we had the totally clueless and highly irresponsible fellow that had no shoes.
Dia ris God oooo.
Many Nigerians dnt knw wat dis woman is maddde of......especially edo state governor,criticizing her everydday u can see nw
ReplyDeleteOnly in Nigeria would you see suppossedly ethical people mingling and dinning with proven rogues,embezzlers and heartless sadist.Good and Godly prophets would not associate herself with irresponsible and corrupt unbelievers if she fails to convert them to act and behave in Godly ways.Well in Nigeria you really can't tell good ways from bad because everyone kept shouting GOD,GOD but they all does unGodly things daily even at churches on sundays
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I like her for been persuasive, hard-working and always represent Nigerian internationally. When it comes to providing her utmost professional services to Nigeria, she always fail and fall in the hands of cabals. Therefore, she has not serve Nigerian the way she ought to. Note: Please let us stop using abusive word when commenting about someone. Thank you and God bless you all.
ReplyDeleteI don't know the reason why you people hate this woman so much. I can read some comments describing her as a rogue, thief etc. I think we all are entitle to our own opinion but a sanity demands that we should base our opinion on anyone on facts and figures. Let us exercise a little patience for her to be indicted before running into conclusion. It is highly disheartening when I see someone's character being defamed. This woman published how the funds were being allocated during her watch as a minister and has also has also reiterated her stance of readiness for PMB probe. Let us wait till then.
ReplyDeleteokonjo-iweala is an erudite professional, and more often than not people who criticise her are always pitiable and miserable mediocres who both now an in their next world would not match her unparalleded record. You see what makes a human being is the ability to to follow issues objectively. Our people must learn to celebrate their own.
ReplyDelete