Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, an Inspiration to Nigerian Women — The Sugar Girl Reality

The appointment of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) is indeed an indication that anything is attainable, especially for women, if we put our hearts to it.

Her appointment did not just come as a fluke but was a cumulative result of a dedicated, focused and career-oriented life.

The hitches her candidacy as WTO DG faced when the American government under the leadership of Donald Trump, as well as the news of her appointment which made waves on Monday, February 15, 2021, proved that delay is not denial.

On this day, Sugar Girl Reality celebrates Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala who has demonstrated a high-level inspiration, showing us that a positive balance could be struck between a happy family and an awesome career.

Yes! Despite being a mother of four children, she broke all odds as a development economist with an impressive 25-year stint in the World Bank, where she attained a position of ‘second in command’, that is, Managing Director.

During her time as Managing Director, she controlled the World Bank’s $81 billion operational portfolio in Africa, South Asia, Europe and Central Asia.

Okonjo-Iweala also led several World Bank initiatives to assist low-income countries during the 2008–2009 food crises, as well as the financial crisis.

Glimpse of her personal life

Born into the family of Professor Chukwuka Okonjo on June 13, 1954, in Ogwashi-Ukwu area of Delta State, Ngozi obtained her early education from Queen’s School, Enugu, St. Anne’s School Molete, Ibadan and the International School Ibadan.

She bagged an AB in Economics in 1976 from Harvard University, as well as a Ph.D in Regional Economics and Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1981.

She is married to Ikemba Iweala, a neurosurgeon from Abia State and their union is blessed with four children.

Her time in Government

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala left a footprint in running the affairs of Nigeria when she served as Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy for two terms, and also a Minister of Foreign Affairs. She was the first woman to ever hold both positions in Nigeria.

During her first term as Minister of Finance under the Olusegun Obasanjo-led administration, she oversaw negotiations with the Paris Club, leading to the wiping out of US$30 billion of Nigeria’s debt, including the outright cancellation of US$18 billion.

Following her reappointment as Finance Minister in 2011, she left an indelible mark in revitalizing Nigeria’s economy as well as the empowerment of women and youths with her initiative tagged ‘Growing Girls and Women in Nigeria Programme (GWIN). This initiative relied on a gender-responsive budgeting system.

She also monitored the Youth Enterprise with Innovation programme (YouWIN), a platform that supported entrepreneurs and created thousands of jobs.

Her time after serving in government

While many people would have gone ahead to retire after serving with the World Bank and the government, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala went on to become a member of the International Commission of Financing Global Education Opportunity between 2015–2016. In 2016, she was appointed as the chairman of Gavi.

During this period, she founded Nigeria’s foremost indigenous opinion-research organization — the NOI-polls, as well as the Centre for the Study of Economies in Africa, a development and research centre based in Abuja.

The International Monetary Fund led by Kristalina Georgieva, in 2020, appointed her to an external advisory council to contribute her quota to policy challenges.

Awards and recognitions

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala has been recognized and received awards numerous times.

Some of these include:

• Top 100 most inspiring people in the World Delivering for Girls and Women (Women Deliver, 2011),
• Top 100 Most Influential People in the World (TIME, 2014),
• Top 100 Most Powerful Women in the World (Forbes, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014),
• Top 10 Most Influential Women in Africa (Forbes, 2011),
• Top 100 Global Thinkers (Foreign Policy, 2011 and 2012),
• Top 100 Women in the World (The Guardian, 2011),
• Top 150 Women in the World (Newsweek, 2011),
• And many more.

She also has seven honorary degrees from international higher institutions.

Heading the WTO board

Okonjo-Iweala heading the international trade body makes her the first woman and first African Director-General of the WTO.

While the role of the Director-General is mostly administrative and decision making is consent-based, the whole world has got their eyes fixed on her because she has shown that she has significant sway, as well as political and diplomatic clout.

Okonjo-Iweala has said she wants to reach “optimal complementarity between trade and the environment”. With this comment, there is hope that she will attempt to broker a ceasefire between the US and China.

Her appointment is coming at a time when countries are eager to see an increased implementation of the existing WTO Aid for Trade Initiatives which would give developing countries, especially those in Africa, the skills, supply capacity and trade-related infrastructure they need to benefit from WTO agreements.

In all of this, the future of Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world may become brighter, in the aspect of trade relations, with the coming of Okonjo-Iweala.

Sugar Girl Reality is fascinated to celebrate Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala because she has proved those who say a career woman can’t have it all wrong. Her attributes of hard work, perseverance and uprightness has sent a message that women can attain any height they set their mind. Like they say, “If you can think it, you can do it.”

Do stay inspired!

Originally published at https://www.sugargirlreality.com on February 18, 2021.