All Hues Of Gold For Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala @70 -By Ike Willie-Nwobu

How does one begin to describe Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the indefatigable Nigerian woman who heads the World Trade Organization? What superlatives befit a woman whose winnings in the lottery of life have been about more than just luck?

Now 70, she is a cause for celebration in Nigeria and elsewhere. In a country whose recent memory is littered with leadership failures and mishaps, Okonjo-Iweala is a quiet inspiration.

A woman, mother, banker, she twice left the dizzying heights of the World Bank for the charged waters of Nigerian politics, serving as Minister of Finance under two different presidents. She survived with her reputation intact on both occasions, with her second stint proving especially difficult in the face of highly coordinated blackmail from some state governors.

But what makes this Nigerian woman a moral and intellectual boulder that does not budge even when crumbling within? It is her courage of conviction in her personal values. It was what drove her innovative economic efforts which blindsided the connoisseurs of government corruption in Nigeria, for which she cupped a vicious whispering campaign after leaving office.

In her book Fighting Corruption is Dangerous, released after she left office in, Okonjo-Iweala speaks about confronting the fuel subsidy syndicate, almost losing everything to them when they orchestrated the kidnap of her mother and other efforts to make transparency the lowest threshold for government engagement in Nigeria.

It takes unbreakable moral fiber not to partake in government corruption in Nigeria when provided the opportunity. Given the levels of impunity here, it takes more than just belief in right and wrong, it takes courage, which Okonjo-Iweala had in shades. She is the archetype of the Nigerian woman.

Leah Sharibu, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Tobi Amusan, Aisha, have all shown the stuff Nigerian women are made of.

Nigerian women have continued to put their country on the map and take the hammer to the glass ceiling despite tremendous suffering like the abduction of the Chibok girls in 2014 and the Dapchi girls in 2018.

If Okonjo-Iweala offered the country a blueprint to fight corruption, Adichie’s luminous language continues to recreate Nigeria in the minds of a global audience repairing years of bad press. Undoubtedly, women can do more and be more for Nigeria.

Insecurity and climate change have taken a terrible toll on women, especially in the North. President Tinubu has tried to run a gender-friendly government by appointing women to key government positions, but it is disappointing that the appointments fall well short of 35% as ordered by a Federal High Court some years ago. Correcting this imbalance in his government will be a fitting honour of the sacrifices of Nigerian women who have borne the brunt of Nigeria’s struggles as well as proving themselves adroit administrators and compassionate community builders.

Why not Nigerian women? Okonjo-Iweala the first African to head the World Trade Organization has shown that Nigerian women can count globally like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie or locally as the indomitable and inimitable Dora Akunyili of blessed memory.

In a patriarchal world where patriarchy has ironically become a peculiarly portentous predicament, women will not suddenly stand up and seize opportunities. They’ll have to be given. Including women must be a deliberate effort to check an age-long discrimination and correct an ancient distortion.

Women have repeatedly shown that they can hold their own when and if provided the opportunity to thrive. Okonjo- Iweala’s life in public and international service which is a wonderful story of a woman reaching and breaking the glass ceilings is no coincidence. It is the inspirational story of a child who harnessed the faith of her parents and the opportunities given her to thrive. She remains a thrilling testament to the fact that nothing is impossible.

Nigeria must encourage its girls and women to thrive. Harmful age-long beliefs and practices must be seen for what they are: antiquated, unjust and unsustainable. Every layer of subjugation and oppression placed on women must now be peeled away so they can break out and break free.

As always it has to start from education which can change mindsets. Parents must be encouraged to send their girls to school. Early marriage, female genital mutilation and other practices which harm girl children must be put away.

The Child Rights Act of 2003 Is a pro-children legislation which like every good law protects the most vulnerable, is especially important to girls. It is unfortunate that some states are yet to domesticate it while many of those who have domesticated it prefer to look past it in favour of ethnic and religious superstitions while dealing with children, especially girls. The country must unknot this if it is to make significant progress in creating a more equal society.

Nigeria’s struggles as a country are well documented with corruption, illiteracy, insecurity, and underdevelopment competing for honours. But Nigeria’s ruin has not come about for want of human and material resources. Rather, the country remains spoilt for choice with many of its exports including those who have become citizens of other countries lighting up the world stage and showing what is possible with the right environment.

Creating the right environment is impossible without women who are as adept in their decision-making as in peace building. Co-opting them as indispensable contributors and collaborators must become a priority so that while the world celebrates Nigerian women who are lighting up the international scene, Nigeria will continue to produce such women and build a better more equal country.

Ike Willie-Nwobu,

Ikewilly9@gmail.com