Nothing. She just keeps on being a Queen.
Fifty years and counting…
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She was a cofounder of Transparency
International and one of its pioneer directors
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She served as the pioneer head of the Budget
Monitoring and Price Intelligence Unit (Where she earned the ‘Madam Due process’
title)
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She served as Federal Minister of Solid Minerals
-
She served as Federal Minister of Education
-
She served as Vice President of the World Bank,
African Division
She was born in the year Nigeria became a Republic. I would
have simply concluded that this accounts for her contributions to the nation
but I realize she was not the only Nigerian born in that year. It must be her
low-cut hair. Like Samson in The Bible, her hair must be her secret. Again, as
I nod my head in conclusion, a light bulb emerges and I am quickly reminded that
many other Nigerian women carry low cut hair styles. So my search for the peculiar thing about Oby
Ezekwesili is ongoing. It is difficult to
place my hands on ‘that thing’ that makes her special, though I am convinced
beyond doubts that she is special.
Madam Oby is an exemplary leader in the true sense of the phrase.
Young Nigerians, as one of you, I recognize that we are in dire need of
mentors, of examples of excellent people we can relate with and draw lessons from.
Don’t allow ‘Madam due process’ as Oby Ezekwesili
is commonly referred to, slide out of your view. Though, she is yet to publish an
autobiography, via many other media we can access her success story and
identify the qualities that underline it. To mention a few of such qualities:
She inspires us to acquire knowledge, to hold fast to
integrity (very key) and to be intentionally bold and courageous.
It is also shocking to realize that she has just turned 50. It
seems she has achieved much more than 50 years should allow for. Obviously, through the years, she has let
little or no time go wasted. She has spent her time judiciously, hence her
eventful and meaningful life thus far. If
our lives would turn out as beautiful as that of Madam due process, we have to purposefully throw our hands on deck
and leave them there. Every moment has to count.
These are few of the many precious values that Oby
Ezekwesili’s life mirrors.
#####
It was all thanksgiving, love sharing and honour at the reception
in celebration of Oby Ezekwesili’s fiftieth birthday today (28th April, 2013)
in Abuja. The Director General of the Securities
and Exchange Commission, Ms. Arunma Oteh; Former FCT Minister, Mallam Nasir
El-Rufai; Former CBN Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo; Director General of the Nigerian
Economic Summit Group, Mr. Frank Nweke and a host of others were present with a
lot of love and appreciation for someone they professed to be a friend and a
colleague worth reckoning with. I would not forget to mention that former
President of Nigeria, President Olusegun Obasanjo was also present at a thanksgiving
service held for the celebrant at the Everlasting Arms Parish of The Redeemed
Christian Church of God, earlier in the day.
In his remarks, President Obasanjo noted that Oby Ezekwesili is a worthy
servant of Nigeria. He recalled stories of her time as Minister in his
administration and prayed that God will keep and guide her through the rest of
her years.
I rejoice with Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili.
I say well done.
I say many more happy years
I say more courage.
I say thank you for being you.
