18th April, 2015
Obiageli Katryn Ezekwesili, former World Bank Vice President, current Senior Economic Adviser with the Africa Economic Development Policy Initiative (AEDPI) and leading voice on the global #BringBackOurGirls campaign who was named as one of the Time 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2015 said she is delighted to be on the list only for the sake of Chibok girls.
She is honoured alongside Nigeria’s President-Elect, Muhammadu Buhari and award-winning novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Now in its 12th year, The Time 100 is “an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, spanning politics, entertainment, business, technology, science, religion and other fields,” according to Time.com.
“The Time 100 is a list of the world’s most influential men and women not its most powerful,” said Nancy Gibbs, Editor of Time while speaking about the select 100: “As much as this exercise chronicles the achievements of the past year, we also focus on figures whose influence is likely to grow, so we can look around the corner to see what is coming.”
“I frankly have never been a fan of these awards. I am however delighted to be on the Time100 list for the sake of our continuing and persistent campaign for our Government to rescue our abducted 219 Chibok Girls” said Ezekwesili.
“The girls are a symbol of thousands more women and children that have been displaced and kidnapped, and I dedicate this recognition to all of them.
“I am just one out of the many untiring voices that make up our #BringBackOurGirls Family especially here in Nigeria and all over the world. We shall not stop standing and demanding until justice is done our ChibokGirls — they must be rescued,” she added.
In 2006, Ezekwesili received the third highest Nigerian National Honor of Commander of the Federal Republc, CFR.
“The girls are a symbol of thousands more women and children that have been displaced and kidnapped, and I dedicate this recognition to all of them,” she added.
Oby Ezekwesili, as she is fondly called, was at different times Minister of Minerals and Minister of Education under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s 2nd term.
She is a past Vice-President of the World Bank where she delivered economic policy advisory, worth over $40Billion in finance and as well as convening partnerships for 46 African countries in support of their economic and social development programmes.
She is reputed to be the first woman selected for the National Honour of Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2006.
She is currently a Senior Economic Advisor with the Africa Economic Development Policy Initiative (AEDPI) where she advises Presidents of African countries and their cabinets on economic development strategy, policies and implementation.
Ezekwesili is also co-founder of Transparency international, the global anti-corruption NGO. A leading voice in the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, she is a sought after speaker at international conferences and an advocate for good governance.
The Time100 list also listed Boko Haram Shekau for the negative influence of the terrorist organization.