Okonjo-Iweala Quest to Lead World Bank: Politics Over Qualification – By Emeka Chiakwelu

Posted by admin Articles, Columnists, Emeka Chiakwelu, NNP Columnists, Women Politics Friday, April 6th, 2012

Minister of Finance - Okonjo-Iweala

By Emeka Chiakwelu | NNP | April 6, 2012 –

It will be simply splendid! Splendid indeed to have a Nigerian woman
become the president of the World Bank. Three frontline nations and
economic powerhouse in Africa – South Africa, Angola and of course Nigeria
have endorsed her for this important post. Nigeria has even gone further
and has managed to get the African Union to stand by her. To buttress how
serious the country of her birth is committed to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweal,
Nigerian diplomatic mission in Washington DC has started lobbying other
foreign diplomats to support her.

The truth is that Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweal has strong competitors to the
position and it will take more than qualification and credentials to
topple those two other gentlemen. To be frank, the most compelling
competitor is Dr. Jim Yong Kim, a Korean American nominated by President
Barrack Obama. The other gentleman Mr. Jose Antonio Ocampo, is a Columbian
who can be called a Latin American candidate. Jose Antonio Ocampo is also
a good candidate; he is a college professor and a former finance minister
in Columbia. The Latin American candidate, Jose Antonio Ocampo is in the
process but we all have a feeling that he will not get the
position,because United States has an upper hand in the hemisphere.

Without mincing words, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is the most qualify to be
president of the World Bank. She has the resume, the requisitive education
and experience to head the Brentwood institution. To top it all, she has
worked for the World Bank for 25 years and she has hands on experience.
She understands the philosophy, architecture and the nature of the job.
She did not need anybody on the first day of her job to show her the
cafeteria, conference room, library and the rest of the building.
Okonjo-Iweala already knows the names of the most of the senior staff
working in the building.

But it takes more than resume and experience to get the position. This is
a political position that requires more than having a doctorate in
economics from Ivy League college. United States needs the position to be
able to pilot her international affairs with regards to democratic
dispensation and capitalism. It would have been better if President Obama
has nominated Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. But Nigeria as a nation has poor
branding, despite being an oil-rich nation and Nigerian constituency in
America have not yet started flexing their voting and political muscle.

You are beginning to get the idea: Yes, few months ago Okonjo-Iweala was
the managing director of World Bank before she returned home to become the
minister of finance and economic coordinator for President Jonathan’s
administration. Before that she has been vice-president and corporate
secretary at World Bank. Her stiff competitor Dr. Jim Yong Kim, the
American nominee does not have a vast and ample experience like her in
global economics and granulated management.

Yong Kim, who is currently the president of Dartmouth College, is a
medical doctor by training and does not enjoy adequate sophistication on
international economics and finance, unlike Dr. Okonjo-Iweala who has her
doctorate and experience in the field.

Jim Yong Kim has couple of things going for him; he is from a minority
population group in United States, Korean community. That will help for
America to counteract the argument that a candidate from emerging nation
is needed. Jim Yong Kim was born in South Korea before he migrated to
America for his advance and post graduate studies. He is an American
citizen who was born in a developing nation and economically emerging
market of South Korea. Moreover, at World Health Organization (WHO), he
has been known to be generous with his care giving and dedication to the
health of developing nations especially AIDS patients.

United States candidate has upper hand because since the inception of the
two Brentwood institutions: World Bank and IMF, United States has always
produced leaders of the World Bank while Europe takes over the leadership
of International Monetary Fund (IMF) leadership. The United States has the
most number of votes at the World Bank and together with its allies in
Europe, Japan and Saudi Arabia; it will have its way.

But “let not your heart be troubled”, hope is not all lost. Nigeria’s
Okonjo-Iweal can still take it and win the position. It is possible but
Nigeria has to up her game and take the issue direct to United States and
Europeans. Nigeria must make her point direct and precise why it is
necessary for an African woman to land the World Bank apex job.

Nigeria and Okonjo-Iweala have made the point that the time has come for a
candidate from an emerging nation to lead the World Bank. The point must
be clearly established that Jim Yong Kim having been born in South Korea,
will not be equated as being acceptable to developing world. For Yong Kim
is now representing the developed nations.

Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala might also made the argument that the time has
come to give a woman the opportunity to participate in global leadership.
And by electing her as president of World Bank can prove to the entire
world that women are to be taken serious, not just in talk but in action.
By having a woman from Europe as the head of International Monetary Fund
(IMF) and another woman from Africa as head of World Bank is the right
thing to do and reassure the global community that equality is here to
stay.

Good luck to Nigeria and Okonjo-Iweala!

Emeka Chiakwelu is the Principal Policy Strategist at Afripol
Organization. Africa Political and Economic Strategic Center (Afripol) is
foremost a public policy center whose fundamental objective is to broaden
the parameters of public policy debates in Africa. To advocate, promote
and encourage free enterprise, democracy, sustainable green environment,
human rights, conflict resolutions, transparency and probity in Africa.
http://afripol.org. [email protected]wp_posts