The 54-year-old former governor who spoke with some journalists in the state recently, described Dr Ngozi as a global star one who came back to serve Nigeria with passion.
"It is rather unfortunate that we have this attitude of trying to pull down our best,'' Obi told journalists. ''Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala is a global star and only came back to serve her country and she did that with passion. We gain nothing trying to pull her down. We did it with Arunma Otteh, but we know what she is today. I have been in several meetings where this woman (Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala) was almost crying as she explained and pleaded with all and sundry on the need to save for the rainy day.
''She advised that proceeds from excess crude sales should be saved in the Sovereign National Wealth Fund for effective management. I have read newspaper reports that it is ironic that she spoke of a rainy day when it was already pouring. I personally remain indebted to her because it was from her persistent preaching on the need to save in the Sovereign National Wealth Fund that made me incorporate savings in foreign currency – that is why one third of the money we left on leaving office was in foreign currency, $156 million(N25 billion at that time) With interest now it would be about $170 million and with the current rate it is almost N40 billion.
My position in all this is that we must cultivate the attitude of saving as a country. Excess crude money should be saved in the Sovereign Wealth Fund. No country will survive without saving for the future. Even in animal kingdom, the ants save for the rainy day. We must save bearing in mind that natural resources that we enjoy today are depleting assets."
Dr Ngozi was the Managing Director of World Bank (October 2007 - July 2011)
Honors and awards
Silverbird WoMan of the Year. 2012
Time Europe Hero 2004
This Day Nigeria Minister of the Year 2004
Euromoney Magazine Global Finance Minister of the year 2005
Financial Times/The Banker African Finance Minister 2005
Nigerian of the Year 2006.
Honorary Doctorate from Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
Honorary Doctorate from Trinity College, University of Dublin, Ireland.
Honorary Doctorate from Colby College, Maine, USA.
Honorary Doctorate from Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Jamaica.
Honorary Doctorate from Amherst College, Amherst, MA, USA.
Who's Who in Anioma, 2011
On 28 September 2007, Irish musician Bono was awarded the Liberty Medal. Bono donated the $100,000 prize to the Washington-based Debt AIDS Trade Africa, which he co-founded, and Okonjo-Iweala accepted the award on the organisation's behalf.
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