Page 40 - Forbes - Africa (March 2020)
P. 40
FORBES AFRICA
COVER STORY • POWER WOMEN
gozi Okonjo-Iweala is a globally-renowned economist who is deliberate, pur-
poseful and carefully accounts for every action and decision she makes. She has
received honorary degrees from 15 universities and has recently been named
N the next Angelopoulos Global Public Leader by the dean of Harvard Kennedy
School, following the footsteps of former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
She rose to prominence during her two terms as Nigeria's finance minister, and briefly as
foreign minister; the first woman to hold both jobs. But the positions were not without
challenges. At the time, very few women had occupied these spaces regionally and globally,
but this had little to no effect in deterring her successful reign. "I am an unapologetic op-
timist about the world and especially about Africa. I always have a sense of purpose even
when faced with adversity," she says. As a former managing director of the World Bank,
she developed many successful approaches to encourage sustainable, inclusive growth in
developing countries.
Today, she is chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, an organization that has im-
munized 760 million children in the developing world and saved 13 million lives.
Okonjo-Iweala sits on the boards of Standard Chartered and Twitter. She tells us more:
What are you most proud of?
The first is helping my country Nigeria [as finance minister] get $30 billion of debt relief,
an unprecedented feat under the Presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo and a strong econom-
ic team. [Also], helping to institutionalize greater transparency in the management of Ni-
NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA, geria's finances to strengthen the fight against corruption. Second is being a mother to four
wonderful grown-up children who are good human beings and doing good in society.
NIGERIA
What does it mean to be a powerful woman in 2020?
CHAIR, BOARD OF THE GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR I do not feel powerful; I have never felt powerful even as a minister. What I have felt and
VACCINES AND IMMUNISATION (GAVI) still feel is responsible… an awful sense of responsibility in 2020, especially as the world
DAILY MANTRA: “I must get out of bed 70% of is experiencing so much uncertainty and young people are losing hope upon seeing what
the time eager to go to my job or else it is not was once upheld as good values challenged across the globe. The key issue for me is how to
worth doing.” use the global recognition I have to get more and more things done to help others.
WARIS DIRIE,
PHUMZILE SOMALIA
MLAMBO- PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER,
NGCUKA, SOUTH DESERT FLOWER FOUNDATION
AFRICA DAILY MANTRA: “A day
without laughter is a day
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNITED wasted.” (Quote by Charlie
NATIONS (UN) WOMEN Chaplin)
DAILY MANTRA: “Do not
sweat the small stuff. Keep your The story of former model, Waris Di-
eyes on the ball. Avoid being rie's is genuinely an accurate tale Dirie founded the Desert Flow-
distracted from the main goal.” Today,sheisatthehelmofthe of turning negative experiences for er Foundation with operations in 11
world’sleadingwomenempower- good. When Dirie was five years, she countries. Through her foundation,
Whenitcomestotheadvancementof mentvehiclewhereshehascontrib- suffered the inhuman procedure of fe- she recently opened three schools
therightsandeconomicupliftmentof utedtotheadoptionandreformof44 male genital mutilation (FGM). for 1,200 children in Sierra Leone. The
girlsandwomen,PhumzileMlambo- lawsaimedatstrengtheningwomen’s At the age of 13, Dirie fled to London foundation supports 1,000 girls and
Ngcukaisundoubtedlyinthefront- rightsin25countries.Byinvitation, to escape a forced marriage with a families who they've saved from FGM
line.Withherrootsdeeplyimplant- LinkedInselectedhertobeamem- man who was more than three times and forced marriages. To ensure the
edintheAfricanNationalCongress, berofitsglobalcollectiveofinfluenc- her senior. Before being discovered holistic treatment of FGM victims, she
theorganizedresistancemovement ersmadeupoftheworld’sforemost as a model, she worked as a house- has also opened four centers in Ber-
whichfoughtagainstapartheidand thinkersandinnovators. maid and at McDonald’s. As a United lin, Stockholm, Amsterdam and Paris.
subsequentlythefirstrulingpartyof TheAfricancontinentarguablyhas Nations ambassador, Dirie is tireless- In 2009, she produced a biopic Desert
post-apartheidSouthAfrica,Mlam- theworld’slargestgenderinjustices. ly fighting the practice of FGM around Flower, and later got translated into
bo-Ngcukaisnostrangertoconfront- Forthisreason,Mlambo-Ngcukahas the world. a major musical, to empower girls all
inghumaninjustice.Herdedicationto setuptheAfricanWomenLeaders According to the World Health Or- over the world.
humanrights,equalityandsocialjus- Network(AWLN)toadvance,train ganisation, 8,000 girls are subjected Dirie has won many awards since
tice,sawherholdthesecond-high- andsupportfemaleleadersacross to FGM everyday worldwide. "In 1997, starting her mission in 1998 including
estpositioninthenation,deputypres- sectorsandgenerationsintodecision- only a few people knew about FGM. the Chevalier de La Legion d’honneur
ident,whereshe served from 2005 making positions in their countries. Now studies show a massive decrease in France, and the Sunhak Peace Prize
to 2008. of FGM all over Africa," she says. from Korea.
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