By Nonyem Nnadi, Finance (Transcorp Hotels Plc)
“When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.” – Sophia Loren
If empathy, bravery and leaving one’s comfort zone is a key tenet of motherhood, then Dr. Ezekwesili fits the bill perfectly.
Fondly called “Oby Ezeks”, the former Vice President World Bank (Africa division), founding Director of Transparency International, and two-time Minister under the Obasanjo administration, has impeccable credentials beyond her Master’s degree from Harvard University.
Ezekwesili was instrumental to the start of the viral #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) campaign on social media, which trended internationally in 2014. This brought her to limelight once again as she and several other women marched under the rain to insist that the Federal Government secure the release of over two hundred school girls kidnapped from Chibok Town. Since then, the group has been holding a daily sit-out at the Unity Fountain Abuja to press home its demands.
As a sign of good faith to the Government that she is not an “enemy of the state”, she has applauded the Nigerian authorities for the few rescued girls and celebrated with the families of re-united girls. She has consistently encouraged the support of the Military’s efforts in fighting insurgency despite the intimidation and harassment by the previous and current administrations. Willing to “walk her talk”, she joined the Federal Government delegation for a visit to the North-East in January 2017.
As a mother, Ezekwesili has encouraged a holistic and novelle approach to securing the release of these young abductees because she feels the intense pain and anxiety of parents who are hoping against hope that one day, they would receive their daughter(s) alive and well, even after 1000 days have gone.
Ezekwesili has sustained the tempo of #BBOG so that it remains at the front burner of pressing national matters, without which the country could lose its credibility as a protector of its citizenry.
There are other sides to this resilient woman outside being a co-convener of the popular advocacy group. As an internationally trained Chartered Accountant, she continues to weigh in on pressing national issues such as the proposed sale of national assets and the conflicting monetary and fiscal policies. From her wealth of experience, Ezekwesili has proffered practical solutions on how to get the economy out of the recession.
“Oby Ezeks” is an inspiration to women world-over who are willing to risk being misunderstood, ridiculed and resisted in their goal to make their environment a safer and better place to live in.
Nice one, Nonny