A trailblazer in her own right, the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a woman worthy of emulation. As she turned 70 last Thursday, June 13, Vanessa Obioha profiles her life, career and numerous achievements “Energetic” is a word frequently used to describe Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). In a 2015 interview, her third child, songwriter and singer Okechukwu Iweala, told journalists that his mother is the most hardworking woman he has ever known.
“People don’t know that my mum used to work 20 hours literally every day. It never changed; whether she is in Washington or Abuja. People don’t see this but we see it live and direct.
” At the WTO, her colleagues often marvelled at her remarkable vigour, frequently asking, “How come you are so energetic and eager?” she revealed during a fireside chat last April at the Centre for Global Development, where she is a non-resident fellow. Having turned 70 on Thursday, June 13, it is understandable why many admire her zest. Few of her peers can boast such stamina at that age.
Okonjo-Iweala’s spirited personality stems from the passion and values instilled in her by her parents. Born in 1954 in Ogwashi-Ukwu to academic parents, she was taught early on that education is a privilege, not a right, and it should be used to enrich others rather than oneself. “This has guided my whole life so I’ve always been looking to do something in.
