Oby Ezekwesili is one of the most influential women in Africa and the biggest voice against human rights violation in Nigeria,she is also a former minister of the federation. Checkout her biography,net worth, husband and children.
Obiageli Ezekwesili, popularly known as Oby Ezekwesili is a former vice-president of the World Bank African Region (2007-2012). She has served twice as a Minister in Nigeria and even became a presidential candidate during the 2019 Presidential election, but stepped down in January 2019. Oby Ezekwesili has a strong drive for promoting accountability, good governance and transparency in government. During her tenure as Minister in Nigeria, she led various economic and financial reforms.
Table of Contents
Oby Ezekwesili Profile
Oby Ezekwesili Background
Oby Ezekwesili Education
Oby Ezekwesili Career
Presidential Election
Social Impact
Awards and Recognition
Oby Ezekwesili Husband
Oby Ezekwesili Net Worth
Oby Ezekwesili Cars
Toyota Highlander
Oby Ezekwesili house
Oby Ezekwesili Profile
Name – Obiageli Ezekwesili
Date of birth – April 28, 1963
Age – 58
Net worth – Unknown
Husband – Pastor Chinedu Ezekwesili
Occupation – economic policy expert, chartered accountant, activist.
Oby Ezekwesili Background
Though popularly known as Oby Ezekwesili, her full name is Obiageli Kathryn Ezekwesili, born on April 28, 1963, in Lagos State, Nigeria. She is the first of six children, born to Benjamin Ujubuonu who died in 1988 and her mother Cecilia Nwayiaka Ujubuonu.
Oby Ezekwesili Education
Growing up in Lagos, Oby Ezekwesili attended African One Primary School, Ajegunle, and then United Christian College, Apapa for her secondary education. She had her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and then went on to bag a Master degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos. Moving further, Oby Ezekwesili advanced in her studies abroad and obtained a Master of Public Administration degree from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
Oby Ezekwesili Career
Oby Ezekwesili began her career with Deloitte and Touché Akintola Williams. Also, at Harvard, she worked as the Director of the Harvard-Nigeria Economic Strategy Project with professor Jeffrey Sachs at the Center for International Development.
Involvement in the Nigerian Government
She served as the pioneer Head of the Budget Monitoring and Price Intelligence Unit (aka Due Process Unit), during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo. Her exceptional role in this office earned the nickname ‘madam due process’. Between 2004 – 2007, she served as the Chairperson of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI)
In 2005, she was appointed the Minister of Solid Minerals (Mines and Steel). She was instrumental in creating reforms that made Nigeria globally recognized as a credible mining investment place. She was the pioneer of the Bureau for Public Procurement legislation, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) legislation.
The following year, she was made the Federal Minister of Education where she made contributions like refocusing of the Education Ministry for the attainment of Education for All (EFA) targets and Millennium Development Goals; introducing the Public-Private Partnership models for education service delivery etc.
In March 2007, she was appointed as the Vice President of the World Bank (Africa Region) by World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz. She served in this role from May 2007 t0 May 2012. During her tenure, she effectively advanced the economic interest of Africa and supervised a lending portfolio of over $40 billion.
Presidential Election
In 2018, Oby Ezekwesili announced her interest to compete for the office of the President under the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN). Amongst her campaign promises was the aim to lift 80 million Nigerians out of poverty. However, she withdrew from her presidential aspirations in January 2019.
Social Impact
#BringBackOurGirls
Oby Ezekwesilili championed the #BringBackOurGirls movement when 200 schoolgirls in Chibok were abducted by Boko Haram in 2014. This campaign drew international and local awareness; was even supported by famous celebrities. As a result of her campaign, some of those Chibok girls were released.
#RedCardMovement
Oby Ezekwesili is also the pioneer behind the Red Card Movement. This move is centred on advocating against bad leadership, politics and governance in Nigeria regardless of the political party. The move was also to stir the involvement of Nigerians in politics and nation-building.
Awards and Recognition
Oby Ezekwesili is a woman of honour and prestige. Her monumental contributions have earned her the following awards and recognitions:
- Honorary Doctor of Science Degree, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria, 2012
One of the BBC’s 100 Women, 2013 & 2014
One of the Time-100 Most Influential People, Time Magazine, 2015
One of the 25 Women of Impact, New York Times, 2015
Woman of Impact (along with Melinda Gates), The Women in The World, New York 2016 - Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business, University of Essex Business School, 2016
Considered for the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for her work in Transparency International.
One of World’s 100 Most Influential People, Time Magazine, 2019 - Vanguard Award, Howard University, 2019
Award of Recognition, as leaders of Concerned Professional in this era, June 12 Pro-Democracy Movement, 2019
Social Influencer Award, ‘for launching the viral #BringBackOurGirls campaign online’ Forbes Woman Africa, 2019
One of the #Genius 100 Visionary Thinkers of the Future - Award of Excellence, Harvard Kennedy School of Government
Jean Meyer Award, Tuft University EPIIC
Democracy Ambassador of International IDEA
Oby Ezekwesili Husband
She is married to a Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) named Pastor Chinedu Ezekwesili and together they have 3 sons. Her three lovely sons are named Chinemelum, Chinweuba and Chidera.
Oby Ezekwesili Net Worth
Oby Ezekwesili net worth is currently unknown at the time of writing this article, stay updated as Carmart will update it once available
Oby Ezekwesili Cars
Oby Ezekwesili does not show off her cars on social media. However, due to her global roles and offices, we suggest she owns standard luxurious cars like:
Toyota Highlander
The Toyota Highlander provides a quiet and compliant ride. It is a large three-row crossover SUV with seating for eight, but optional second-row captain’s chairs reduce capacity to seven. There are LE, LE Plus, XLE, SE, Limited and Limited Platinum trim levels. This car costs between 70- 90 million NGN.
Oby Ezekwesili house
Oby Ezekwesili lives in her home with her husband.
