Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been appointed the new chief of the World Trade Organization, becoming the first woman to ever lead the Switzerland-based institution and the first African citizen to take on the role. However, this is not the first time that Okonjo-Iweala makes history.

Here are few interesting facts to know about the newly appointed WTO DG;

Okonjo-Iweala was born in Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State, Nigeria where her father Professor Chukwuka Okonjo was the Obi (King) from the Obahai Royal Family of Ogwashi-Ukwu.

Okonjo was educated at Queen's School, Enugu, St. Anne's School, Molete, Ibadan, and the International School Ibadan.

She arrived in the US in 1973 as a teenager to study at Harvard University, graduating magna c** laude with an AB in Economics in 1976.

In 1981, she earned her PhD in regional economics and development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a thesis titled Credit policy, rural financial markets, and Nigeria's agricultural development.

Okonjo was the first woman to become Finance Minister of Nigeria, and first woman to serve in that office twice. In 2005, Euromoney named her global finance minister of the year.

When serving as Nigeria’s finance minister, kidnappers demanded Okonjo-Iweala resign after taking her mother hostage. She refused to comply and they ended up releasing her mother a few days later, according to BBC report.

She has also been involved in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, being the African Union’s special envoy on the matter. Okonjo-Iweala has been a board member of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance — a public-private health partnership immunizing people in poorer countries.

She is married to Ikemba Iweala, a neurosurgeon. They have four children - one daughter, Onyinye Iweala (AB, MD, PhD, Harvard) and three sons.

http://community.vanguardngr.com/forum/topics/okonjo-iweala-interesting-facts-about-the-newly-appointed-wto-dg

Wow

Congratulations to us

Congratulations madam! May your reignship bring more better trade negotiations and economic benefits to this nation.

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