Abuja — The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the
Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has bagged an honorary doctorate
at Yale University, one of the most prestigious institutions of higher
learning in the United States of America.
The minister was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters at Yale's 2015
Commencement Ceremony in New Haven, Connecticut on Monday.
By this honour, she becomes the second Nigerian in the university's
314-year history to receive its highest honour after Nobel Laureate,
Prof. Wole Soyinka, who received an honorary Doctor of Letters in
1980.
Conferring the award, the President of the university, Prof. Peter
Salovey, described Okonjo-Iweala as "a brilliant reformer and dedicated
public servant."
The minister, he added, "has spearheaded efforts to stabilise and grow
Nigeria's economy, battling widespread government corruption and
creating greater fiscal transparency and discipline."
Yale's honorary doctoral degree is seen globally as a very important
honour. According to the institution, "Those who have received
honorary degree are scholars, public servants, Nobel Prize winners and
heads of states.
"Collectively, they represent the aspirations of this institution. Yale
honorary degree recipients serve as models of excellence and service to
our students, to our graduates, to our community and to the world."
Okonjo-Iweala was honoured alongside the Chair of the Board of
Governors of US Federal Reserve System Janet Yellen; world renowned
Beninoise singer and songwriter, Angelique Kidjo; University Professor
and founding member of the Institute for Comparative Literature and
Society at Columbia University, Gayatari Chakravorty Spivak; Professor
and Director of the Starr Center for Human Genetics at Rockefeller
University, Jeffrey Michael Friedman; inventors and entrepreneurs, Elon
Musk and Dean Kamen, among others.
Yale had in the past honoured a handful of other Africans such as
Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Archbishop Desmond
Tutu.
As Finance Minister in 2004, Okonjo-Iweala and the economic team
that she led, helped Nigeria obtain debt relief, wiping out $30 billion of
Paris Club debt, leading to a tripling of the growth rates.
In her second coming as the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and
Finance Minister since August 2011, Okonjo-Iweala has focused on
building strong foundations and institutions critical for the survival and
sustenance of the economy. She bravely fought corruption in
government with fierce dedication and unflagging energy.
source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201505201469.html

I have said it before and I will say it again Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala still remains my most patriotic Nigerian. Even in the face of baseless accusations and unwarranted insults, this lady has always answered when Nigeria called her and to my best of knowledge, has always given her all refusing to chicken out like most of our so called renowned intellects on the bases on upholding integrity leaving me to wonder if their integrity is more valuable than the lives millions of Nigerian that would be affected positively or even saved if they accept such offers
TRULY A PROPHET IS NEVER HONOURED IN HIS HOMETOWN

Igbo Kwenu!

I pledge to Biafra my country

Even though at home the likes of Bisi Akande will spat at her, her efforts had been noticed howbeit by a foreigner.

Kudos.