It’s not very often that a globally coveted and prestigious job position flirts with the idea of appointing a woman of African descent. But Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is distractingly brilliant and as the current minister of finance in her native Nigeria, she has proven beyond a doubt that she can bravely wade into murky waters and re-surface with unpolluted and distilled ideas that propel progress on a grand scale.
Of course being a Harvard graduate is a major qualifier, not to mention her stint as the managing director of the World Bank, and former positions as the vice president and corporate secretary of the World Bank Group. Her resume reads like a scholarly bible so it’s not shocking to have her name tossed into the ring and gawked at as strong possibility for the World Bank presidency.
Former Columbian finance mister Jose Antonio Ocampo is another contender, and both he and Okonjo-Iweala are expected to battle it out with former Dartmouth University president, Jim Yong Kim, who according to sources was a hasty choice by the Obama administration in order to help counteract the growing approval of the other two nominees.
Historically, the chosen candidate has always been appointed by the White House, but that could very well change and if anyone can appreciate that, surely President Obama can. And he should also be prepared to embrace the strong possibility that Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who seems to be the more qualified and experienced nominee of the bunch could very well be appointed. She has garnered a lot of support from the media, especially from the Economist, a publication that is well respected and revered, which makes their opinion and forecast substantially valid.
Whatever the outcome, it’s refreshing to know that there are still jobs out there that are based solely on merit and productivity.