The August 3, 2006 resignation of the Nigeria's erstwhile Minister for Finance - and more lately Foreign Minister - Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is intriguing to say the least (see attached letters below).  The initial official and un-official attempts to put a "prestigious promotion" gloss over her surprising enforced movement (on June 21) from Finance (where she demonstrated focus, dedication and competence, even if one did not always agree with her initial dollar salary or her economic policies) to Foreign Affairs (where she self-admittedly had little or no experience or preparation) have now been shown to be disingenuous. 

Something definitely appeared to have gone amiss between herself and her former boss, President Obasanjo.    One does not know for sure what happened earlier, but right from the moment when Okonjo-Iweala inscrutably wrote a letter (dated June 6, 2006) to the Senate stating that " (President Olusegun Obasanjo) has conveyed to me a document containing information on withdrawals from the excess crude and Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) between October 2005 and April 2006…."  -  clearly shifting responsibility away from herself - to her hasty and ill-advised declaration of an administrative rut in the Foreign Ministry of her immediate predecessor Olu Adeniji,  followed by   a declaration on July 4 before another Senate committee of an officially disputed discovery of fraud - she ran into uncharacteristically stormy and public political weather with the Obasanjo administration.    

 Okonjo-Iweala should have resigned earlier immediately she was re-assigned from Finance to Foreign Affairs, but most probably  a combination of "patriotic" blackmail and the  lure of the devious "military" tactic of being temporarily retained as head of the Economic Team delayed her now courageous resignation move.   The Iweala-as-economic-team-head arrangement was bound to be un-workable given the fact that a substantive Finance Minister (Mrs. Nenadi Usman, formerly Minister of State for Finance and hence Ngozi's equally-dedicated and loyal deputy), no political pushover herself, was in place.   Nenadi had privately complained and indicated an unwillingness to sign onto any document negotiated by the Minister of another ministry. 

The fact of the matter was that Dr. Okonjo-Iweala had completed in Obasanjo's government what she was originally "employed" or "assigned" to do in the first instance - pay up  Nigeria's Paris-Club debts as some kind of "bailiff" to the West.  She was thus now expendable.  Her dismissal as head of the economic team while negotiating abroad (this time with London Club creditors) on behalf of the team, followed by her announced confinement in Foreign Affairs to the Non-Aligned Movement, was heavy-handed, uncouth and un-classy, but not unusual for President Obasanjo, who has often displayed the penchant for throwing his closest advisers and collaborators off-balance and out in the cold when they least expect it.

A couple of  things are certain: on paper the former duo of Minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Minister of State Mrs. Nenadi Usman in the  Ministry of Finance was far more qualified and internationally exposed, and far less politically malleable than the new team of  Minister Mrs. Usman and  Minister of State Engineer Elias Nwalen Mbam.  Whether this political malleability scenario figured into the scheme of things in this pre-2007 political season remains a question mark.    Secondly, life will go on for my former primary school mate Ngozi as she most probably returns to re-join us Diaspora Nigerians.   Nigeria will remember her as its first female Finance Minister ; as its first  female and shortest-serving Foreign Minister (44 days); for leading the debt relief effort and bringing Nigeria's external debt down from $35 billion to $5 billion (while controversially paying off $12 billion at-a-go to the Paris Club of creditors);  for ensuring the transparent publication of federal, state and local government federal allocation figures - and for her very recognizable small but full-figure frame; her trade-mark glasses;   brightly-colored Ankara wear and "osuka" head gear.  She will be re-embraced, re-celebrated and re-warded by the West - while Nigerians will still have to wait for the "trickle-down" effects of many of the controversial reform policies which she, her former team-mates and  former boss championed.

Will she run for president or vice-president – or even for Governor of her own Delta State (not her husband's Abia State) – as rumors to those effects swirl?   My own political tea-leaves reading indicates that those are highly unlikely events, given her significant lack of independent political roots.

The last time I saw Ngozi was just on July 25, when as the new Foreign Minister, her ministry was listed as host of a banquet for visiting Diaspora Nigerians (during Diaspora Week July 25-28) at the Transcorp Hilton. I stood in line to re-introduce myself and greet her, whereupon she asked pointedly "Any more controversial issues to write on?" – in oblique reference to my criticisms (among others) of her dollar salary, debt relief policies and ..umm..umm.. Potomac Maryland/Nigerian neighborhood. We cracked up laughing.  If I had an inkling into the future, I should have retorted – "Wait until next week!"

In any case, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala's plight should not be interpreted negatively by members of the Diaspora who wish to join one government or the other in Nigeria. Without being immodest, I vouch to state that our services are sorely needed in Nigeria provided we offer our skills respectfully.  Rather, the former minister of Finance & Foreign Affairs' situation should be seen as a convergence of an unusual set of political actors and economic circumstances.

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

NIGERIA

                                                                                                            August 3, 2006

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR

President, Commander-in-Chief,

Federal Republic of Nigeria,

Presidential Villa

Abuja

Mr. President:

RESIGNATION FROM POSITION OF

FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER

This is to tender my resignation as Foreign Affairs Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I want to thank Your Excellency for granting me the honour of serving our beloved country Nigeria first as Minister of Finance and Leader of the Economic Team under your Chairmanship for a period of three years and then as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Economic Team for a period of one and a half months.

Mr. President, I am compelled to tender my resignation at this time because of a) the need to take care of pressing family issues that demand my immediate attention and b) because I believe that I have faithfully delivered on all of the tasks Your Excellency charged me with when you invited me to resign from the World Bank to become Finance Minister three years ago.

Your Excellency outlined a terms of reference that included formulation and spearheading of the implementation of a reform program that would turn the Nigerian Economy around. Specifically, Your Excellency also asked that I deliver debt relief for Nigeria – a quest that had eluded the country for some time.

Mr. President, working with your Presidential Economic Team under your leadership and guidance, I believe we were able to create a strong reform program and implement this to worldwide acclaim and to the benefit of Nigerians. The results speak for themselves and need not be repeated here.

I am particularly proud of the fiscal aspects of this program which brought sanity and prudent management to our fiscal regime and above all greater transparency so that all Nigerians can hold government more accountable whether for revenues collected in the Federation Account or for the costs of running government or other financial responsibilities.

I am especially grateful to God for shepherding us through a very difficult Paris Club debt relief process spearheaded by your Excellency and resulting in success beyond most people's expectations with an unprecedented $18 billion write-off. This success has also allowed us to initiate the restructuring of our London Club debt. I am also grateful for other work done in Finance that saved the country more than $500 million through the analytical work of the new oil and gas unit, and through the analysis and renegotiations of various contracts in the Ministry of Finance.

Mr. President, you provided the opportunity to do so much more by appointing me chairman of several of the important committees you created to solve the topical problems our government faced.

In the short time I have been in Foreign Affairs, important changes have also been initiated to help strengthen and refocus the ministry and sharpen certain aspects of our foreign policy as you instructed. In fact, a roadmap has been developed to illustrate necessary changes to improve the ministry.

Your Excellency, I have delivered on your targets and benchmarks and I believe it is time for me to look after my family whilst at the same time contributing to Nigeria in another fashion. I am particularly grateful to my colleagues in the Federal Executive Council and on the Economic Team, to the staff of the ministries in which I served, and to fellow Nigerians who have shown me unremitting and wonderful support. I am also grateful to the National Assembly, especially its leadership, for the partnership and support they provided me throughout my tenure. I must not forget to thank my fellow Abians for trusting me to represent them in the cabinet for these past three years. Above all, I am grateful to Your Excellency for this opportunity to serve our country.

God Bless Mr. President!  God Bless Nigeria!

Signed:

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION

THE PRESIDENCY, FEDERAL SECRETARIAT, SHEHU SHAGARI WAY,

ABUJA – NIGERIA

Website:  www.osgf.gov.ng  Email: info@osgf.gov.ng

Tel: 09-5233540

Reference:  SGF.12/S.6/VII/798                                              3rd August, 2006

Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,

Honourable Minister,

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

Wuse,

Abuja

RE: RESIGNATION FROM POSITION OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER

I write to convey the regretful acceptance of your resignation by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, based on your compelling need to take care of pressing family issues that demand your immediate attention.   Mr. President wishes to acknowledge the unparalleled patriotism, dedication and loyalty that you displayed throughout your tenure, first as Minister of Finance and lately as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

2.  Mr.  President notes in particular the monumental achievements recorded by Nigeria during your tenure as Minister of Finance, and Chairperson Economic Management Team, as well as the successes of our reform programme in the Finance Sector with clearly visible results being applauded worldwide and by all Nigerians.   You were able to utilize the vast network and experience of over 20 years at the World Bank to contribute to getting our nation the debt relief that had eluded us for so long. You delivered on all the tasks and targets set for you in that sector by Mr. President.    At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs you have within this short time set the tone for a transformation of the ministry. This administration will certainly miss you.

3.  Mr.  President therefore regrets that you had to resign at this stage of our reform programme when various measures adopted by government were beginning to yield positive results.   Mr. President, however, respects your reasons for tendering your resignation which he has regretfully accepted.

4.  Mr President believes that although you have left the cabinet, you will as a patriotic Nigerian continue to make positive contributions to the development of your beloved country and wishes you every success in your future endeavours.

Signed

Chief U.J. Ekaette, CFR, mni

Secretary to the Government of the Federation

Robot  Villager

# 1 Okonjo-Iweala should have resigned earlier immediately she was re-assigned from Finance to ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 08.08.2006 07:33

techsista  Villager

# 2 Nice write up. Looks like the former minister had a sense of humor -- you both had a good laugh. I'm actually curious about your assessment of what Mrs. Usman can achieve in 9 months. Do you think her policies will be different from the "trickle down" economics approach? I also would like to know what, in your opinion, were the other ministers' main achievements in their respective ministries over the last 3 years (starting maybe with the health minister). Thanks! Posted by techsista| 08.08.2006 07:59

gwobezentashi  Villager

# 3 Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: why she quit Written by Jonathan Elendu Tuesday, 08 August 2006 Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who resigned her office as External Affairs Minister on the 3rd of August was a victim of high stakes political games orchestrated by her. Elendureports.com investigations have uncovered some disturbing details that may have forced the highly celebrated Finance and later External Affairs Minister to resign. The MIT trained economist who was a world bank executive and later a consultant to Nigeria before becoming Minister of Finance is credited with designing and implementing policies that enabled Nigeria’s economy to pick up, leading to the country winning billions of dollars in debt relief from the Paris Club of lenders. The controversial debt relief was celebrated by her supporters while her detractors considered it ill-advised and a betrayal of the poor masses of Nigeria. It may be necessary to state that Pres. Olusegun during a speech early in his administration announced that the government would pursue debt relief and carry out reforms in the economic sector. However, while Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was celebrated for this achievement of debt relief and other economic reforms, it was not as a result of the efforts of a single individual. The Obasanjo economic team which included people like Nenadi Usman, FCT Minister, Nasir El-Ruffai, Nuhu Ribadu, Mansui Muktar, Oby Ezekwesili, may have been shoved aside in the accolades as the former Finance Minister is known to have claimed total credit for this achievement. During the last “jamboree” in Abuja organized by Hope Sullivan Masters and tagged: The Leon Sullivan Summit, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala took total credit for the economic reforms of the Obasanjo Administration. She made this statement to as many international dignitaries at the summit as were interested in listening to her. This statement was overheard by some reporters, including one aligned with this magazine. The President is said to have been told about this boast by his Minister. This and other incidences of “running her mouth” became an embarrassment to some of her colleagues. They privately admonished her to watch her “mouth” but like one of the people who spoke to her told Elendureports.com, said, “The woman was past redemption as you could see she was set on a course of destruction.” Okonjo-Iweala’s former Minister of State for Finance and her successor at the Finance Ministry, Nenadi Usman gave a speech on 4th July, soon after Okonjo-Iweala was reassigned to the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Okonjo-Iweala is alleged to have started a murmur campaign claiming that the speech given by Nenadi Usman was written by her. This was part of a campaign to “talk down” the new Minister of Finance. According to documents obtained by Elendureports.com, the former Minister is suspected to have co-opted some local and foreign journalists in this campaign. The former minister invited Financial Times to do a story on Nigeria that was to be published to coincide with the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The meeting will hold in Singapore in September. Okonjo-Iweala, according to a letter written by James Eedes, Africa Editor for The Banker, a Financial Times publication, recommended that the current Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman be interviewed for the publication. The reporter faxed from Transcorp Hilton, ten questions to Nenadi Usman in advance of the interview. Two of the questions seem to have been tied or motivated by some of the reporting we did following the reassignment of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to the Foreign Affairs Ministry. For instance, the fifth question was: “Are you tough enough to resist demands of increased allocation from excess crude account, especially in the lead up to elections?” A presidency source told Elendureports.com that the President was infuriated by the questions from the Financial Times reporter. The President suspected that his Foreign Affairs Minister “put the reporter up to it.” He immediately wrote a letter to Okonjo-Iweala, who was on official assignment in London. The letter informed the former minister that she was no longer the head of the country’s economic team. A staffer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs faxed the letter to the Minister the next day. On getting the letter, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in a fit of anger, according to sources, exclaimed: “Obasanjo is the most ungrateful man in the world!” Elendureports.com had a brief chat with the Financial Times reporter, James Eedes. The reporter said, “The issue of asking the Minister the question of how she would like to be compared to the former minister is nothing really. I don’t want to be embroiled in this. I am a journalist. I don’t want to be part of the story. The Finance Minister would be naïve to think that these questions are not out there. She should have taken the opportunity to address these issues. The much talked about qualifications of Okonjo-Iweala, I consider it just a chip on the shoulder.” James Eedes described the timing of the advance questions he sent to Nenadi Usman as “coincidental.” He said he had not spoken to the former Minister in a long time. “I can say with 100% conviction that the last time I spoke to her (Okonjo-Iweala) was in Burkina Faso. Since then the only contact with her has been through Ndubuisi.” While many of her former colleagues have refused to speak on the record concerning her resignation, the general feeling amongst them is relief. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was regarded by most of her colleagues as a very arrogant and difficult person. She is accused of nearly sabotaging the debt relief program. According to highly placed sources at the Central Bank and Ministry of Finance, the Finance Minister refused to inform the Central Bank Governor, Charles Soludo that payment to countries in the Paris Club were usually made in local currencies of the creditor nations until about twenty-four hours to the expiration of the allotted time for payment. The Central Bank of Nigeria hurriedly opened accounts all over the world within a few hours to the deadline and in the process lost millions of dollars. Okonjo-Iweala is also accused of insisting that her former aides at the Ministry of Finance report to her after being reassigned to the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Memos were sent to the Minister by these aides without the knowledge and permission of the Finance Minister. Mansur Muktar, Director of the Debt Management Office is alleged to have been the major culprit. Another occasion of Okonjo-Iweala’s meddlesomeness was Nigeria’s preparations for the upcoming meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Singapore. After a Federal Executive Council meeting recently, Okonjo-Iweala and members of the economic team commenced their meeting. During the meeting, Iweala, though not the Finance Minister, issued instructions to the Ministers and other members of the economic team. She directed El-Ruffai, Nuhu Ribadu, and Oby Ezekwesili to prepare papers that would be presented at the Singapore meeting. They all declined. At that point Oby Ezekwesili, according to sources said: “Why are you asking us to prepare papers…what about the Minister of Finance?” Okonjo-Iweala is said to have retorted, “she can prepare papers if she wants.” Knowledgeable sources in Abuja posit that there was no doubt that Okonjo-Iweala would have been sacked by Pres. Olusegun Obasanjo had she not resigned. She is reported to have been disliked by her colleagues, including the Secretary to the Federal Government, who according to sources, had “scolded her a few times because of her utterances and attitude.” Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has not followed the normal path of fading away quietly. Instead she has chosen to fight back. We are reliably informed that her team of media consultants have gone full steam in their desire to ensure that her resignation is seen by the Nigerian people as being motivated by principle. Her press team is said to have access to slush funds and have been very generous with it in the past few days. For instance, on Saturday August 5th, four Nigerian newspapers ran, curiously, identical stories that painted the former Minister in very bright colors. A celebrated Nigerian international journalist said a recent story in the prestigious Guardian newspaper treated Iweala “like a saint who came to Nigeria and died of cancer.” There is no doubt that Madam Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is one of a kind. She loved her job and her dedication and patriotism was beyond question. She is a very accomplished woman. http://elendureports.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=246&Itemid=33 It's not over until the fat lady sings. Aluta! Gwobezentashi Posted by gwobezentashi| 08.08.2006 08:39

Shoko Loko Bangoshe  Villager

# 4 As ever, a level-headed write up from Bolaji Aluko... which is more than I can say for the report from Elendureports. Posted by Shoko Loko Bangoshe| 08.08.2006 08:53

tatafo  Villager

# 5 =Shoko Loko Bangoshe>As ever, a level-headed write up from Bolaji Aluko... which is more than I can say for the report from Elendureports. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shoko, My sentiments exactly. If that came from anyone else apart from Jonathan Elendu, I would be more inclined to give it any credence. However knowing his antecedents with that family, I make sure I take everything Elendu writes on Okonjo Iwela with a grain of salt. Trust Gwobe to post it... and highlight the portions he did. Nothing ever changes at NVS...:rolleyes: Posted by tatafo| 08.08.2006 09:36

ula-lisa  Villager

# 6 Guys; Aluko is on target here. I add that we have had various ministers of finance. the immediate past being Alh. Ciroma, who knows his style or the number of aides he had or what he did with the money? We also had Alhaji Alhaji - what a joker. We had Falae and Chu Okongo all very nice persons that did their bit but left us with the bag of debt. The only reason we are spending our keyboards on Ngozi is that she performed and resigned before the politics of her office threw her out in ingratitude. Most inteligent high-achievers are impatient with slackers and often perceived as arrogant. Some are really puffy, you can say they earned it. When Ngozi was on seat, if she was so bad, it would have sneaked out. Surely her staff at the new Foreign Affairs Ministry would not act like they were in mourning upon her departure as reported. To negotiate successfully for any concessions, esp with the west, you need basically two things: 1. Know the subject 2. Know the politics and how to play it. Ngozi was successful. No write-up can take that away from her. In better societies, the Presidency would be a breeze. To say that: Okonjo-Iweala is also accused of insisting that her former aides at the Ministry of Finance report to her after being reassigned to the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Memos were sent to the Minister by these aides without the knowledge and permission of the Finance Minister. Mansur Muktar, Director of the Debt Management Office is alleged to have been the major culprit. Another occasion of Okonjo-Iweala’s meddlesomeness was Nigeria’s preparations for the upcoming meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Singapore. If that is true; she may have misunderstood the President, and reasoned that if she is still in charge as head of the Economic Team, to prepare for meetings she would access to her aides and records that could only be in Finance Ministry. If she is the professional that I thinks she is, she would have organized her office around her convenience with persons who have KSA that she could use any time. She probably brought them on. What is so wrong with using your aides to prepare for the same international negotiating meetings you had always done. If Esther felt slighted, she should have been humbled by the fact that without Ngozi, the Finance Ministry would not be so in the focus. I do not honestly see a rivalry of equals here. The issue is one of mentor and protege. If Esther has not blown all the cables of friendship, she might yet learn a thing or two from her boss and mentor, Ngozi. That is the way things work in the Corporate world. All of the pride of politics would not give you the skills, knowlege or abilities to negotiate jack; or present a policy paper. It does not matter whether you think Ngozi was suddenly proud or not.:rolleyes: Before the faithful few start reminding us that it was OBJ that brought her in; let it be known, that we badgered OBJ here and everywhere to recruit the professions for a long time before he caved in and let go the party hacks. :cool: Regarding loyalty, Couldn't OBJ have shown loyalty and a little restraint to one who served him so well and gave meaning to his existence? Is loyalty ever reciprocal? Can a leader show gratitude? Just my thought.:cool: Posted by ula-lisa| 08.08.2006 09:51

VOR  Villager

# 7 Goodness gracious me!!! not another article on Okonjo Iweala!! There are other pressing issues Nigerians!!! The woman is gone...left the finance ministry........and no amount of speculation or analysing of the reason/s she left/was pushed out is going to change that fact. I wish you all showed this amount of concern for the information bill being introduced to NASS by this government rather than this tedious post mortem on the resignation :rolleyes: Posted by VOR| 08.08.2006 10:00

Exxcuzme  Villager

# 8 Having read Wole Soyinka's "You Must Set fort at Dawn" the below statement is well observed by Soyinka in different instances. __________________________________________________________________________ was heavy-handed, uncouth and un-classy, but not unusual for President Obasanjo, who has often displayed the penchant for throwing his closest advisers and collaborators off-balance and out in the cold when they least expect it. ______________________________________________________________________ I dont know why anyone would want to work for the guy if he known to be full of sabotage and subterfuge. Posted by Exxcuzme| 08.08.2006 10:08

unregister

# 9 I agree with Prof Aluko. The Ngozi Okonjo-Iweals saga should not be interpreted negatively by all Nigerians. It is indeed a good precedent for the future. Posted by unregister| 08.08.2006 10:55

EezeeBee  Villager

# 10 @ Prof. Aluko I vouch to state that our services are sorely needed in Nigeria provided we offer our skills respectfully. The single statement above from the article is the main point I take out of this saga of resignation/non-resignation etc. There is much any Nigerian in diaspora can contribute to Nigeria as long as we make our contributions respectfully. It's easy to look around you when you are back home and believe that there is something inherently superior about you compared with your fellow citizens and then begin to 'smell yourself' and act like an ass. Remember this at all times: Nobody CARES who/what/where/ you are if you don't show them that YOU care about them. Your degrees, money etc. means NOTHING to anybody but praise-singers. If your ego thrives on your praises being sung, then you'll be happy. I personally sing nobody's praise and seek NONE for myself. I merely aim to improve myself and my skills daily. If or when I can put the sum total of my life's experience to the service of larger society, I hope to execute my duties expeditiously and with humility. Without humililty, humanity is diminished. @ Ula-Lisa, impatience with 'slackers' - as you call them - does NOT have to metamorphose into arrogance. It is hallmark of leaders that they produce other leaders. If the new finance minister was under the wing of NOI and she (NOI) was not training/preparing her for future duties then she (NOI) was NOT doing ALL she could have done. I know it is much easier to cling to an established quantity than to even give a relative 'unknown' a chance but I council caution on all sides of the aisle. Ngozi was appointed, and to the best of our knowledge she served meritoriously; she has since resigned. What's the hullabaloo about? All I'd hope or expect is that if ANY of us is appointed, we'll serve as well as she did or better, knowing EVERY waking day that we might not be in the office the next day. In that case we would do ALL we could to ensure that when we return to 'ordinary' life, we can live well amongst OTHER Nigerians who are ALSO living well. Peace. Posted by EezeeBee| 08.08.2006 11:28

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