Another flowery feather has been added to the over-stuffed cap of former Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, now Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as she has been named in Time Magazine’s list of 100 most influential people for 2021.
In what has been a long-standing annual celebration of leadership, Time Magazine releases an annual list of 100 most influential people in the world and accords recognition to them, describing them as “people whose ideas, example, talent, or discoveries transform the world we live in”.
The powerful international magazine released the 2021list on Wednesday, placing the individuals in five categories: Titans, pioneers, artists, leaders and icons.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, who became the first woman and first African to lead the WTO in March 2021, was included in the “leaders” category, alongside President Joe Biden of the United States of America; his Deputy, Mrs. Kamala Harris, US Vice President; Chinese President Xi Jinping as well as Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi.
Royal Testimonial: ‘She Knows How To Get Things Done’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, bore an eloquent testimony to Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s outstanding leadership attributes, declaring that the former Nigerian Minister of Finance “knows how to get things done”, and praised her work at the helm of affairs at WTO.
“What will it take to vaccinate the world? Unity, cooperation—and leaders like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,” the couple’s comment, published in the magazine, reads.
“As the first African and first woman to lead the World Trade Organization, a 164-member group of nations that oversees trade across the world, Okonjo-Iweala took on the role of director-general this March at a watershed moment for our global health and well-being. Make no mistake; her job affects every person, family and community.
“As we face a constant barrage of vaccine misinformation, bureaucratic slowdowns across both government and industry, and the rise of variants that underscore the urgency of the situation, Okonjo-Iweala has shown us that to end the pandemic; we must work together to equip every nation with equitable vaccine access.
“Our conversations with her have been as informative as they are energizing. This is partly because, despite the challenges, she knows how to get things done—even between those who don’t always agree—and does so with grace and a smile that warms the coldest of rooms.
“The fragility of our world right now cannot be overstated. Just over a quarter of the nearly 8 billion global population is fully vaccinated. Achieving vaccine equity is a global duty of compassion for one another. Our hope is that guided by strong leaders like Ngozi, and we can get there soon.”
