I want to say a big thank you to Antonio Ocampo for disregarding his bid for the presidency of the world bank. This leaves the contest between Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and president Obama‘s nominee, Jim Yong Kim. I wish Oprah could read this and tell me how she feels as an accomplished woman who wept the day the day Obama became president of the United states.
This is not about Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, it is about change for the better, change because it demonstrates openness and transparency, change because it is the right thing to do , change because the US ought to allow for an election to the most important institution in the world, the World Bank to be based on merit and set a remarkable example, change because she is the only non-American female who is qualified and Jim Young‘s experience pales before hers.!!
I do not mean his paper qualification, I mean his experience. EXPERIENCE is what the World Bank needs. The developed world seemed more ready to dump ideas and Aids on Africa rather than make Africa a worthy partner in global governance. This has got to come to a screeching halt because the more developed countries we have in the world, the better for World Bank.
I say to the Europe and and those countries that want to blindly follow president Obama , and especially the US to wake up and have rethink. Please do not set a precedent that you cannot defend before generations born and yet unborn.
The out dated practice of having an American only lead the World Bank and a European lead the IMF is absolute nonsense and has no place in today’s fast paced world anymore. The day Obama became President meant that the Americans saw this: change has come and an American who happens to be white must not occupy the WHITE HOUSE, an African American whose father is from Kenyan is qualified to do so. We see his vision and we are ready to follow him.
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has an unmistakable grain of sociopolitical and economical authenticity. An Igbo woman from Umu Obi Obahai Royal Family of Ogwashi-Ukwu. Okonjo-Iweala was educated at Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude with an A.B. in 1977, and earned her Ph.D. in regional economic development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1981.
Prior to her ministerial career in Nigeria, Okonjo-Iweala left her position as vice-president and corporate secretary of the World Bank Group to join President Obasanjo‘s cabinet as Finance Minister on 15 July 2003, determined to make developing countries play remarkable roles in decisions that affect them instead of being silent observers.
Although some controversy surrounded Okonjo-Iweala’s appointment as Finance Minister, she left that administration at the end of August 2006. On October 4, 2007, World Bank President Robert Zoellick appointed her to the post of Managing Director, effective December 1, 2007.
In 2011, Okonjo-Iweala was reappointed as Minister of Finance with the expanded portfolio of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy by President Goodluck Jonathan. She took a lot of heat, more-so than any other government official for the unpopular fuel subsidy removal policy by the Nigerian government which led to Occupy Nigeria protests in January 2012.
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala left a record of debt-forgiveness, -the only finance minister to have done so. The then senator Obama was very skeptical at the suggestion of debt-forgiveness from the Paris club. She buttressed her opinion with remarkable points and persuasive arguments. The whole was convinced.
This is a woman who poverty motivated to be all she could be; her gender notwithstanding. Obama knows about determination and going for what you believe in, his wife, Mitchell knows that too. I really think president Obama should uphold the American values among which decisions based on merit is one.
CHANGE was the key word President Obama campaigned with. Well, it is time to show that you are ready to change the way the informal agreement which sees an American as the president of the World Bank and a European as the president of the IMF.
This decision has operated since 1940s. Things have changed since then and we all know it. America has block votes in the world bank and America will prove that she is not afraid to say: ‘when the time for change has come, we must bow to it’ This is what your children will be proud of president Obama, this is what your wife as an accomplished woman will be proud of – You stood up to be counted when it mattered the most.
Real power is the ability to retrace your step when no would have been easier. Indeed, it is time that a woman, who is also, a naturalized U.S citizen, an African with a proven track record on international problem-solving skills and happens to be a woman becomes the president of the world bank.
How will you and Mitchell feel if Sasha one day qualified for a position but was told that the position has been informally agreed to be occupied by non-Americans and men? We are talking about her effectively shedding more light on the problems in developing countries.
I believe that she will encourage direct investments, help remove infrastructural problems by enabling funding into infrastructure and above all the electricity problem that has bedeviled Nigeria for so long-popularly referred to as POWER. It is time that Africa as a continent rises.
Nigeria has done so much in terms of securing peace in Africa. We are still faced with challenges even just now. Some international interest groups definitely benefit from the problems of most developing countries. Why can’t we be great as a continent?
Why can’t we be in a position to do business on equal and mutually benefiting terms with the rest of the world? Why must we be notorious for poverty, disease, hunger and underdevelopment? Women have the numerical strength but lack the corresponding positions of higher responsibilities like the men? Men and women are co-partners in governance.
An only woman who is highly qualified in the person of Dr. Ngozi Okojo-Iweala deserves to be the next president of the World Bank.
THE NOLLYWOOD CINEMA SERIES KICKS OFF IN AMERICA WITH THE PREMIERE OF BLESSING EGBE’S ‘TWO BRIDES AND A BABY’ IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA ON SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 2012.
Two Brides and a Baby is a must see movie. I really loved the way that this movie was brillantly done by Blessing Egbe, the cast were fantastic. I love how Blessing was able to bring emotional nuance to her role in the movie.
Following the huge success of Nollywood films in cinemas across Africa and the UK, Movie lovers in the US, Canada and Caribbean can now enjoy Nollywood in American Cinemas courtesy of SnapFlix Incorporated, a distributor of African media content in the USA. The new brand, the ‘Nollywood Cinema Series’ is an ongoing showcase of new breed, top quality Nollywood movies (being referred to as the “New Nollywood”) in Cinemas across major cities in the Americas. The initial lineup of cities for the series include Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, DC/Maryland, Toronto and Kingston, Jamaica.
The series took off in style with a red carpet premiere event of the widely acclaimed, award-winning drama ‘TWO BRIDES AND A BABY’ on Saturday, April 14, 2012 at the Hill Auditorium, Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30309. TWO BRIDES AND A BABY’ is a beautifully crafted romantic comedy drama starring Stella Damasus, Kalu Ikeagwu, Keira Hewatch, O.C Ukeje, Chelsea Eze, Okey Uzoeshi and Blessing Egbe. It is written and produced by model/actress/producer Blessing Egbe and directed by the famous Nollywood director, Teco Benson.
The movie has received rave reviews and has to date received a total 16 nominations from ‘The Best of Nollywood Awards’ 2011, Abuja Film Festival 2011 and AMAA 2012. ‘TWO BRIDES AND A BABY’ also bagged 5 awards at the Best of Nollywood Awards in 2011, including awards for Best Director, Achievement in Sound, New Female Act, Best Screenplay and Movie of the year. The main cast and crew were in attendance and also at an exclusive after party at Cream Ultra Lounge (home of The African Experience) located at 3249 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30329. More details at www.snapflix.net.
SnapFlix also launches its brand new website WWW.SNAPFLIX.NET. The new website will provide information about Nollywood Cinema Series theater locations in each city, film schedules, show times and box office information for current and future showings of movies from the Nollywood Cinema Series. Visitors to www.snapflix.net will find the new site informative. Site visitors can watch trailers of current and upcoming films, get movie details, share and interact with friends on upcoming films using Facebook and Twitter, buy tickets for upcoming movie premiers and screenings, and get information about Snapflix and the Nollywood Cinema Series.
SnapFlix founders, Deji Eniojukan and Jide Akanbi say “This is a grand landmark for Nollywood and the beginning of a new revolution of film in African Entertainment Industry. We are meeting the entertainment needs of Africans and lovers of Africa in the diaspora, a need for a cinematic presence of Nollywood movies in North America. Launching a structured distribution of Nollywood films to American cinemas is filling a major gap in the industry, this is also key to ensuring the producers and content owners are able to recover quality returns thereby encouraging investment in the Nollywood Industry based on the performance of these quality films in American cinemas.
It’s a big breakthrough and it’s been a long journey, but we are excited about the future of Nollywood and we’re glad to be part of it”. Producer of TWO BRIDES AND A BABY; Blessing Egbe says “There is a proverb that goes ‘when one door closes, another opens’. I am excited that a new door has opened for Nollywood films in the US via Snapflix distribution. These are a new crop of distributors with good intent for content owners. They have unlocked the strong doors of some US theaters and I hope that thousands of Nollywood fans and supporters will walk through these doors to enjoy the selected movies showing in these theaters.
Producers will no longer face the problem of selling their content to some persons who take advantage of the laxity in mainstream distribution in the diaspora. I am happy for the innovation and look forward to the launch. I am even happier that my film is the one that will launch the series, Glory be to God!”
ABOUT SNAPFLIX/ THE NOLLYWOOD CINEMA SERIES
SnapFlix is a distributor of African and Caribbean media based in Atlanta, GA. A media and entertainment company with operations in USA and Africa, we distribute movies via multiple channels including theaters, online rentals and sales, wholesale to retail outlets, and streaming rights sales to legitimate online streaming companies for African and Caribbean content. SnapFlix is the media and entertainment subsidiary of Sinet Technologies Inc. (www.sinettechnologies.com), a global technology and media conglomerate with operations in US,Canada, Caribbean and Africa.
Snapflix’s operation encompasses film/music distribution, motion picture production, motion picture financing, and talent management. As organizers of the Nollywood Cinema Series, SnapFlix brings the new breed of high quality Nollywood/African movies to movie theaters in North America. Visit www.snapflix.net for more information. Fans can also stay updated via social media by following @snapflix on Twitter and by liking the Fan page at www.facebook.com/nollywoodcimenaseries.
SnapFlix Inc – Bringing the world to a big screen near you.
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