** "I don’t give a damn. If the people got their on merit they deserve it and we will stick with it as long as we know they didn’t get it through the back door,”- Okonjo Iweala


The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has denied pursuing any personal or Igbo agenda in the President Goodluck Jonathan government.

The minister disclosed this at the weekend when she delivered a paper titled: “Values, Mindsets and Culture” at the Ola Ndi Igbo symposium which took place in Lagos at the weekend.

Okonjo-Iweala, who was apparently worried by the allegations that she was pursuing an Igbo agenda in the government of President Jonathan, insisted that all appointments into most federal government’s establishments were strictly carried out on merit.

She denied having any hand in the appointments of some Igbos into top positions in the Jonathan government, maintaining that such persons got their appointments merit.

The minister said: “There is something ethnic and I am going through it now. If you check on the internet there are articles saying that Okonjo-Iweala has gone ethnic but I believe in merit and competition and I don’t really care what part of the country you come from as long as you can do your job and that has always been my tenet. So, actually Igbo don’t find that I am that convincing because I think in Nigeria, we need to have a culture of merit. But by the way, when you think of merit and competition Igbos don’t do badly and that is a problem, we do rather well. Somebody said everybody in the financial sector is Igbo then they began to list people like the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Director-General of Stock Exchange, Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission, Director-General of Debt Management Office, myself and Sovereign Wealth Fund.

“Of course, they said because I am Igbo the person in charge of Sovereign Wealth Fund is also Igbo. He won completely by open competition and merit and the other top person there, Mrs. Stella Onyejekwu, got the job completely on merit. We should be proud of the president because despite of everything he insisted that merit prevailed and that those who got the job should be allowed to take it. The president should be commended because there was so much pressure on him. I said to somebody could you check the employment history of some of these people when they were saying that everybody in financial sector is Igbo because I am there. They got there independently on their own merit and most of them got there before me.

“Somebody wrote an article on this saying that I have come there to prosecute an Igbo agenda and then I saw another one saying this a biglie what has she done for the Igbos? She is there with Jonathan prosecuting a South-south agenda so I thought that was wonderful. So my point is, I don’t give a damn. If the people got their on merit they deserve it and we will stick with it as long as we know they didn’t get it through the back door,”Okonjo-Iweala said.

Okonjo-Iweala also called on all the Igbo leaders to do something about the negative perception given to Igbos, noting that something drastic should be done to change the wrong notion that every Igbo has a price.

“We don’t support each other, let’s be very clear about that. We don’t, so we need to change because of the way others perceive us. Let me just tell you when I was in Obasanjo’s administration, I was in the midst of some northerners who were having a conversation and I think theyforgot maybe because they think I came from the US. The conversation was quite free and their perception of the Igbo was that any Igbo person is for sale. You just name a price; there must be a price that will get that person to do something even if it’s killing a fellow Igbo person. They will do it for a price. That day, I felt like crawling under the table but I was brave. After they finished, I said “well, I just want to remind you I am Igbo and not everybody has a price but they said Ngozi no it is not you we are talking about. We know you don’t have a price. I said: ‘no,I am not talking about myself. I mean that 99 per cent of Igbo people don’t have a
price. They are honest people doing their jobs. So this is the perception and I think we need to do something about that now. How? It begins with you. It begins with the individual, if you decide to maintain those Igbo values of honesty, integrity, dignity,” she said

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/im-not-pursuing-any-personal-agenda-says-okonjo-iweala/144947/

Oh How i love this woman!!!

The bottom line is that the there is a negative perception of igbos in this country, and the individual igbo person on the street isn't really helping matters.
The 1st step in solving a problem is the acceptance of the existence of that problem in the 1st place. Without that what you have is J̶̲̥̅̊u̶̲̥̅̊S̤̥̈̊τ̲̣̣̥ a journey through a thing called denial.
Am from d south and currently serve in delta, and can attest that the average igbo dude, doesn't trust the next igbo dude buy his side. Which is very very different from the total acceptance a yoruba guy has 4 another yoruba guy (or even hausa to another hausa) anywhere here in delta.
As a matter of fact, J̶̲̥̅̊u̶̲̥̅̊S̤̥̈̊τ̲̣̣̥ speaking d language makes you automatic pals with either of the hausa or yoruba guys here.
That being said, have made some good igbo friends here, but still my experience with a few (as regards our cds account) leaves a lot to be desired.
Any form of generalization is a fallacy, but the behavior of a few will always cast a bad light on the rest. As mrs Ngozi said. The change must come from the individual.
As concerning her statement on merit, I long for the day when for someone to get a position,it wouldn't matter if the person was from the north, east, west or the bleeping atlantic!
When we would realize that competition is not a bad thing. Rather, it is a tool that can destroy laziness, and extract the very best out of all of us

What a sensible speech!, I love this Mama!! Merit! Yes, that's the sermon

chess guru: The bottom line is that the there is a negative perception of igbos in this country, and the individual igbo person on the street isn't really helping matters.

what do you mean by not helping matters?? Always quick to blame the men on the street without looking inwardly at some men in position of authorities. How many of the so called street men have been caught for bribery and corruption

I have always thought that NOI was detribalized international Nigerian but this lecture has convinced me beyond doubt that she is just another Igbo bigot , with more education than most.

chiover: what do you mean by not helping matters?? Always quick to blame the men on the street without looking inwardly at some men in position of authorities. How many of the so called street men have been caught for bribery and corruption

Don't get me wrong. Didn't mean to blame any1 in particular. My point is some people do a lot of damage 2 the perception of igbo folks (be it in the streets, or in the office). Thast what I meant

chiover: what do you mean by not helping matters?? Always quick to blame the men on the street without looking inwardly at some men in position of authorities. How many of the so called street men have been caught for bribery and corruption

Don't get me wrong. Didn't mean to blame any1 in particular. My point is some people do a lot of damage 2 the perception of igbo folks (be it in the streets, or in the office). That's what I meant

I have zero respect for anything that comes out of the mouth of this world bank lap dog.

When she speaks, the tribalist look for cradle to hide their heritorial bigotism.
I want to be lke her. No no, I'll be greater.

One love to MADAM NOI

Sincere 9gerian: ** "I don’t give a damn. If the people got their on merit they deserve it and we will stick with it as long as we know they didn’t get it through the back door,”- Okonjo Iweala


The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has denied pursuing any personal or Igbo agenda in the President Goodluck Jonathan government.

The minister disclosed this at the weekend when she delivered a paper titled: “Values, Mindsets and Culture” at the Ola Ndi Igbo symposium which took place in Lagos at the weekend.

Okonjo-Iweala, who was apparently worried by the allegations that she was pursuing an Igbo agenda in the government of President Jonathan, insisted that all appointments into most federal government’s establishments were strictly carried out on merit.

She denied having any hand in the appointments of some Igbos into top positions in the Jonathan government, maintaining that such persons got their appointments merit.

The minister said: “There is something ethnic and I am going through it now. If you check on the internet there are articles saying that Okonjo-Iweala has gone ethnic but I believe in merit and competition and I don’t really care what part of the country you come from as long as you can do your job and that has always been my tenet. So, actually Igbo don’t find that I am that convincing because I think in Nigeria, we need to have a culture of merit. But by the way, when you think of merit and competition Igbos don’t do badly and that is a problem, we do rather well. Somebody said everybody in the financial sector is Igbo then they began to list people like the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Director-General of Stock Exchange, Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission, Director-General of Debt Management Office, myself and Sovereign Wealth Fund.

“Of course, they said because I am Igbo the person in charge of Sovereign Wealth Fund is also Igbo. He won completely by open competition and merit and the other top person there, Mrs. Stella Onyejekwu, got the job completely on merit. We should be proud of the president because despite of everything he insisted that merit prevailed and that those who got the job should be allowed to take it. The president should be commended because there was so much pressure on him. I said to somebody could you check the employment history of some of these people when they were saying that everybody in financial sector is Igbo because I am there. They got there independently on their own merit and most of them got there before me.

“Somebody wrote an article on this saying that I have come there to prosecute an Igbo agenda and then I saw another one saying this a biglie what has she done for the Igbos? She is there with Jonathan prosecuting a South-south agenda so I thought that was wonderful. So my point is, I don’t give a damn. If the people got their on merit they deserve it and we will stick with it as long as we know they didn’t get it through the back door,”Okonjo-Iweala said.

Okonjo-Iweala also called on all the Igbo leaders to do something about the negative perception given to Igbos, noting that something drastic should be done to change the wrong notion that every Igbo has a price.

[b]“We don’t support each other, let’s be very clear about that. We don’t, so we need to change because of the way others perceive us. Let me just tell you when I was in Obasanjo’s administration, I was in the midst of some northerners who were having a conversation and I think theyforgot maybe because they think I came from the US. The conversation was quite free and their perception of the Igbo was that any Igbo person is for sale. You just name a price; there must be a price that will get that person to do something even if it’s killing a fellow Igbo person. They will do it for a price. That day, I felt like crawling under the table but I was brave. After they finished, I said “well, I just want to remind you I am Igbo and not everybody has a price but they said Ngozi no it is not you we are talking about. We know you don’t have a price. I said: ‘no,I am not talking about myself. I mean that 99 per cent of Igbo people don’t have a
price. They are honest people doing their jobs. So this is the perception and I think we need to do something about that now. How? It begins with you. It begins with the individual, if you decide to maintain those Igbo values of honesty, integrity, dignity,” she said[/b]

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/im-not-pursuing-any-personal-agenda-says-okonjo-iweala/144947/

Her response would have excellent if it had not included the bolded. SMH!

We understand o. They got there by merit .when other nationalities become oga at the top,they too will select their people on merit. oka now.
No be only u sabi merit.
On the other hand,considering the sheer level of mismanagement and corruption going on in this present government ,I will take the mediocre people of the past anytime .

Dictionary meaning
favouritism - unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice
discrimination, favoritism
social control - control exerted (actively or passively) by group action


favouritism - an inclination to favor some person or group
favoritism
inclination, tendency, disposition - an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others; "he had an inclination to give up too easily"; "a tendency to be too strict"


We see this on display every day on this forum

The speech is well inviting.The Igbos need to strenghten their cordial relation among themself.

Tribalism has crippled the judgmental values of merit...Igbos are hardworking set of people. Deal with it Nigeria.

"We don't support each other" - this one got my attention most, because it's the biggest threat to the survival of Ndigbo. Without unity, Ndigbo will always have problem in Nigeria. Our culture may be divisive, but we must know that unity is very essential to the survival and development of any ethnic nation. Even the Jews some of us associate Ndigbo with culturally, are what they are today due to unity amongst them. The earlier we start imbibing the culture of unity, the better for our future.
Having 'Eze Ndigbo' everywhere( surprisingly on Nairaland too), and perhaps on all the streets of our cities will never help us. Unity is a political virtue a nation needs, just as fish needs water to survive!

naijababe:

Her response would have excellent if it had not included the bolded. SMH!

Why do u say that?
As a matter of fact, that statement made me respect her even more. Its one thing exalt your own people, but it takes courage 2 also see their faults.
I insist that the average igbo dude living in other parts of the country (maybe outside the east) have little or no trust for another igbo person (maybe apart from his immediate family). How do you then expect a man from Bomadi or calabar to trust you. Those issues need to be addressed hence her statement.

Hmmmm. Naija and ethnicity.

naijababe:

Her response would have excellent if it had not included the bolded. SMH!

Pls let accept that fact.It is quite obvious that Igbos don't like themselve and Igbos has negative perception from other tribes,although the negative perception started after the civil War.

chess guru:
Why do u say that?
As a matter of fact, that statement made me respect her even more. Its one thing exalt your own people, but it takes courage 2 also see their faults.
I insist that the average igbo dude living in other parts of the country (maybe outside the east) have little or no trust for another igbo person (maybe apart from his immediate family). How do you then expect a man from Bomadi or calabar to trust you. Those issues need to be addressed hence her statement.

Please read it again.

nagoma: I have sways thought that NOI was detribalized international Nigerian but this lecture has convinced me beyond doubt that she is just another Igbo bigot , with more education than most.

idiote (in spanish accent)
do u know what bigot means?
Not being a bigot doesnt mean u shud completely 4get ur origin.
She is igbo and she is proud.
If u dont like igbos u can kiss my a$$,french kiss

She is on point. I am igbo but I dey fear my igbo brothers and sisters more than any other. They way we like me wonder if we know that money cannot buy life.

Nightshift: "We don't support each other" - this one got my attention most, because it's the biggest threat to the survival of Ndigbo. Without unity, Ndigbo will always have problem in Nigeria. Our culture may be divisive, but we must know that unity is very essential to the survival and development of any ethnic nation. Even the Jews some of us associate Ndigbo with culturally, are what they are today due to unity amongst them. The earlier we start imbibing the culture of unity, the better for our future.
Having 'Eze Ndigbo' everywhere( surprisingly on Nairaland too), and perhaps on all the streets of our cities will never help us. Unity is a political virtue a nation needs, just as fish needs water to survive!

U are on point bro!

chess guru: The bottom line is that the there is a negative perception of igbos in this country, and the individual igbo person on the street isn't really helping matters.

On the contrary, I would argue that there is actually a positive perception of Igbos, not only in Nigeria, but also around the world. They are known for their entrepreneurial spirit against all odds, that is the first thing that comes to my mind when I meet one of them. I'm not Igbo by the way.

Her critiques always feel insecure. I love you Okonjo, Dieazani, Stella, and Oteh. You are angels.

May your enemies be forced to clean your toilets.

slimghost: Oh How i love this woman!!!

You have said it all...... She is a typical IGBO woman, say it the way it is and allow those cowards to shiver

Though I ain't Igbo, but I got lotta Ibo friends and they are just too good and worth calling friends..

nagoma: I have sways thought that NOI was detribalized international Nigerian but this lecture has convinced me beyond doubt that she is just another Igbo bigot , with more education than most.

Ngbo mapu kwa gi One eye..... nagoma[s] Nnama

nagoma: I have sways thought that NOI was detribalized international Nigerian but this lecture has convinced me beyond doubt that she is just another Igbo bigot , with more education than most.

For ur information she is not even an ibo woman.

naijababe:

Her response would have excellent if it had not included the bolded. SMH!

Pls can u explain to me how she got it wrong on the emboldened as u put it.