ABU 44th Convocation: Okonjo-Iweala, Sheikh Sharif bag Honorary Degrees

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Governing Council of Ahmadu Bello University has approved the conferment of Honorary Degrees on Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Sheikh Sharif Ibrahim Sale Al-Hussain at the institution’s 44th Convocation Ceremony scheduled for Saturday, 25th January 2025.

This was contained in a statement issued from the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Public Affairs Directorate, ABU Zaria, and made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday

The statement explained that the decision followed consideration and endorsement of the recommendation of the Honorary Degrees Committee by the Senate of the University at its 544th (Special) meeting held on Tuesday, 7th January 2025.

It added that the Council approved at its 207th (Special) meeting held on Wednesday, 8th January 2025, to which both personalities have accepted the honor. “Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will be conferred with Doctor of Science (D.Sc) Honoris Causa while Sheikh Sharif Sale will receive an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LL.D) Honoris Causa.

“Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a global finance expert, an economist, and international development professional with over 40 years of experience working in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North America, is currently the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). She assumed office as WTO Director-General in March 2021, becoming the first woman and the first African to head the international organization.

“Born on 13th June 1954 to the family of Prof. Chukwuka Okonjo, who was Obi of the Obahai Royal Family of Ogwashi-Ukwu in Delta State, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala started her early education in Queen’s School, Enugu and St. Anne’s School, Molete, Ibadan, Oyo State.

“She attended Harvard University, USA graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1976, and obtained a PhD in Regional Economics and Development in 1981 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.

“Dr. Okonjo-Iweala served twice as Nigeria’s Finance Minister (2003–2006 and 2011–2015) and briefly acted as Foreign Minister in 2006. She was the first woman to hold both positions. During her first term as Finance Minister in the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, she spearheaded negotiations with the Paris Club that led to the wiping out of US$30 billion of Nigeria’s debt, including the outright cancellation of US$18 billion.

“Okonjo-Iweala was also instrumental in helping Nigeria obtain its first-ever sovereign credit rating (of BB minus) from Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor’s in 2006. She also introduced the practice of publishing the Federal, State, and Local Government shares of revenue from the country’s Federal account. That action went a long way in increasing transparency in governance at all levels of government.

“Under her leadership, the National Bureau of Statistics carried out a re-basing exercise of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the first in 24 years, which saw Nigeria emerge as the largest economy in Africa.

“She also empowered women and youth with the Growing Girls and Women in Nigeria Programme (GWIN), a gender-responsive budgeting system, and the highly acclaimed Youth Enterprise with Innovation Programme (YouWIN) to support entrepreneurs that created thousands of jobs.

“Dr. Okonjo-Iweala had a 25-year career at the World Bank, as a development economist and rose to the position of Managing Director (Operations) with the responsibility for the World Bank’s $81 billion operational portfolio in Africa, South Asia, Europe, and Central Asia. She belongs to many international organizations and corporate bodies as well as non-profits. Organisations”, the statement read in parts.

It continued:”Sheikh Sharif Ibrahim Sale Al-Hussain, who was born on 12th May 1938 in Aredibe near Dikwa, Borno State, rose from a humble beginning to become a world-class scholar in different aspects of Islamic scholarship such as Qur’anic Studies, religious sciences, logic, philosophy, and rhetoric. He wrote more than 500 books and pamphlets as well as hundreds of commissioned conference papers.

“He was a regular member of all the committees established to advise or guide the government on some of its policies that had religious implications or relevance. He was also a familiar face on all government delegations of religious leaders sent to some Arab and Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Turkey, Libya, Morocco, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Senegal, Iraq, and Sudan.

“His main areas of academic interest and research include: Qur’anic Sciences, Prophetic Tradition, History, Philosophy, Islamic Jurisprudence, Islamic Finance and Banking, Astronomy, Arabic Literature, Science of Sufism, Islamic Polity, Islamic Law of Personal Status & Inheritance, Peaceful Coexistence between Nation States and many other sundry issues that border on the essence of humanity and personal liberty.

“He has also been invited severally to conduct Tafsir at the State House, Lagos, during Ramadan by different Heads of State, and he belongs to many international organizations.”