Chigozirim Okoli
The former Nigerian Minister of Education, Dr Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili, has received the International Anti-Corruption Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award in Doha, Qatar.
The award, announced by the Secretariat of the International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award, honours individuals whose work has contributed significantly to transparency, institutional reform, and ethical leadership. The award committee is chaired by the United Nations Special Advocate for the Prevention of Corruption, Dr Ali Bin Fetais Al Marri.
Ezekwesili served in Nigeria’s federal cabinet as Minister of Solid Minerals and later as Minister of Education, where she was involved in policy reforms within the education sector. Beyond Nigeria, she held a senior leadership role at the World Bank, working on development and governance issues across Africa.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelHer advocacy extends beyond formal institutions. She became widely known for her role in the #BringBackOurGirls movement, which mobilised global attention following the abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014 and placed sustained pressure on authorities to respond.
Organisers of the award said her career reflects a long-term commitment to fighting corruption, strengthening public institutions, and promoting ethical leadership across Africa and beyond. Her work has influenced policy, inspired reform movements, and proven, again and again, that public service can be principled, competent, and people-focused.
Established in 2016, the International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award has been presented in places like Vienna, Geneva, Malaysia, Rwanda, Tunisia, Qatar, Uzbekistan, and Costa Rica, with support from the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Centre and linked to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to spotlight exceptional anti-corruption achievements worldwide.
Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, described the honour as an international recognition of integrity and ethical leadership. While congratulating Ezekwesili on the achievement, he described her as a beacon of ethical leadership whose life’s work proves that competence, character, and unwavering commitment to the public good still command respect on the world stage.
