The recent Oxford Union interview featuring Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education and vocal critic of successive Nigerian governments, has triggered widespread backlash and disappointment among Nigerians. The incident that is now circulating widely centers on her refusal to answer a straightforward question posed by the host: “Was former President Olusegun Obasanjo corrupt?”
Dr. Ezekwesili’s silence in that critical moment is reverberating louder than any words she could have uttered. It has raised questions about her credibility, integrity, and the consistency of her public advocacy.
Watch the video and judge for yourself.
Historical Context: Obasanjo’s Legacy in Question
Oby Ezekwesili served in President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, holding senior roles that placed her at the heart of policy-making. During this period, Nigeria witnessed sweeping privatization policies and the so-called fight against corruption. Yet, international disclosures paint a damning picture.
According to U.S. diplomatic cables published by Wikileaks, then-Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, confessed that Obasanjo’s government was more corrupt than that of Sani Abacha, who infamously looted billions of dollars from Nigeria. This revelation casts a long shadow over the moral posturing of those who served within Obasanjo’s cabinet.
Dr. Ezekwesili, often referred to as “Madam Due Process” for her championing of transparency, was expected to either defend her former boss or clarify her own position in light of these accusations. Instead, her refusal to give even a “yes” or “no” has left the impression of complicity or, at best, a deliberate evasion of the truth.
The Weight of Silence
In politics and public life, silence is rarely neutral. Her refusal to respond at the Oxford Union has been widely interpreted as an admission — a subtle acknowledgment that addressing the corruption question would expose contradictions in her own record.
For a woman who has built her global reputation on activism, anti-corruption campaigns, and advocacy for good governance, this singular moment of hesitation has done more damage than many years of criticism of others ever could. Nigerians watching the exchange saw a leader unwilling to confront the skeletons in her own political closet.
Damaging to Her Credibility
Oby Ezekwesili has not shied away from lambasting subsequent governments, including those of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari. Her reputation as a fierce critic, particularly through the #BringBackOurGirls campaign and her constant calls for accountability, has made her a global figure.
Yet, the Oxford Union debacle has exposed what many Nigerians now see as selective morality. When it mattered most, when the world was watching, she could not muster the courage to speak the truth or defend the leader under whom she served.
This raises deeper questions: Was her “Due Process” mantra genuine reform or simply convenient rhetoric? Was her global advocacy built on a shaky moral foundation?
Analysis: A Self-Inflicted Wound
In refusing to answer, Dr. Ezekwesili missed a critical opportunity to strengthen her legacy. A simple “yes” could have been justified with facts and context. A bold “no” could have been defended with her insider knowledge of reforms within the Obasanjo era. Either answer would have demonstrated conviction, clarity, and leadership.
Instead, her silence has become a self-inflicted wound. It reinforces the perception that many Nigerian politicians — regardless of their intellectual polish or international acclaim — are unwilling to confront the truth when it implicates their own side.
Conclusion
Dr. Oby Ezekwesili’s Oxford Union moment will be remembered not for the eloquence of her words but for the deafening weight of her silence. For Nigerians who once held her as a beacon of integrity, this indiscretion has been both disappointing and damaging.
Leadership demands courage, and truth demands clarity. In failing to answer a simple question, Ezekwesili has cast doubt not only on her past service but also on the moral force of her future advocacy.
For a woman who has built her name on holding others accountable, history may record that she failed the test of accountability when it mattered most.
Dr. G. Fraser. MFR.
The National Patriots.
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