Oramah’s loyalty to Ivorian predecessor earned him Afreximbank presidency – Obasanjo

…launches two books to mark 88th birthday

Former Nigeria’s President Olusegun Obasanjo has attributed the emergence of Benedict Okey Oramah in 2015 as the President and Chief Executive Officer of African Export-Import Bank to the loyalty, devotion and commitment shown to Jean-Louis Ekra, his Ivorian predecessor.

Obasanjo, while narrating the politics behind the emergency of second Nigerian President of the African trade finance bank, noted that the bad treatments meted out to Jean-Louis Ekra when he was elected Afreximbank President in 2005 by the Egyptian Government and others, and the rescue mission put up by Nigeria and Oramah to accommodate the then embattled President, paved way for another Nigerian to become Afreximbank President after Christopher Edordu.

Speaking at the his 88th Birthday Lecture and the Launching of two books written by former President Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital on Wednesday, Obasanjo commended Oramah for the good job he had done and still doing at the Afreximbank, emphasising that the loyalty, devotion and commitment of Oramah were unparalleled and Pan-African as he was later rewarded by his former Ivorian boss and others with Afreximbank Presidency.

Obasanjo, who launched two books at the event, namely, “Lest We Forget: Slavery, Slave Trade, Emancipation and Reparation”, and “Nigeria: Past and the Future”, spoke glowingly about Pan-Africanism, regional integration, unity of purpose, economic independence and Africanism.

He commended Akinwunmi Adesina and Benedict Oramah, both Presidents of biggest African financial powerhouses – African Export-Import Bank and African Development Bank, respectively, saying the two Nigerians are making Nigeria proud in many usefully different ways.

Read also: Afreximbank’s documentary series, ‘Impact stories’ spotlights Africa’s growth, economic potential

While lauding the good accomplishments of two Nigerians serving at the same time at both Afreximbank and AfDB, Obasanjo recalled the loyalty, devotion and commitment of Oramah, saying: “And then (after Akinwunmi Adesina as AfDB President) we had Dr Oramah as President and Chief Executive of Afrexim Bank, a very good bank, doing a very good job.

“There have been three Chief Executives of Afreximbank. The first one was a Nigerian (Christopher Edordu – 1993 – 2003); the second one was an Ivorian ( Jean-Louis Ekra – 2005 – 2015), and the third one is a Nigerian (Benedict Oramah 2015 – present).

“How did that happen? When Afreximbank was established through the African Development Bank (AfDB), Egypt lobbied for the location in Cairo on the grounds that it would never lobbied for the Chief Executive and then after the Nigerian (Christopher Edordu) left. Egypt started lobbying for Chief Executive of the bank and everybody was about to agree and I said No, but this was not the term that you(Egypt) got the Headquarters.

“So, I refused and because I refused, they (Egyptian Government) refused for five years, to give the man, Ekra, who was elected as the Chief Executive of AfreximBank, Visa.

“So, for five years, he was running Afreximbank from the (Transcorp) Hilton Hotels in Abuja for five years. But, one person who held the forth, firmly, loyally and very, very committedly for him was Oramah and then when Ekra finished his terms, he said the only thing that he believed he should do was to ensure that for Oramah’s loyalty, commitment, devotion and everything, he should take over and everybody agreed.

“Oramah has actually built that Institution. In all this, they made me whatever they wanted to make me; Honourary Ambassador, for me to be able to open doors for them wherever they want to go. Oramah made me that, Akin (Akinwunmi Adesina of AfDB) also made me that”, Obasanjo concluded.