CNBC Apologises to Ezekwesili for Report on Oteh’s World Bank Appointment

By Yemi Adebowale

CNBC Africa has apologised to Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, a former Vice President, Africa Region of the World Bank, for describing a former Director General of the Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission, Arunma Oteh, as the first African woman to be appointed vice president of the institution.

Ms. Oteh was appointed Vice President and Treasurer of the World Bank on Friday.

CNBC Africa had reported on Friday the appointment of Arunma Oteh as the first African woman Vice President of the World Bank a report which Dr. Ezekwesili and other Twitter users immediately protested considering that Ezekwesili and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had been Vice Presidents at the World Bank.

READ: You Were VP Africa Region, Not VP of World Bank, CNBC Tells Ezekwesili

Realising its error, after the issue had become a hot social media topic with news reports which went viral on Saturday, the station then tweeted an apology to Mr Ezekwesili:

Thank you @obyezeks , our error is sincerely regretted.

— CNBC Africa (@cnbcafrica) July 25, 2015

At CNBC Africa, we celebrate the success of all extraordinary African Women. Sometimes our enthusiasm gets ahead of ourselves.

— CNBC Africa (@cnbcafrica) July 25, 2015

Meanwhile, investigations by BREAKING TIMES on Sunday reveal that not only is Oteh not the first African woman VP of the World Bank, she is actually the fourth African woman to have been appointed Vice President at the World Bank. Tanzanian born Frannie Lautier, Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Oby Ezekwesili are former Vice Presidents of the World Bank.

In effect, CNBC, an American basic cable and satellite business news television channel owned by NBC Universal News Group, a division of Comcast Corporation, goofed in its report.