Building the Impact Finance Regime: Nigeria’s Civil War and the Road to Cyber-Colonialism – Part III 

LONDON, ENGLAND – Barbara Ward was raised Roman Catholic, and despite having a surname associated with one of Britain’s most notable Catholic families, Ward’s father was a Quaker with no relation to the Victorian blue bloods of the same name. Brought up to attend mass regularly by her mother, Barbara imbibed Walter Ward’s Quaker precepts as well, leaving a mark on her writings in The Economist and her many published works.

At just twenty-five, Ward had already published her first book, “The International Share-Out”, which tackled the burning questions of Britain’s colonial issues. While working on her PhD a year later at London University, she was invited to spend a week at the home of Arnold Toynbee, who was part of the faculty. Toynbee would take her under his wing and bring her into the Ministry of Information – an official UK propaganda outfit – until war broke out in Europe, at which point she transitioned to a full time position at The Economist on Toynbee’s recommendation.