Many people in Anambra State in particular and Igbo land in general believe the ascension of Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo to Anambra State’s Government House is the best thing that has happened to Ndi Anambra and Ndi Igbo in recent years. They believe this and their belief is not without some modicum of justifications.
To begin with, Charles, as he is fondly called by friends and colleagues is an accomplished scholar and investor who is celebrated by best institutions around the world for his uncommon achievements in academics and in the business world. Particularly, back here at home, in Nigeria, Prof. Charles has as the Governor of the apex band (CBN), carved out a niche for himself as “the unrepentant reformer”. Before Soludo intervened in the Nigerian banking sector, the whole system was in a mess. People would put their money in the bank and watch in despair and desperation as it disappeared into private pocks overnight. Soludo stepped in and cleaned up the mess. Today no Nigerian is afraid of losing his or her money through bank collapse in the Nigerian banking system, thanks to the “bright Igbo boy from Isuofia.”
Thus, when Soludo came out as a candidate for the Anambra governorship election; it was celebrated. Majority of people across Anambra wanted him to win. Though they have lost hope in the political class, they still believe that Soludo was different and would make a difference.
When IPOB’s sit-at-home was perceived as a hindrance to Soludo’s victory at the polls, people, protested and enormous pressure was brought to bear on the group to lift the ban. The group gave in to pressure and the ban was lifted. Thankfully, and to the expectation of majority of Ndi Anambra Soludo emerged victorious at the poll. His victory was celebrated like no other victory. In spite of the near curfew in Igbo land following the activities of the unknown gunmen, people defied the odds and came out en mass to celebrate what they considered their victory.
However, since his election, even before he was sworn in as the substantive governor of Anambra State, instead of engaging in the serious business of governance to reciprocate the goodwill of Ndi Anambra, Soludo has rather dwelt in frivolities, empty rhetorics and political antagonism that characterize Nigerian politics.
Let’s take a look at some of these frivolities that are likely to undermine Soludo’s chances of success in Anambra State.
The Bogus Inauguration Committee
Take for instance the inauguration. There are grass root individuals who know the problem of Anambra state many times more than Prof. Charles and who can help the new administration on the best way to make its impact in the state but instead of consulting or including these individuals in the inauguration committee, Soludo filled the whole places with the bogus name of his academic friends and business partners. One begins to wonder, what exactly does Obi Ezekwesili and Prof. Pat Utomi know about Anambra and its problems?
My position here should not be misconstrued. I have no problem with these individuals. The states where they come from are not also my problem. My problem is, is there any intrinsic value in these individuals that informed Soludo’s choice of them or is it about the normal Nigeria culture of using names and certificates to intimidate the poor masses? I am forced to feel that there are local people who know more about Anambra and who would have been more useful in the inauguration committee much more than Utomi and others.
The Rhetorics of Sponsoring the Inauguration
What about the noise of who sponsored the inauguration? Both before and shortly after the swearing in ceremony, the news media were awash with statements attributed to Soludo on how he used his personal fund to sponsor the inauguration. The question again is, who is this information meant for, was there no money in the treasury of Anambra State to sponsor the ceremony? Or again, is Soludo like the normal Nigerian politician using this to score another empty political point? Recall that the former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha at a point claimed he was using his personal fund to sponsor most of the projects in the state. It later turned out, at the end of his tenure, that he looted the state dry.
Soludo, Obiano and the Empty Treasury
Think also about the claim made few days ago by Soludo that his predecessor, Willie Obiano left him an empty treasury. He claimed Obiano left only #300m for him. Here again, a lot of questions come up: why is Soludo telling us this? Is he at this early stage of his administration trying to make excuses his failures? We are not here trying to excuse Obiano for running the treasury of Anambra State dry (that is, if actually what Soludo said about empty treasury was true). Obiano himself accused his predecessor, Peter Obi of leaving empty treasury for him. In fact, it seems to be the trick of new administrations in Nigeria to claim it is meeting an empty treasury. Knowing that Soludo who the people reposed so much hope on is resorting to this trick at these early hours of his administration is quite heart breaking.
Antagonizing IPOB
Just yesterday, a statement was released by the governor after a meeting with market stakeholders. In that statement, Governor Soludo dared IPOB on the Monday sit-at-home threatening to deal with them decisively. Soludo asked the traders to go about their businesses on Monday without fear of any molestation by the banned group.
First of all, it has to be observed that IPOB has long canceled the so called sit-at-home. Many people who still observe that are doing it in solidarity with Nnamdi Kanu who they are demanding his release from the incarceration of the Nigerian Government.
However, the question here is, is Soludo’s approach the best way to resolve the crisis? This was a governor who won election when Anambra state was on fire; a governor who won election on the goodwill of the people, including IPOB members, and who made pursuing the release of Nnamdi Kanu one of his election promises. Why has Soludo chosen to become confrontational on this issue? Is he playing a script writing for him by some individual or he just tricked the people into voting for him?
One thing Soludo needs to realize is that every country in the world, every region and state in Nigeria has a political culture. Ndi Igbo and Anambra state have a political culture too. Hence, any politician who wants to succeed in Anambra in particular and in the Southeast in general needs to understand the temperament of the people. Under this permutation, one thing stands out about Anambra people and Ndi Igbo: they don’t bow to intimidation!
Buhari tried intimidation and so far he has seen that it is not working. If you want to get the best part of the Igbo man, don’t threaten him; dialogue with him. Whether Soludo will harken to this wise rule and engage in dialogue or he will like the likes of Buhari choose the course of confrontation is not yet clear. What is a bit clear is that if Prof. Soludo eventually settles for confrontation, the chances are that he will not only destroy his administration he will also destroy APGA as a party that represents Igbo interests.
