ONE factor that dogged Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo in the last three years of his steawardship as governor of Anambra State is his discomforting lack of the art of doublespeak which is a common trait of politicians and customary in political circles.
He has been known to tell fellow politicians, even his very close friends that they are on the wrong path even amid general uproar.
While addressing a forum of bishops, he did not mince words in telling how the church is already becoming the problem of our society instead of the solution, and urged them to sit up.
He had frankly told promoters and loyalists of the Monday’s ‘sit-at-home’ how they are heading to economic doom if they continue to uphold the warped ideology.
The governor’s style of communication is direct, personal and clear-on-the-point even when he is anecdotal or chatty, particularly when the issue is political or pertains to governance.
Whether he is engaging traditional rulers, political associates or whoever, on issues of governance, he comes across an epitomisation of William Shakespeare’s lines in ‘Hamlet’: Man “to thyself be true.”
Gov. Soludo is a person who doesn’t like embellishing his message to gain a political edge.
He is such a person as can be described as a straight shooter. He is someone who values authenticity. That is why he prefers to hit a matter on its head instead of massaging it, even if for political correctness.
Being a natural straight shooter, he opts to communicate his message in a clear, honest, and transparent way, without exaggerating or manipulating facts for personal or political gain.
This is unlike some leaders or political operators who are obsessed with politics to the extent that they tend to always garnish and embellish their messages with icings to gain the system. Such people, often referred to as ideologues seldom find space in Soludo’s circle.
Addressing a gathering of stakeholders of his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, in November, 2023, he told them that his desire is to practice politics in a way that will make him “go to heaven” after life. Noticeably, typical ideologues, the ones who are intensely devoted to a particular cause or ideology and may use extreme or biased language to promote such views, even when insincere are hardly found in his circle. He works as a leader who is convinced that one cannot give what he does not have. So, the ideologue who has no truth but prides in sweet-talks but would not deliver are rare in his aggregation.
The governor, himself, had severally dropped hints that his frank communication style and knack for simplicity in governance is part of a larger cultural change he brings to the political system under the theme: ‘Solution is Here’.
Veteran clergyman and scholar, Ejiofor Enegwa appraises the governor’s communication habit thusly: It’s worth noting that being truthful and authentic in one’s communication is a valuable leadership trait, especially in politics and public discourse. It helps build trust and credibility with others and promotes more constructive and respectful dialogue. Integrity is one of the pillars of leadership. No sane society trades off a sincere leader with a glib. A straight talker may not say the politically correct thing but the fact that his followers know where his heart is, they go with him.”
Prof. Soludo who once said: “This job is a glorified imprisonment… this is no life,” verily frowns at such things as the doublespeak and split personality that people have, over time, come to associate with it.
He therefore craves to change the narrative and the wrong perception about playing politics and serving in government.
“We set out to demystify governance,” Gov. Soludo once said while addressing members of his ‘Solution Government’, “If you have served with me in the past three years and you don’t understand the cultural essence of the change, you have missed the point.”
He added: “The idea that the ones in government are the ones to be served is nonsense. This job is a glorified imprisonment. This is no life… When I hear about people living differently after they have left office, I say, the best way is to behave the way you are even while you are in the office.”
Initially I almost proposed that we write our names without titles.
“We began by setting out, on what is important. Shedding off the irrelevances and focusing on providing solutions. That is why we say: ‘Solution is Here’.
“We are testing the hypothesis of whether giving quality service and value to people pays,” Soludo explained.
