Another history is made today as Chief Willie Maduaburochukwu Obiano hands over to Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, as Governor of Anambra state. Today, Professor Soludo is the twenty-first administrator since the old Anambra was created in 1976, the thirteenth Chief Executive of Anambra since it was created on August 27, 1991 and sixth governor since the fourth republic began in Nigeria on May 29, 1999.
The fourth republic kick started with Dr. Clement Chinwoke Mbadinuju (Odera) of PDP on May 29 1999, who handed over to Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige (Onwa) of PDP in May 29, 2003. Court removed Ngige and installed Mr. Peter Onwubuasi Obi (Okwute) of APGA, who was sworn-in on March 17, 2006. Mr. Obi was impeached and Dame Virgy Ngozi Etiaba (Mama Anambra) of APGA mounted the saddle as the first female governor in Nigeria from November 3, 2006 to February 9, 2007.
Later, the courts declared the impeachment of Obi as unconstitutional and he was reinstated on February 9, 2007. After 8 year-rule, Obi handed over to Chief Willie Obiano (Akpokuedike) of APGA on March 17, 2014. And after another 8 years, Chief Obiano hands over to Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo (Charlie Nwa Mgbafor) of APGA today. Remarkably, hopes are high on Professor Soludo but his antecedents show that he is equal to the task
Born on July 28, 1960 at Isuofia in Aguata L.G.A, Professor Soludo, who transited from grass to grace, to the glory of God, is a Nigerian Economics Professor and a former Governor And Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He was also a member of the British Department for International Development’s International Advisory Group.
His days in CBN saw the transformation of banks; through his twenty-five billion naira consolidation policy. Hitherto, customers’ money were trapped in liquidated banks. Today, every bank in Nigeria is as solid as a rock, thanks to Charlie Nwa Mgbafor. Soludo has been a visiting scholar to many local and foreign institutions such as: the International Monetary Fund (IMF); the University of Cambridge; the Brookings Institution; the University of Warwick, and the University of Oxford as well as a Visiting Professor at Swarthmore College (USA).
Professor Soludo has also worked as a consultant for a number of international organizations, including The World Bank, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and the United Nations Development Programme. Soludo is a core professional in the business of macroeconomics.
With a Distinction Grade in the West African School Certificate (WASC) at the Uga Boys’ Secondary School, a first class honours in B.Sc, MSc and PhD in Economics at UNN and promoted professor at the age of 38, though he met requirements to be professor at 32, Soludo has proved to be a gifted solution provider to the myriad of social and economic problems of the world, Nigeria and Anambra state.
Professor Chukwuma Soludo has been trained and involved in research, teaching, and auditing in such quantitative disciplines as multi-country macro-econometric modeling, techniques of computable general equilibrium modeling, survey methodology, and panel data econometrics, among others. He studied and taught these courses at many universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, and Warwick. Soludo authored many books on the subjects.
In 1998, Soludo was appointed to the position of professor of economics at the University of Nigeria; the next year he became a visiting professor at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, USA. He joined the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2003.
Prior to his May 2004 appointment to the bank chairmanship, he held the positions of Chief Economic Adviser to former President Obasanjo and Chief Executive of the National Planning Commission of Nigeria. In January 2008, in a speech to the Nigerian Economic Society, Prof Soludo saw Nigeria become Africa’s financial hub and considered microfinance important to the government’s economic policies. He once dreamt of Anambra becoming the Dubai and Japan of Africa.
President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Soludo on September 16, 2019, as a member of a newly formed 8-member Economic Advisory Council, which is reporting directly to the President.
In February 2021, Prof C.C. Soludo officially declared his intention to run for the position of Governor of Anambra State under the banner of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). On November 6, 2021, Soludo won the Anambra Governorship election under the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, winning in 19 out of the 21 local government areas and garnering over 25 percent votes in all the LGAs.
Professor Chukwuma Soludo (Charlie Nwa Mgbafor) is happily married to Queen Nonye Soludo. The marriage is blessed with 6 children.
No doubt, from the cradle, Professor Soludo has continued to show good grasp of what needs to be done to better the society. Thus, the combination of Chalie Nwa Mgbafor’s developmental background with Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, an erudite medical doctor and tested administrator, gives Ndi Anambra hope of a better progressive Anambra,
Gladly, Professor Soludo and Dr Ibezim have been speaking the language of good leadership since their victory at the poll and Ndi Anambra trust them to lead Anambra to be the fastest growing economy in Africa, where the state will be placed on irreversible socio-economic and political growth.
Thank God they have repeatedly expressed the belief that everyone is a winner in politics and that family wounds must heal fast enough before becoming infected by the gangrene of mistrust and hatred.
Ndi Anambra therefore owe the new leadership in the state prayer, trust and cooperation to succeed. Good luck Prof Soludo and Dr Ibezim!
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