Soludo: The Reformer, His Travails And Triumphs In Defence Of The Masses

By Joe Anatune

We all crave for positive changes. We mouth them, desire them and even strive to have them. Such changes often come with cultural and lifestyle disruptions or shocks, to the extent that even the voracious advocates turn around to resist them. This is Soludo’s cross in his defence of the masses in order to improve their lot. Such is the normal run of human affairs.

Take this for example. Before Cee Cee Soludo took over the leadership of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), our banking landscape was pretty retrogressive and ugly, with weak capitalisation, lack of confidence in the system by depositors, poor governance regime, loss of deposits, long hours in the banking halls by customers, inability to partake in the global financial market, minimal support to economic growth and many more.

Soludo’s well thought-out plan to effect positive changes was vigorously fought back by those who were benefitting from the unproductive system and who were bent on ensuring that the good people of Nigeria did not enjoy banking services as obtainable in civilised parts of the world. They fought back with all they had, to prevent progress. Indeed, they fought dirty and vicious.

The fact that banking services are today at our doorstep is due to the courage and resoluteness of one man who nearly sacrificed himself and family in the process. He received many death threats, but when they failed to scare him to submission, they went after his father, who was saved by God’s Special Grace.

So, before we forget, the convenient technology driven banking services we now enjoy, the billionaires that adorn our towns because of greater access to loanable funds, and large numbers of our brothers and sisters that work and earn their livings in the industry are products and manifestations of the sweat and sacrifices of Soludo.

This grim and gritty endeavour can only come from a man who is committed to making his environment better than he met it. It is no longer a secret that Soludo is a humanist, who cares about how people can escape from the firm and vicious grip of poverty. In doing this, he follows the path less travelled by teaching and empowering people on how to create wealth and put bread on the tables of their families. He abhors opportunistic philanthropy. Rather, he lights candles for many.

Now, a grateful Ndi Anambra have noticed these fine qualities of Soludo. For two years now, they have been in the streets of Anambra and elsewhere, asking him to come and serve them and take the achievements of Governor Willie Obiano some notches higher.

Ever prepared, Soludo has given a snippet of where he wants Anambra to go. He envisions the most Livable Smart Megacity in Africa. The people’s minds have been stretched to the possibilities and opportunities inherent in this Promised Land, which will come on the anvils of Obiano’s legacy projects.

Ndi Anambra are joining the Soludo train in droves, but the enemies and saboteurs of Anambra nay Ndi Igbo are afraid that the paradigm will shift in the best interests of the critical mass.

So they must get Soludo out of the way like they tried unsuccessfully in the March 31, 2021 Isuofia attack. Now, Ndi Anambra have known their real enemies and are determined to ensure the fruition of the Soludo PROJECT with their time, treasure and talents. Their motivation is the knowledge that Soludo has a long history of standing for others. As a result, they have resolved to stand with him in the moment of distress and always.

*Anatune writes from Awa in Orumba North Local Government Area, Anambra State.