I have taken my time to read, albeit painfully, the very lengthy article put together by Soludo and gleefully published by Sahara Reporters. When I read the article from a man who literally dropped off the surface of the earth for about 5 years, my first question was not, “What is he saying?”, rather, “What does he want?” in Soludo’s case, the answer is clear enough; or at least, I shall try to make it clear.
Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s pen-ultimate article in which he criticized the government, and to which he himself refers in his last publication, was written in 2010 just when we were on the brink of an election. In fact, the scenario was not much different from what we have now. With an election on the way in 2010, the former CBN Governor blasted the government, citing different reasons why he had rated the government to have failed. Now, he is back, with much the same story except for the fact that the narrative is longer.
In life, Intelligence and character are not synonymous with each other. What Soludo has in intelligence, he lacks in character and because his character far dominates his intellect, he is wont to continue making bad decisions due to bad judgement. As a respected and revered investor and global statesman once said; we should always look for three things in an individual: Intelligence, Energy and above all character (integrity). He said we should choose people with all three but never work with a person who has intelligence and energy but no integrity. When Soludo came on stage he was a brilliant young economist and lecturer. He was well known within the East even though not internationally accomplished then as he would like many to believe.
However, when Soludo was brought to Abuja to serve as Chief Economic Adviser, his real character emerged. As the saying goes, when you want to test a man’s real character, give him power. He had barely settled when he began displaying megalomaniacal tendencies and a giant and misplaced ego brought about by a deep insecurity. He appropriated every idea and became a one man riot squad. All ideas by the Economic team of which he was a member, soon became his personal ideas. Without decorum, he seized those ideas and claimed they were his. He, through his outsized ego, threw around his weight as CBN Governor and began to imagine himself as some overlord of Nigeria. Such was the treachery displayed by Soludo. Of course, we are all witnesses to the massive fraud that took place under his watch. Within a short while Soludo became mega rich.
He bought houses in London (NEXT Newspaper expose) and was even arrested by EFCC for the Polymer scandal which is still ongoing. It took a Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to come and clean up the fraudulent mess that he left. The ooze and the putrefying smell of his dubious tenure is still with us. This is the same man that is pontificating as if he is a self appointed messiah. Hear him pander to all our ex military leaders in his write up in a desperate bid and mis belief that by acting the prostitute, he will be thrown some crumbs in the form of an appointment in a new government. But just as I mentioned earlier, when a man’s ambitions and lust for power far supersede that man’s intellect, that man will always display a lack of wisdom in decisions. That is why Soludo erroneously believed that he will be Vice President under Yar’adua. That is also why he believed he will become Governor of Anambra State. Having failed in both attempts, he latched onto Atiku Abubakar in the mistaken belief that he will win the last primaries. That never happened.
Then he attempted once more to become Governor of Anambra State and failed again. After hibernating in between his EFCC visits, Soludo is back again doing what he does best. Guess what? It’s another election year. The spectre of a position in government is too attractive for him to ignore. You would have thought that if Soludo felt so strongly about the economy he would have spoken up earlier than now. But for Soludo, that is not part of his character. Raw and blind ambition coupled with disgraceful and uncouth megalomaniacal tendencies laced with a penchant for corruption is truly what he is. Is anyone surprised that he is speaking now? Desperation for a position is what he is looking at.
When a man can do anything for career advancement you know that is an individual you should never touch. Having failed in politics, he is back in the mistaken belief that a position under a new government in an election that hasn’t been decided yet is the solution to his woes. Once again, a sign of bad judgement driven by a lack of integrity. If he wants to lobby for a political appointment, there are certainly better and more respectable ways to do so. Class, poise and finesse never did anyone any harm.
No, Soludo; It isn’t the government that should be graded an F, it is your character and lack of integrity that should be graded an F. No one will ever rely on a man that can never be trusted. No one will ever rely on a man whose ego, desperate ambition and lack of integrity drives him. I will end with this comment from someone online which pretty sums it all!
I see that Soludo’s foray into his ill fated political outings – with Atiku first then later wanting to be governor of Anambra state, has left him bitter and jobless. No international agency has touched him since he disappeared from the public eye because of his colossal reputation as the fraudulent CBN governor. His rantings here are nothing but the last desperate act of a man who is drowning. Soludo in his typical over inflated ego tells us that all the international rating agencies are wrong and only he Soludo, the man under who the biggest banking fraud in Nigeria took place is right. What a shame that Soludo’s poverty of character has reduced him to a miniature stature of a man, a pseudo intellectual for hire.
Uwa Eghomeka writes from Benin City
