One possible approach to look at the incoming government of Chukwuma Soludo in Anambra State is to look at it as an account of the change of many things in Igboland, Nigeria. This is invariably to say that with the emergence of Soludo as the next Governor of Anambra State on March 17, 2022, things will positively change for the better in Igboland.
The failure of leadership, lack of genuine goal and vision for Igbo persons in Nigeria will be corrected through a proper understanding of good governance and development initiatives in Anambra State. Anambra is always gifted in producing great leaders of thought, and Soludo is here to move the people of Anambra to the next level.
For these reasons, he has given the intention of running a good government in Anambra State that will bridge all the gaps of leadership in the state by creating a democratic structural government meant to spell out his goodwill in serving the people through a participatory, consensus-oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, and equitable and inclusive and also must follow the rule of law adequately in his government in Anambra State.
Literally, it is under this assumption, that he assures that corruption will stop and there will be an enormous capital industrial development hub in Anambra State under his government. He has opted to serve and develop his people in the mix of the failure of leadership; the miserable performance of past leaders of the people, responsible for the people’s continuous suffering from one generation to another. However, it is in this perspective, that Soludo will organise the people into the altruistic benefits of others, inputting their minds and will together for proper economic development.
Thus, it is in the light of the above consideration that the decision of his government will considerably evolve the following goals and objectives: 1. Qualitative education to the youth of the state; 2. To take charge of economic development of the state through better reforms on development agencies to encourage their staff to undertake studies of the political economy of the country and the sectors in which they work; 3. To hold the elected leaders accountable to their stewardship. It is no longer business as usual in the government establishments; 4. Support families and cultures of the Igbo people through development strides and promotion of tourism potential in the state; 5. Support the people of Anambra State in Diasporas, through the exchange of programmes in industries and economic capitalisation of trade for the people of Anambra.
So, it is on a related note that the emergence of Soludo will bring changes that will take place at different levels in Anambra and elsewhere in Nigeria. His government will propel changes in the political, social and economic attitude towards development in the South East, Nigeria. It will help in curtailing youth restiveness that usually bedevils the incessant crisis of armed robbery, kidnapping, insecurity, corruption and drug abuse by youths of the states.
This shift in general ways of thinking is important for the people of Anambra State to better their lives with Soludo’s leadership capital. And his first level of good governance starts with genuine economic development that will enhance welfare to the people on the grounds of the humanitarian paradigm. Development is about freedom from poverty, good housing and good health, and Soludo has the tendency of good public policy to achieve them. Soludo, as a renowned professor of economics and planning, will be mainly in the realm of economic development initiatives. He will work on the economic indices of the people of Anambra into living happily in the state.
As a specialist in political economy, he is bound to bring out his interest in the capital development of trade and industry in the state, and having the overwhelming majority of votes in the last gubernatorial election; will make many people of the state support him in his government. This is just as it involves human beings, who may react or fail to react to the change that he will bring about in his leadership. This is to say that he has an overwhelming majority of people, who supported him to bring out his financial magic of transforming Anambra, and just the same way he did at the Central Bank of Nigeria in the year 2000 to 2008 in Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. Today, with his broad selection for the Transition Committee, he has proved to be a worthy person of excellence, with much intent to keep to his election campaign promises.
Presumably, it is quintessentially good to know that Soludo constitutes a form of change in his own right of leadership capital in Anambra State. This is true because the general acceptability for his leadership is indeed overwhelming, and they predicted it right that he will make a very good leader in Anambra State. This is how democracy works, and it is a game of numbers. It is utilitarian in nature, seeking for the greatest good, for the greatest number of people in that political community. It is the government of the people, for the people and by the people.
Consequently, it is based on this panoply, that people are now preparing for a change in the same re-order level, with Soludo’s realism in economic policy, to have a good change in our education, health, environment, agriculture, housing, transportation, and security in the state of Anambra. All these are the emerging possibilities of our desired change as Soludo becomes the Governor.
Yes, he is the Governor-elect and he extols the virtue of the importance of trust with the people, to work for them in developing the state into an enviable one through the promotion of private enterprises, economic regulation and deregulation. The private and public sectors should work holistically for self-reliance in so many things that promote economic growth. Profusely, this has just commenced in his just-concluded interview that he will be wearing the ‘Akwaete’ fabrics to prove that we should encourage our goods and services locally made in Nigeria. He also expresses his desire to be using Innoson Motors as the official vehicle of the Anambra State government. Conclusively, what can we say again that is not important about Soludo’s government in Anambra State? He has the potential for good leadership and he is well prepared for the job of Executive Governor of Anambra State.
Dr. Asike is a lecturer at the Department of Philosophy, University of Port-Harcourt, Nigeria.
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