₦airaland Forum

Jarus:
Ojukwu Jnr, though stupendously rich, was not the richest man of his generation. Kano's Alhaji Dantata was. In Abiola's generation he was unanimously agreed to be the richest Nigerian(from 1980-1993), just as Dangote is regarded as the richest Nigerian now(even thougj some people will disagree that Adenuga is as rich as, if not richer than, Dangote, only that most of his companies are not quoted. But let's leave it at Dangote richest). At no time was an Anambra indigene regarded as richest Nigerian.

The fact that Ojukwu snr was the richest Nigerian of his time is non debatable. the only assertion that can be debated is that he was the first African millionaire.

HERE AND THERE: Excerpts from an interview
By Amma Ogan
print  email   


Setting: Villaska Lodge, Ikoyi, Lagos on a Saturday in July 1989.

Why did you join the army?

An army, as far as I was concerned was supposed to protect the community that pays it. In my own peculiar case my joining the army was a protest. Peculiar not because it is a protest because there have been many people joining the army as a protest, protest on family control, protest because they failed their exams and so on.

What was your protest about?

My protest was actually against what I considered the wrong direction, the fragmentation of Nigeria. I went into the army against regionalisation of Nigeria. I looked to give my service to the only viable federal institution. I couldn't become a prison warder or a policeman. The only one that was left was the army and I went for it.

You joined in protest against regionalisation and ended up becoming the leader of a region?

It did not really matter where it led, either against my own personal interest and the perceived wisdom of the day; I knew that my duty lay in the protection of the people entrusted to me.

When you left Biafra for Cote d'Ivoire did you think you were going away to come back?

Yes. I always refuse to go into details about the past because of many reasons people are now beginning to see. But in actual fact when you are leading an enterprise such as I led, you cannot lead it effectively if you did not believe you were going to win. Once you start having self doubt you cease to lead - and I made no bones about it-right to the last minute I continued believing that we would win in spite of anything. The realities the first day were pretty bleak. We had no weapons, we had nothing, but we kept on fighting. And in any case what are you fighting for? You are fighting for your own war aims. And the war aims of Biafra were never the conquest of territory as such. It was the survival of a people. And even with these, with ehm, the other side encircling us, we were still very much hoping that perhaps world opinion, whatever it is, would save these people. This is how we felt.

You felt betrayed when you left Biafra?

Ehm, I have always refused to pass judgement on those that I left behind. During a war the situation changes very rapidly. At the time I was leaving there was absolutely no reason for surrender. But then, in six hours, something could have happened. I don't know. It is possible in a fluid situation and given the unequalness in this conflict. I left ostensibly because the situation was bad, to seek, ehm, and support of France through the intermediary of the Ivory Coast. We had hoped that what would happen would be that France would contact England and we would probably arrive if not to cease, I mean ehm we expected to have a ceasefire at least, then to go on negotiating the type of settlement that was acceptable. And at that time the one thing that was not acceptable was capitulation without guarantees for the lives of our people.

Why did you leave?

It was decided that because of the urgency of the situation, that the only person who demanded immediate audience and got (it) outside, was myself.

Was that a consensus or you had to agree?

I had to agree because the original team did not include me. And then after the cabinet came back again at different points and finally, it was in fact not at all, ehm, it was almost, well it was not a consensus because I was the only dissenting voice.

Did you think you knew everything of what was going on?

It is entirely silly to think that throughout managing such a vast activity with so many millions of people that I would know everything that went on. No, far from it and I don't believe any leader on this earth could know everything that was going on,

Did you think you had a good grasp of the situation?

I had a very good grasp of the essentials. Yes. There is no doubt about that. The essentials. Yes.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Environment/5516065-147/here_and_there_excerpts_from_an.csp

ANAMBRA

Prof. Dora Akunyili (Former DG NAFDAC)

Dr. Oby Ezekwesili (VP World Bank)

Stella Okoli (Emzor Pharmaceuticals)

Chimamanda Adichie (Award winning writer)

Chinyelu Onwurah (Labour party MP Uk)

Virgie Etiaba (1st female state governor in Nigeria)

Joy Emordi (Foremost female politician)

Jarus:
There are hundreds of Anambra military officers that started with Obasanjo, Diya and are no where near where Obj and Diya reached in their chosen profession, so don't downplay their achievements pls.

Cosmas Maduka and Adenuga in the same sentence? The only businessmen that should be mentioned in Adenuga's class are Dangote, Otedola, and maybe Jim Ovia.
Even Oba Otudeko(another Ogun son) is ahead of Coscharis and Innoson in entrepreneurship and wealth. Not to forget the Subomi Baloguns(FCMB owner, and father of merchant banking in Nigeria), another Ogun great who may not even enter Top 5 Ogun entrepreneurs.

That aside, you had to go back to Ojukwu Snr of the 40s to 60s to find a match for Adenuga in Anambra, guess what? At that time, Ogun had two representatives in the list of Nigeria's richest/most successful businessmen.

So in Ojukwu's generation, Ogun had two reps, in Adenuga's generation, bring a representative. Pls don't tell me Adenuga and Cosmas Maduka are in teh same class. Even Oba Otudeko(Honeywell group and highest shareholder in First Bank, and rated one of teh Top 10 richest Nigerians floors Maduka and Innoson, not to talk of The Bull himself.)

You and I know the effect the July 1966 coup and the civil war had on Anambra officers. You also know that igbo officers mainly from Anambra were commanding most of the military formations across the country post 1966.

MIKE ADENUGA = IBB.

wait untill buhari takes over.

@Jarus, for you to compare Abiola to Ojukwu senior is just laughable. Abiola is no match to Sir Louis Ojukwu. It's on record that he owned much of Ikoyi before the Federal government confiscated most of his property after the civil war. His property in Ikoyi includes the present JAMB office. It took the magnanimity of IBB to return Villaska lodge to Ojukwu jnr as a place of residence.

Remember that on the queen's visit to nigeria, Sir Ojukwu's private limousine was used to convey the queen as the Goverbnment of nigeria could not afford such at the time

Obiagu1:
A change in accent comes about without you knowing it.

Whenever I talk to a family member, the first thing they say is that my accent has changed and I barely know it. I have to make extra effort these days to speak the way I spoke years back but does that worth it?

Those nollywood actors and actresses only try to pronounce words appropriately unlike our silly 'com' instead of 'cu.m' or 'doct'or' instead of 'docta'. And by the way, who among them has a  nasal accent?

Hope you know the bolded above r American and not British.

Affalatus:
Ikoyi Residence for Rent Two Bedroom Apartment Opposite Park-view Estate
Going for N700,000 you can pay for one year
At Mosley Street, Ikoyi
Call Thomas on: 08035883220

This smells of SCAM. 2 bedroom apartment going for N7000,000 in Ikoyi of all places. Dude, take your trade elsewhere, Nairalanders are smarter than this.

Ileke-IdI:
So are we now dumping unsuccessful ppl in the list?

Plz too dey add SOBs who has/had helped run down the country. Yes, famously corrupt.

OBJ (Ogun State)

Kilode?!:
It is very sad that the only value you can attach to this great African/Nigerian is a disease and "substance abuse".

Sorry, edited but,

Obiagu1:
@ Nwabodo, what about Rev. Fr. Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi?

, still compiling.

dayokanu:
Jarus pick a top 10 from Ogun, Nwabobo pick a top 10 from Anambra lwith a brief intro and lets compare.

I think Ogun top 10  would be something like

OBJ - Politics (Probably the biggest-not best politician to ever come out of Nigeria and have been influential from late 60's till now over 40yrs)
Awolowo - Best President Nigeria never had
Shonekan - One time Head of government
MKO Abiola - Business (Arguably biggest business man to ever come out of Nigeria)
Mike Adenuga - Business (Top 5 richest Nigerian)
Soyinka - Academia (Most recognised academia from Nigeria)
Fela Kuti - Entertainment (Most recognised artiste from Nigeria)

Match a name from Anambra state side by side with each of these and compare

OBJ/Azikiwe

Awolowo/Emeka Ojukwu

Shonekan/Anyaoku

MKO/Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu

Soyinka/Achebe

Fela/Osadebe

Jah Man:
Philip Emeagwali is from Delta(Delta-Igbo) although he was born and bred in Onitsha.
Anambra enumerators pls take note.

Phillip Emeagwali is from Onitsha, born in Akure and a cousin to Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna.

It is not surprising that of the 20 individuals chosen in the Vanguard living legend poll, 5 of them are from Anambra state.

The list include;

Chukwuemeka Ojukwu (Anambra)

Chinua Achebe (Anambra)

Emeka Anyaoku (Anambra)

Philip Emeagwali (Anambra)

Professor Dora Akunyili (Anambra)


Kanu Nwankwo  (Abia)

Olusegun Obasanjo(Ogun)

Wole Soyinka (Ogun)

Akintola Williams (Ogun)


Anthony Enahoro (Edo)

Cardinal Okogie (Edo)

Pat Utomi (Delta)

David Dafinone (Delta)

Sunny Ade         (Osun)

Enoch Adeboye  (Osun)

Balarabe Musa (Kaduna)

Gani Fawehinmi (Ondo)

Aliko Dango (Kano)

Hakeem Olajuwon (Lagos)

and General Gowon (Plateau)

Jarus:
I disagree. Let Anambra parade its Top 10 and let's compare with Ogun's Top 10

You can make your own choice of 10 from the list below;

nwabobo:
ANAMBRA (modified and reloaded)



ANAMBRA STATE


Nnamdi Azikiwe (1st Nigerian Governor-general and first president of Nigeria  and historically, the only man whose name appeared in the Constitution of his country (Nigeria's Republican Constitution of 1963))

Nwafor Orizu (1st senate president of the Federal republic of Nigeria and first Acting presidentof the federation)

Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu (1st African multi millionaire)

Chike Obi (1st Nigerian professor of Mathematics)

Kenneth Dike (1st Nigerian VC of a university UI)

Eugene Akosa Keazor (Former Nigerian police officer in the colonial years who held the most senior police rank ever held by an African in the British colony)

Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (1st graduate to enlist in the Nigerian army and leader of the defunct Republic of Biafra)

Chinua Achebe (1st African writer whose books are standard curricula in schools and universities across the world)

Emeka Anyaoku (1st black  secretary-general of the commonwealth )

Alex Ekwueme (1st executive vice president of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria)

F. C. Nwokedi (1st Nigerian Permanent Secretary)

Chimamanda Adichie (famous writer who won the Orange Prize for Fiction (2007) and a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (2008))

Cardinal Arinze (Cardinal at the vatican who was in contest to succeed the late Pope John Paul II)

Philip Emeagwali (winner of the Gordon Bell prize in super computing)

Dora Akunyili (Former NAFDAC Boss who rid the Nation of fake and counterfeit drugs)

Chinyelu Onwura (Labour Party MP, UK)

Chuka Umunna (Labour party MP, UK)

Charles Soludo (Renowned professor of Economics and former CBN governor)

Oby Ezekwesili (World Bank Vice president)

Cosmas Maduka (CEO Coscharis Group of Companies)

Cletus Ibeto (CEO Ibeto Group of Companies)

Emeka Offor (CEO Chrome Oil, Controls majority of oil explorations in Sao Tome and Principe)

Mikel Obi (Chelsea and Nigerian football star)

P square (Popular musicians)


Ben Enweonwu (Renowned professor of Fine Arts)

Pius Okigbo (renowned economist, was 1st Nigerian economic adviser to the Federal Government of Nigeria. He released the Okigbo report indicting IBB of the mismanagement of $12.4b oil windfall)

Chuba Okadigbo (most eloquent senate president Nigeria has ever had)

Jerome Udoji (Former president of the NSE and MAN)

Cyprian Ekwensi (renowned novelist)

Osita Osadebe (Highlife maestro)

Oliver de Coque (Highlife Maestro)

Augustine Ilodibe (Ekene DiliChukwu)

Samuel Okoye  (black Africa's first PhD in Radio Astronomy who along with Anthony Hewish of the University of Cambridge discovered the radio source of Crab Nebula neutron star)

Chinwe Chukwuogo-Ray (1st black artist to officially paint the portrait of the Queen)

Amobi Okoye (Youngest American football player to play in the NFL)

Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna (1st black African to win a gold medal in an international games competition; winning gold in high jump at the 1954 Commonwealth games)

Innocent Chukwuma (CEO Innoson Group of Companies; owner of the first private automobile muanufacturing company in Nigeria)

Chukwuemeka Ezeife (Harvard trained economist, former Economic adviser to the president of Uganda and former governor of Anambra state)

Sir Louis Mbanefo (Legal luminary Justice at the World court; ICJ)

Lieutenant-General Chikadibia Isaac Obiakor (appointed in 2008 by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon as Military Advisor on UN Peacekeeping Operations)

MCK Ajuluchukwu ( a nationalist, anti-colonial fighter and first republic law-maker)

Edwin Ume Ezeoke (former speaker of the Federal house of representative)

Chief Mike Okpala aka Power Mike (Undefeated World Heavyweight wrestling champion)

etc (I don tire, will add more tomorrow)

EVANS4GOD:
the bubo squad of the Nigeria police force of enugu police command has discovered bobo planted at the okpara square enugu as chime flag off com pane.

Little wonder most studnets fail WAEC these days.

ANAMBRA (modified and reloaded)



ANAMBRA STATE


Nnamdi Azikiwe (1st Nigerian Governor-general and first president of Nigeria  and historically, the only man whose name appeared in the Constitution of his country (Nigeria's Republican Constitution of 1963))

Nwafor Orizu (1st senate president of the Federal republic of Nigeria and first Acting presidentof the federation)

Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu (1st African multi millionaire)

Chike Obi (1st Nigerian professor of Mathematics)

Kenneth Dike (1st Nigerian VC of a university UI)

Eugene Akosa Keazor (Former Nigerian police officer in the colonial years who held the most senior police rank ever held by an African in the British colony)

Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (1st graduate to enlist in the Nigerian army and leader of the defunct Republic of Biafra)

Chinua Achebe (1st African writer whose books are standard curricula in schools and universities across the world)

Emeka Anyaoku (1st black  secretary-general of the commonwealth )

Alex Ekwueme (1st executive vice president of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria)

F. C. Nwokedi (1st Nigerian Permanent Secretary)

Chimamanda Adichie (famous writer who won the Orange Prize for Fiction (2007) and a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (2008))

Cardinal Arinze (Cardinal at the vatican who was in contest to succeed the late Pope John Paul II)

Philip Emeagwali (winner of the Gordon Bell prize in super computing)

Dora Akunyili (Former NAFDAC Boss who rid the Nation of fake and counterfeit drugs)

Chinyelu Onwura (Labour Party MP, UK)

Chuka Umunna (Labour party MP, UK)

Charles Soludo (Renowned professor of Economics and former CBN governor)

Oby Ezekwesili (World Bank Vice president)

Cosmas Maduka (CEO Coscharis Group of Companies)

Cletus Ibeto (CEO Ibeto Group of Companies)

Emeka Offor (CEO Chrome Oil, Controls majority of oil explorations in Sao Tome and Principe)

Mikel Obi (Chelsea and Nigerian football star)

P square (Popular musicians)


Ben Enweonwu (Renowned professor of Fine Arts)

Pius Okigbo (renowned economist, was 1st Nigerian economic adviser to the Federal Government of Nigeria. He released the Okigbo report indicting IBB of the mismanagement of $12.4b oil windfall)

Chuba Okadigbo (most eloquent senate president Nigeria has ever had)

Jerome Udoji (Former president of the NSE and MAN)

Cyprian Ekwensi (renowned novelist)

Osita Osadebe (Highlife maestro)

Oliver de Coque (Highlife Maestro)

Augustine Ilodibe (Ekene DiliChukwu)

Samuel Okoye  (black Africa's first PhD in Radio Astronomy who along with Anthony Hewish of the University of Cambridge discovered the radio source of Crab Nebula neutron star)

Chinwe Chukwuogo-Ray (1st black artist to officially paint the portrait of the Queen)

Amobi Okoye (Youngest American football player to play in the NFL)

Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna (1st black African to win a gold medal in an international games competition; winning gold in high jump at the 1954 Commonwealth games)

Innocent Chukwuma (CEO Innoson Group of Companies; owner of the first private automobile muanufacturing company in Nigeria)

Chukwuemeka Ezeife (Harvard trained economist, former Economic adviser to the president of Uganda and former governor of Anambra state)

Sir Louis Mbanefo (Legal luminary Justice at the World court; ICJ)

Lieutenant-General Chikadibia Isaac Obiakor (appointed in 2008 by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon as Military Advisor on UN Peacekeeping Operations)

MCK Ajuluchukwu ( a nationalist, anti-colonial fighter and first republic law-maker)

Edwin Ume Ezeoke (former speaker of the Federal house of representative)

Chief Mike Okpala aka Power Mike (Undefeated World Heavyweight wrestling champion)

etc (I don tire, will add more tomorrow)

Andre Uweh:
P-Square: From Enugu state not Anambra state.

Andre nwanna, the P square brothers are from Ifite Dunu in Dunukofia Local Government of Anambra State.

Notice that Peter Obi is no longer wearing Apga uniform with Ojukwu's pic? Naija politicians sef.

spade:
@nwabobo: You forgot the great Nnamdi Azikiwe!!

I consciously listed those who are still alive. If I were to add those who have gone to join our ancestors, then the list will have people like,



Nnamdi Azikiwe

Nwafor Orizu (Nigeria's 1st senate presido)

Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu (1st African multi millionaire)

Chike Obi

Kenneth Dike (1st Nigerian VC of a university UI)

Ben Enweonwu

Pius Okigbo

Chuba Okadigbo

Jerome Udoji

Cyprian Ekwensi

Osita Osadebe

Oliver de Coque

Augustine Ilodibe (Ekene DiliChukwu)

Samuel Okoye  etc


With all due respect, I doubt if any other state in Nigeria can match Anambra state in terms of human resources. Ogun state may compete though.

ANAMBRA STATE



Odumegwu Ojukwu

Chinua Achebe

Emeka Anyaoku

Chimamanda Adichie

Cardinal Arinze

Philip Emeagwali

Alex Ekwueme

Dora Akunyili

Chinyelu Onwura (Labour Party MP, UK)

Chuka Umunna (Labour party MP, UK)

Charles Soludo

Oby Ezekwesili

Cosmas Maduka (Coscharis)

Cletus Ibeto

Emeka Offor

Mikel Obi

P square

Nnamdi Azikiwe

Nwafor Orizu (Nigeria's 1st senate presido)

Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu (1st African multi millionaire)

Chike Obi

Kenneth Dike (1st Nigerian VC of a university UI)

Ben Enweonwu

Pius Okigbo

Chuba Okadigbo

Jerome Udoji

Cyprian Ekwensi

Osita Osadebe

Oliver de Coque

Augustine Ilodibe (Ekene DiliChukwu)

Samuel Okoye etc

Johnnyessence:
I think 4 now acn should hold meeting 4 because chris ngige cannot win any election in southeast and south south because ngige cant boast of any achievement in anambra state even he cant win in his ward. This is dissappoint the better 4 them is to change their mind now or else the youth wil change their mind.

Are you high on some cheap weed?

ode remo:
earlier on the above thread  you were defending him like no tomorrow, not satisfied you actually now want to pitch a thread on the man soludo .as if your soludo is a saint.
was not the same guy that says our economy was in good shape insulated against any global downturn.
give us a break?

Soludo never made that statemant and has in fact challenged anybody who said he made the statement to prove it. Below is his response on that;

I NEVER EVER said that the Nigerian economy or the banking/financial system was “immune” or “insulated” from the global crisis. Aside from the usual sensational headlines of some newspapers (designed to sell their newspapers) and of course some misrepresentations by some commentators, the records show that I was the most vocal public official in articulating the nature and causes of the crisis and the consequences for the Nigerian economy as well as the remedial actions. Disprove this point if you can, Hon. Minister! When a section of the media tried to insinuate that my assurances that we would survive the crisis meant that Nigeria was ‘insulated’ from the crisis, I issued clarifications (as advertorial) through my Special Assistant (media) in early 2009.

I have the transcripts and video copies of my public presentations on the crisis. Indeed, when most analysts were busy looking for the domestic causes of the crash of the capital market, I was the first public official to link the woes of the capital market to the global financial crisis, and also laid out the proactive measures we took at the CBN.  The Guardian newspaper, 5th October, 2008, while reporting my presentation at Thisday newspaper’s seminar on the capital market crisis quoted me as saying: “We now begin to have cross-border contagion”,  “Given the credit crunch in the advanced industrial world, several of the institutional investors from those markets began to pull out of our markets”,  “We have taken a lot of actions in terms of liquidity,  Our doors are open, we are free and open to lend to the banks, our discount windows are open, our liquidity ratios are down, our monetary policy rate is down, and the minimum cash reserve requirement is down”.

Do these sound like someone saying that Nigeria was “insulated” or to use Aganga’s term “isolated”?

On 21st October, 2008, I appeared at the plenary session of the Senate with Minister of Finance, Dr. Usman; Minister of National Planning, Senator Daggash; and Chief Economic Adviser, Mallam Tanimu Yakubu. While reporting the session, Tribune newspaper of 22 October, 2008 reported that “‘They, however, agreed that the economy was not immune to the effects of the global financial meltdown as they said that banks in the country might have to recapitalize to fence off the effects of the meltdown”. Quoting me directly, the Tribune reported me as saying:

“I assure you that our foreign reserves are safe. That is the first round effect. On the second round effects, some of the assets of the banks could potentially deteriorate. It’s a potential risk because they are exposed to the capital market. We have done something proactively because we didn’t wait for them to collapse,  We insist that no bank will fail. We have also restricted foreign ownership of our banks. With the benefit of hindsight, it was a good move. We have also suspended mop-up operations. There’s liquidity surge. Banks should reduce exposure to the capital market,  As a lender of last resort, no Nigerian bank would be allowed to fail, but we need to recapitalize to make the sector more vibrant. We are not likely to go into a recession”.

Reporting the same Senate appearance (which was televised live on NTA), Thisday newspaper of 22nd October, 2008 (p.1 and p.7) reported me as follows:

“No Nigerian bank will be allowed to fail,  He said the CBN was ready to take any necessary step to save the banks in the event of distress— including taking over ‘toxic assets’ in the banks’ balance sheets,  ‘We proposed an Asset Management Company during consolidation programme, but it was not passed by the National Assembly. This is the time, President of the Senate, most distinguished senators, to pass the Asset Management Company where banks and other financial institutions could go to sell or deposit some of their distressed assets,  But in order to pre-empt and make sure that the contagion does not wipe out our own system, we have also taken proactive measures by making sure that the system is as liquid as possible, and we have opened our lending window to be able to extend credit to any bank that needs it as much as it can,  But there are challenges going forward and that is the responsibility of the Senate. I think there are several bills before the National Assembly that need to be passed like yesterday that are needed to strengthen the financial system’. He listed the bills to include the Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BOFI) Act, which he said had been in the National Assembly since early 2006. ‘It still requires amendments to strengthen the regulatory capacity. There is also a bill for Consumer credit. It is before the National Assembly; there is the bill for mortgage reforms before the national Assembly. ‘These bills need to be passed urgently because they are required to unleash the boom in Nigeria’s financial system and also useful for moving the economy forward”,  He, however, agreed while rounding off his presentation to the Senate, that “this is not the time to be complacent; it is the time to take action; it is the time for patience and it is the time to be vigilant”.

Do I need to say more? I thank the National Assembly for finally passing the AMCON Act. Are you still there, Hon. Minister, or are you embarrassed to learn that even the AMCON you taunt as the ‘saviour of the banks’ happens to be one of Soludo’s initiatives?

ode remo:
CAN you stop wasting bandwith with this your Messiah soludo.
i have heard enuff . he is yesterday man. deal with it.

Ode, I will be very happy if you can post your today's man's CV side by side that of Soludo ao that the public can make their judgement.

A litle on the phenomenon called Soludo;

PART ONE: Here I Am, Send Me! My Background

I believe that God has a purpose and a plan for everyone. From my very humble beginnings, it is only through the grace of God that I could have earned a Distinction grade at the secondary school; a B.Sc (First Class Honours) (Economics); an M.Sc. and a Ph.D (Economics) winning Departmental, Faculty and University awards as best graduating student at the University of Nigeria. I had cumulative four years of post-doctoral training and research in some of the world’s best institutions including the Brookings Institution, Washington, DC; University of Oxford, UK; University of Warwick, UK; Cambridge University as Smuts scholar; UN Economic Commission for Africa; the IMF Research Department, etc. I am a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (FCIB); Fellow of the Nigerian Economic Society (FNES), and awarded Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) (Honoris Causa) from three Universities.

I was visiting Associate Professor at Swarthmore College, USA, and promoted Professor of Economics at the age of 38 (University of Nigeria, Nsukka). I lived and worked in Ethiopia, U.K., and the USA and travelled to 45 other countries before joining Government in 2003. As consultant to 18 international organizations (including the World Bank, IMF, OECD Paris, European Union, African Union, USAID, UK-DFID, ADB, IBM Consulting, USA; IDRC Canada; Chemonics International, USA;  United Nations, UNIDO, ECOWAS, COMESA, CODESRIA, UNCTAD; AERC Nairobi) I garnered wide ranging experiences and knowledge. I was also the founding Executive Director of the African Institute for Applied Economics, Enugu. I have to my credit over 80 scholarly publications, 15 books, and over 250 monographs, conference papers and public lectures.

At the Federal Government (2003 – 2009), I held five substantive positions: Chief Economic Adviser to the President; Deputy Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Planning Commission (of ministerial rank by law); Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Chairman, Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPM), Plc; Founder and Chairman, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), as well as membership of more than 25 technical/policy committees. These assignments saw us draft the Government’s reform agenda (National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy, NEEDS); massively restructured nonperforming government institutions; rebuilt the CBN and NSPM; revolutionalized the Nigerian banking/financial system; set up a new international financial institution, AFC, and helped to steer the Nigerian economy away from the global financial crisis. For these accomplishments, I have been decorated with scores of awards, including being awarded the African and Global Central Bank Governor of the year, 2006 by the Banker (Financial Times) and the Financial Times of London has described me as “a great reformer”. The Federal Government has conferred the third highest national honour (Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR) on me in 2006--- in recognition of accomplished performance.

Recently, I have served as a member of the United Nations Commission of Experts on the Global Economic and Financial Crisis. Also, I have served as a member of the International Advisory Group for the UK- DFID, and still member of the 7- man Chief Economist Advisory Council of the World Bank.  Immediately after completing my tenure of office as Governor of the Central Bank, I have accepted three international offers.

I served the Federal Government of Nigeria under two Presidents and below are excerpts of what each had to say about my services to Nigeria:

“Charles Soludo is a true Nigerian. He is the sort of Nigerian that we all know we can rely on. Among his numerous virtues is COURAGE. I have found in him a man who can take tough and realistic decisions, stand his ground, educate others on the salience of his decision, and work very hard to ensure that the decision is efficiently and effectively implemented. His dedication to duty is first rate. His leadership qualities are admirable and his willingness to listen and learn is simply infectious.
Professor Soludo has within a short time emerged as one of the leading lights of our nation. Not because he has a godfather but by sheer hard work, loyalty, dedication to duty, commitment to the nation, creativity, and undiluted association with the reform agenda, ”. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR (December, 2004)

President Yar’Adua had the following the say about the CBN under my leadership:

“… the CBN has performed creditably well in delivering on its core mandates. This is especially even more so in the last five years. Most people would agree that without the successful banking consolidation and effective management of our foreign reserves, the current global crisis would have shaken the financial system and our national economy to their foundations with calamitous consequences”; President Yar’Adua (May 2009).

In the President’s letter of commendation after completion of my tenure of office, the President had the following to say:

“As your tenure as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria comes to a glorious end, I write on behalf of the Government and people of Nigeria to place on record our debt of gratitude to you for your dedicated service and uncommon sense of duty over the past five years. I am confident that your worthy antecedents in the CBN and in prior appointments in the service of our nation remain sources of inspiration to an entire generation. As I wish you even more astounding successes in the years ahead, it is my fervent hope that you will readily avail us of your distinguished service when the need arises in the future” (June 2009).

This is for those who don't know Soludo and keep describing him as a mere UNN lecturer.

PART ONE: Here I Am, Send Me! My Background
I believe that God has a purpose and a plan for everyone. From my very humble beginnings, it is only through the grace of God that I could have earned a Distinction grade at the secondary school; a B.Sc (First Class Honours) (Economics); an M.Sc. and a Ph.D (Economics) winning Departmental, Faculty and University awards as best graduating student at the University of Nigeria. I had cumulative four years of post-doctoral training and research in some of the world’s best institutions including the Brookings Institution, Washington, DC; University of Oxford, UK; University of Warwick, UK; Cambridge University as Smuts scholar; UN Economic Commission for Africa; the IMF Research Department, etc. I am a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (FCIB); Fellow of the Nigerian Economic Society (FNES), and awarded Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) (Honoris Causa) from three Universities.

I was visiting Associate Professor at Swarthmore College, USA, and promoted Professor of Economics at the age of 38 (University of Nigeria, Nsukka). I lived and worked in Ethiopia, U.K., and the USA and travelled to 45 other countries before joining Government in 2003. As consultant to 18 international organizations (including the World Bank, IMF, OECD Paris, European Union, African Union, USAID, UK-DFID, ADB, IBM Consulting, USA; IDRC Canada; Chemonics International, USA;  United Nations, UNIDO, ECOWAS, COMESA, CODESRIA, UNCTAD; AERC Nairobi) I garnered wide ranging experiences and knowledge. I was also the founding Executive Director of the African Institute for Applied Economics, Enugu. I have to my credit over 80 scholarly publications, 15 books, and over 250 monographs, conference papers and public lectures.

At the Federal Government (2003 – 2009), I held five substantive positions: Chief Economic Adviser to the President; Deputy Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Planning Commission (of ministerial rank by law); Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Chairman, Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPM), Plc; Founder and Chairman, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), as well as membership of more than 25 technical/policy committees. These assignments saw us draft the Government’s reform agenda (National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy, NEEDS); massively restructured nonperforming government institutions; rebuilt the CBN and NSPM; revolutionalized the Nigerian banking/financial system; set up a new international financial institution, AFC, and helped to steer the Nigerian economy away from the global financial crisis. For these accomplishments, I have been decorated with scores of awards, including being awarded the African and Global Central Bank Governor of the year, 2006 by the Banker (Financial Times) and the Financial Times of London has described me as “a great reformer”. The Federal Government has conferred the third highest national honour (Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR) on me in 2006--- in recognition of accomplished performance.

Recently, I have served as a member of the United Nations Commission of Experts on the Global Economic and Financial Crisis. Also, I have served as a member of the International Advisory Group for the UK- DFID, and still member of the 7- man Chief Economist Advisory Council of the World Bank.  Immediately after completing my tenure of office as Governor of the Central Bank, I have accepted three international offers.

I served the Federal Government of Nigeria under two Presidents and below are excerpts of what each had to say about my services to Nigeria:

“Charles Soludo is a true Nigerian. He is the sort of Nigerian that we all know we can rely on. Among his numerous virtues is COURAGE. I have found in him a man who can take tough and realistic decisions, stand his ground, educate others on the salience of his decision, and work very hard to ensure that the decision is efficiently and effectively implemented. His dedication to duty is first rate. His leadership qualities are admirable and his willingness to listen and learn is simply infectious.
Professor Soludo has within a short time emerged as one of the leading lights of our nation. Not because he has a godfather but by sheer hard work, loyalty, dedication to duty, commitment to the nation, creativity, and undiluted association with the reform agenda, ”. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR (December, 2004)

President Yar’Adua had the following the say about the CBN under my leadership:

“… the CBN has performed creditably well in delivering on its core mandates. This is especially even more so in the last five years. Most people would agree that without the successful banking consolidation and effective management of our foreign reserves, the current global crisis would have shaken the financial system and our national economy to their foundations with calamitous consequences”; President Yar’Adua (May 2009).

In the President’s letter of commendation after completion of my tenure of office, the President had the following to say:

“As your tenure as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria comes to a glorious end, I write on behalf of the Government and people of Nigeria to place on record our debt of gratitude to you for your dedicated service and uncommon sense of duty over the past five years. I am confident that your worthy antecedents in the CBN and in prior appointments in the service of our nation remain sources of inspiration to an entire generation. As I wish you even more astounding successes in the years ahead, it is my fervent hope that you will readily avail us of your distinguished service when the need arises in the future” (June 2009).

That guy should be watched closely cos he's got some Mutallabic tendencies.

Tsiya:
1. May God destroy Sule Lamido and his cursed friends. May God shame Sule Lamido and his cursed friends. May God expose Sule Lamido and his cursed friends. May God strike Sule Lamido with poverty; with his cursed friends. Ameen. Every pious man should say Ameen

2. May God curse PASTOR SULE LAMIDO, REV SHEHU SHEMA, CARDINAL NYAKO, DA KUMA MOST REV ISAH YUGUDA. Every pious man should say Ameen

3. May God curse any person that voted for BADLUCK in the primary election.Every pious man should say Ameen

The guy is not only a terrorist in the incubator but also anti democratic. Look at him cursing everyone that voted Goodluck Jonathan as if they no longer have the fredom to choose who to vote. These are the types causing mayhem in Jos.

nwabobo:
I still maintain that the Mukhtar of a guy is an extremist and potential terrorist and shouldn't be handled with kid gloves.

Here are some recent posts from his facebook page;



Moukhtar Ibrahim Aminu
ALLAH KA WARGAZA SULE LAMODI DA SAURAN TSINANNUN ABOKANSA, ALLAH KA WALAKANTA SULE LAMIDO DA TSINAN NUN ABOKANSA, ALLAH KATONAWA SULE LAMIDO DA ABOKANSA ASIRI, ALLAH KA TSIYATA SULE LAMIDO DA TSINAN NUN ABOKANSA, AMEEN DUK NA ANNABI YACE AMEEN
January 18 at 8:57pm

Moukhtar Ibrahim Aminu
ALLAH KA TSINEWA PASTOR SULE LAMIDO, REV SHEHU SHEMA, CARDINAL NYAKO, DA KUMA MOST REV ISAH YUGUDA. DUK NA ANNABI YACE AMEEN
January 18 at 8:44pm


Moukhtar Ibrahim Aminu
ALLAH KA TSINEWA DUK WANDA YA ZABI BADLUCK A ZABAN FUDDA GWANI DA SUKAYI LAST WEEK. DUK NA ANNABI YACE AMEEN
January 18 at 8:35pm

With comments like the ones above from that lowlife, I bet it's only a matter of time before he starts carrying explosives. The earlier he is put out of circulation, the better for the society. Pray Al-qaeda doesn't lay hands on this one.

I still maintain that the Mukhtar of a guy is an extremist and potential terrorist and shouldn't be handled with kid gloves.

Here are some recent posts from his facebook page;



Moukhtar Ibrahim Aminu
ALLAH KA WARGAZA SULE LAMODI DA SAURAN TSINANNUN ABOKANSA, ALLAH KA WALAKANTA SULE LAMIDO DA TSINAN NUN ABOKANSA, ALLAH KATONAWA SULE LAMIDO DA ABOKANSA ASIRI, ALLAH KA TSIYATA SULE LAMIDO DA TSINAN NUN ABOKANSA, AMEEN DUK NA ANNABI YACE AMEEN
January 18 at 8:57pm

Moukhtar Ibrahim Aminu
ALLAH KA TSINEWA PASTOR SULE LAMIDO, REV SHEHU SHEMA, CARDINAL NYAKO, DA KUMA MOST REV ISAH YUGUDA. DUK NA ANNABI YACE AMEEN
January 18 at 8:44pm


Moukhtar Ibrahim Aminu
ALLAH KA TSINEWA DUK WANDA YA ZABI BADLUCK A ZABAN FUDDA GWANI DA SUKAYI LAST WEEK. DUK NA ANNABI YACE AMEEN
January 18 at 8:35pm

Beaf:
From everything I've garthered so far, the boys fb post might only be the tip of the iceberg. There is a lot of horrible politics going on in the North right now, with religious messages, death threats etc being liberally deployed.
I will take the back sit again and advice we wait this out, at least wait a couple of days since the gov is now under some pressure to reveal the reasons for his actions (if his words won't prejudice a matter already before court).

Same dude posted this on his page.

‘Allah ya tsinema Cardinal Isa Yuguda, Reverend Murtala Nyako, Bishop Shehu Shema and Pastor Sule Lamido. Most Reverend Sunusi Daggash & Priest Abba Aji. They are the enemies of the North and Islam. ’

Lagosboy:
Do you understand the definition of a terrorist? The man cursed LAmido the same way IBB is cursed everyday by Nigerians and the same way OBJ is cursed by Nigerians. What has terrorism got to do with this.

Please let us stop misusing words and sensationalising news that shouldnt be.

When this comes from a young Islamic follower, it becomes suspect. Remember Boko Haram and how it started? Any difference?

hynex79:
but how come the same guy is part of his admin team,or are they different persons?

The page was apparently created before the PDP primaries where Atiku lost to GEJ. Dude is probably voicing out his frustration at the feeling of betrayal by Lamido to the Northern cause.